Bough Beech

29th March 2013

Dee came over again at 7am. This time I had packed the map. For our Good Friday Walk we parked at Bough Beech reservoir (although not in the car park, it doesn't open until 10am). We walked down the western shore toward Bough Beech village. The ground was much firmer now without rain or snow for a week. It was decidedly warmer and the sun came out!

There was a bit of road work until we reached the River Eden and then across fields to the Penshurst Place Estate. We stopped for breakfast in the woods at Moorden, out of the wind (which was still cold). And the last of my pea and ham soup!

On the Penshurst Place Estate, we walked along a wide avenue of London Planes. The bark is so strange - rather like a jigsaw puzzle. It must be beautiful through there in summertime. There was also the biggest, twisted, strangest Oak tree I have ever seen!

From here we went on into Leigh. Past the Fluer-de-lis (lunchtime cooking - yum) and the lovely church, into the parkland. There was a very old kissing gate which we had to climb over, it was so small our bags wouldn't fit! There were a pair of Fallow deer, one white, so easy to spot.

Up at Leigh Park Farm, there was something for every sense: the cool wind on the skin, Daffodils for the eye and cow shit for the nose! We were glad to be away from there!

Celandine and Speedwell were in flower along the lanes, with Primroses here and there and Dogs Mercury coming up. So much more promising than of late.

Back at the reservoir, we popped into the Kent Wildlife Centre for a coffee and cake and a look around. They have a nice little exhibition of hop growing there (wonderful memories for both Dee and I), and a lot of educational stuff of wildlife etc. for kids, very well done.

A 17, maybe 18k walk – grand!
               

What has it lived through, that old gnarled thing?

There are bunions and blisters and ugly swellings.

But still it lives, rooted in the terrible world.

With a strange beauty and defiance.