Yet more mud

30th December 2012.

This morning I pointed the car at Venus and the orange glow below it and drove to Pixot Hill to pick up Dee and her little dog; and from there to Cranbrook.

We left the car at around 7:15am and walked through the churchyard; it was a perfect morning for a walk - cool and dry.

The Sun rose behind us as we walked north-west toward Hazelden Farm then down-hill to Friezley and followed the lane to Hocker Edge and the old Mill Stream which was running full and rapidly (the mill was here for over 500 years and only stopped working in the 20th century).

As we entered a small field between Hazelden Farm and Friezley, there were a group of perhaps twenty two-day old lambs frolicking without a care! They may have even been born on Christmas Day.

There is a lot of water in the valley here but the houses seemed dry. In the field leaving the lane, the mud was so deep, we had to divert to higher ground and then into Pond Wood, Brewers Wood (where I left my stick behind - and had to go back!), then into Home Wood where we had a break in a clearing bathed in sunlight. I ate Chestnut and bacon soup and homemade bread for breakfast. Very good! Maisie the dog liked the soup - I gave her my spoon to lick. I forgot that I would need it again later. Di said that it was OK, she only licked her bum just then!

We carried on through Digdog Lane (where dogs would dig up corpses at the time of the plague), then around to Sissinghurst Castle for another break (and used the dog-licked spoon!).

Later as we went through an orchard, approaching Sissinghurst village, there were Braeburn apples (still crisp) hanging from the trees like red-green droplets on a necklace. So irresistible! 

Dee had trouble with a gate again. 

From there, we walked back to Cranbrook past the Union Windmill. A lovely view from here.

Absolutely knackered today. The normally 5 hour walk took almost 6 hours, what with all the mud, and I was smothered in it!