Sussex Scrapbook
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Nature walks throughout the year
Saturday 14th February 2009
Walland Marsh
Brookland - Little Cheyne Court - East Guldeford - Brookland
13 miles
Even though there has
been a vast amount of rain lately (a whole month's worth in one day, last week)
we thought it was about time we went for another wander around Walland Marsh
(previously known as Romney Marsh). Unfortunately this required us to leave our
fair county for the second time in a week (we really are becoming jet setters)
as the marsh straddles the Kent/East Sussex border. The boundary here is marked
by the Kent Ditch, which in parts is just like a canal and in other parts is
literally just a small ditch. Kent is famous in our house for not being even the
slightest bit walker friendly. There are no sign posts at all on the wide,
watery expanses of the marsh and as a consequence the footpaths themselves are
barely visible (a phenomenon surely aided by repeated flooding). This lack of
guidance over some of the most treacherous conditions in the south-east of
England must lead to people being regularly lost out there, perhaps for ever! We
saw only two other walkers in the area all day and they were on the
Royal Military Canal footpath just by the main road. So, if you really want
to get away from it all, are well prepared, and can read a map and use a
compass, then come and have a go at this one. If on the other hand you have no
navigation skills whatsoever and want to end it all, then come on down to
Walland Marsh!
Yes it's wet out there, yes it's bleak and windswept and yes the whole area is
now dominated by a ghastly wind farm, but there still is a lot to recommend it
for. As already mentioned there are no people (and/or dogs) out there. Peace,
quiet and solitude reign, broken only by the happy squeals of Lapwings. The
views across the many reed beds, brooks and canals are gorgeous and even the 24
Nelson's Column-sized wind turbines around Little Cheyne Court don't offend the
eye too much after a while. Of course the main recommendation for nature lovers
is the wildlife and right now the place is teeming with it. Everywhere you look
there is something going on and we were lucky enough to tick off one of our
target birds early on in the walk; two female
Marsh Harriers, one flying around giving us a great show and another perched
on a grassy tussock. Just an hour or so later we saw a female
Merlin hurtling around some reed beds and just before dusk a ringtail
Hen Harrier came past us 20 feet above the ground on it's way home to roost.
In between those events we also witnessed: a Fox galloping after Lapwings, Brown
Hares nibbling grass near the turbines, a
Kingfisher brightly illuminated by the sun as it tore down a reedy sewer,
and many plopping sounds from small water channels that could have been
Water Voles.
The only thing that stopped today being perfect was the extremely low
temperatures we had to face on the bike. On the way there in the morning the
roads around Rye and in Kent were very icy and we passed a serious accident on
the road from Rye to Brookland. On the way back, its safe to say, we both nearly
got hypothermia. Was it worth it, you bet!
We arrived unscathed after an icy journey
at the unique St. Augustine's of Brookland with it's separate octagonal bell
tower,
box pews and a weights & measures museum.
The famous 12thC lead font
showing the signs of the zodiac.
Thought to have been stolen from the French during the
Hundred Years War.
Nothing is safe out here!
Kent Ditch, it does what it says on the tin!
There were some ploughed fields of incredibly sticky mud, which made the walking
far harder
These things are huge.....really huge!
We also touched on this long distance foot path,
The Saxon Shore Way.
As usual the last 2 miles were done after
dark.