Appledore to Lympne

After yesterday's rain, I am happy to report that I didn't get wet today. As I was very wet yesterday, I must admit that I prayed for a dryer day. And although the weather forecast indicated that we might have persistent rain, it was only persistent on the Channel or perhaps directly at the coast. This rainfall radar picture was typical for today:

 

 

I am glad it did not reach me. Perhaps others had the same prayers but whatever the reason we should thank God for our blessings!

The top picture is from the Gusbourne vineyard, a quite extensive estate:

 

 

I passed through this on the way from my B&B to Wareham. They used loud explosion sounds to scare of the birds! At least it kept me awake!

It was a relatively short walk to Warehorne. There was a funny little house, before the extensions it must have been very small! 

 

The Church is St Matthews, s bit of a square construction. 

Inside there were these funny signs:

 

Next stop was Ham Street, with an Anglican Methodist Church of the Good Shepherd 

 

 

Wareham also has a nice café, where I enjoyed a coffee... 

 

From there through the Ham Street nature reserve, a beautiful wood. 

Arriving in Ruckinge, with this lovely sign:

 

St Mary Magdalene:

 

It may have inherited the communion table from a nearby Chapel which was turned into a home:

It was now used for notices. 

After that I had to negotiate a hard path next to the Military Canal:

 

 

Narrow, uneven, lined with brambles. At the end I nearly couldn't get out as the kissing gate was overgrown with brambles. 

Bilsington was the next stop. It only seems to have a church and an obelisk. 

St Peter & St Paul's was well looked after and they enjoyed making kneelers:

 

and the bell was outside... 

 

Cricket was played in the field in front of the obelisk. I didn't find out what it was for. 

onwards again alongside the Military Canal.

The above may be a good illustration of the change in landscape. To the left the hills of the old Saxon shore. To the right the flats of Romney Marsh, with the canal in the middle separating both sides.

From there it was along the Canal to Lympne. Had a conversation with a man going the same way, ranging from Brexit, Immigration and the Archbishop of Canterbury. We agreed to disagree but had a good exchange if views. At least it made this bit of the walk go quicker! 

Then a final steep up the hill to Lympne where I will stay in St Stephen's tonight.

 

Tomorrow, Sunday, there will be no blog, but maybe a picture. 

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