Lympne to Elham

Getting closer to home now, North of the M20 already!

But the day started still at Lympne. It was good to spend a few days here at St Stephen next to the castle. 

The tower of the church is in the middle, between the nave and the chancel. 

It also has underfloor heating - very nice to sleep on. 

And lovely views :

 

The route went first to Saltwood, underway passing this little chapel that almost looks like a normal house.

 

 

In Saltwood there's St Peters & St Paul's.

 

 

They also have a community centre called the Lad's Club.

Yesterday I was invited to both churches harvest lunch, which was on here. A couple from Lympne took me along. It was a lovely bring & share. I only needed to bring myself... 

From there on to Postling on the North Downs,but first had to cross the high speed railway and the M20.

Postling is a little village with only the church as a special venue / building. I spoke to a lady in the church, and she knew of the Old Way! There church had considered offering sanctuary too.

 

 

 

As they were the only thing in the village, they had quite a lot of other activities, like a social evening every month. Or informal services, other than priest led services once a month. It was really good to see the church being active in their small community. 

From Postling over the hills to Lyminge. The village was an early Saxon monastery founded by St Ethelberga, daughter of King Ethelbert. 

It also has the source of the Nailbourne

 

And a Methodist Church:

 

Seems like a very nice church! 

After Lyminge underway to Elham, following the Nailbourne

 

to finally Elham, Anglican Church 

 

 

And Methodist Church:

 

Here ends my journey for today, and I was picked by my host from there for the night. 

Stats 

Sunday in Lympne

Just a quick picture on the Sunday, this is the view tonight from Lympne Church over Dymchurch / Palmarsh and across the Channel to France!

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. 

Stats:

Winchelsea to Appledore

I had just finished my blog... And it crashed and I lost everything. So just a summary : a good walk to Rye and Stone in Oxney, but then the rain became heavier. So the final bit to Appledore & the B&B was very wet. 

I leave you with a picture from Oxney with the approaching rain :

The stats:

 

Battle to Winchelsea

It was a lovely day for walking, sun was shining, good temperature, hardly any wind.

I was away early from my hosts as they also had to leave early, and first walked from their house to Winchelsea's Anglican Church, St Mary the Virgin. 

 

 

It was open even though it was before 9. And they had a lovely sunflower bouquets behind the communion table! 

 

 

After looking around for a bit I headed to Westfield, five miles.

Because it was still early and dewy, everything looked clean and fresh

I got to Westfield Church just before 12pm, having a rest there, when the phone rang. It turned out that I had left my wallet behind at my hosts'. 

They were able to bring it to Westgate, but not until after 1pm. So I looked around the Church a bit:

The organ had to be placed very high because of the windows...

After that I discovered a little cafe and had a sandwich there, then returning to church to wait. Lovely sit on a bench in the sunshine. 

After being reunited with my wallet (thanks Tom!), I got underway again direction Icklesham.

Fields and views. This is the valley of the Brede, now a little stream but in the distant past (around 1000AD) this was still a sea inlet, that went as as far inland as Sedlescombe (just north of Hastings). 

 

 

I liked these sheep, either black or white, but no mixture...

And this plant turned very autumn red:

 

After a long time I arrived at Icklesham, a nice church, but only open in the mornings

 

Walking on towards Winchelsea, I walked past the windmill that Paul McCartney used as a recording studio. 

 

 

Windmills tend to be in high places, and this was the view from the top.

 

The sea!

From there it was down towards sea level, finding myself in reed beds.

 

 

And then walking alongside the Military Canal.

 

 

I entered Winchelsea via the New Gate.

 

 

Although it took another half an hour to get to the actual town. I only had 5 minutes to look in the Church as they were locking it up, so only a few pictures:

 

I may return tomorrow...

I had a rather strange experience today. I have been struggling with my backpack, couldn't quite find the right fit, especially on my shoulders and after that many days they started to get soar. I had already prayed to ask Jesus for some relief. And then sometime today when I put my backpack on again, my shoulders hurt again. So I prayed again. And somehow my body readjusted itself. My back straightened, and my shoulders were pushed back. It was as if God was saying, your posture is wrong. Do not slouch forwards, but put your back straight and shoulders back. And it helped! It now feels easier to carry, when I remind myself to straighten my back and my shoulders. Thank you, Jesus!

Finishing with the usual stats.