Yes, you read that correctly. Today's destination is Clacket Lane services. As a lone walker looking for an affordable bed this was a convenient stop over. The walk down from the actual path meant a tricky walk along what turned out to be a very busy secondary road; like a main road but without the footpath. Luckily I found a safer way to rejoin the path the following day.
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| Typical view from the path |
Today's walk crosses the M25 taking you inside that London ring road, and you do hear some traffic noise though you don't spend much time with the M25 in sight. Getting closer to the M25 I see one of the many coal tax posts that circled London in the 1860s. These white posts with the City of London crest indicate the boundary where tax on coal would be payable; though tax collection did not happen at these points. I am surprised they are so far from the City of London and I expect that, as with Thomas Cubbitt, they also mark the distance city workers would 'commute'. The 1860 posts were an extension of earlier tax which two centuries earlier had paid for the rebuilding of St Paul's Cathedral and the tens of city churches designed by Sir Christopher Wren.
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| Coal Tax |
Without a drone for aerial shots it is hard to show the ridge though it is ever present with occasional prominent hills.
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| Colley Hill |
The Inglis Folly on Colley Hill offers more great views and at 230 meters above sea level gives an idea of the climbs on this walk. It is not the flat Thames Path and not the strenuous Pennine Way. This folly has a beautiful ceiling displaying the night sky in mosaic form.
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| Inglis Folly |
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| Inglis Folly; the night sky |
The path takes us through the part of Gatton Park laid out by Lancelot 'Capability' Brown, and I have tried to capture a decent view, on my basic phone camera, of his pastoral and picturesque landscape.
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Capability Brown
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| A Capability Brown landscape |
I love walking in autumn as the land is fruitful, the weather mellow being neither too nor nor too cold cold and any early mists soon clear.
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| Lunch from the land; tasty though somewhat tart |
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| Whitehill tower; remains of a folly |
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Up on the ridge again
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The path crosses a large number of vineyards that enjoy the south facing slopes and dry, chalky conditions.
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Godstone vines
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Occasionally I came across tree felling and removal and this was due to ash dieback, a virus that can destroy ash trees and is spreading across Europe.
The countryside can be dangerous with poisonous plants, bulls in fields and shooting. Fortunately the locals are keen to point out the dangers, though less forthcoming on how to avoid certain death.
It was rare that I had to do anything but follow the signs. However, it is worth keeping track of where you are on an OS map in case you encounter a missing or fallen finger post. Having planned a route no one wants an extra two miles due to poor trail finding.
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Nearing Kent
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Sometimes you encounter plaques you cannot figure.
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| Crossing the Greenwich Meridian Line |
Passing through beautiful landscape the North Downs Way offers many opportunities for day walks.
Day 4: Clacket Lane to Wrotham Heath
