Walk forever!

16^th December 2012

There was no Moon this morning when I left home. Just a few stars, when the clouds let them be seen. The Robins and Blackbirds were singing in the gardens but all was quiet when I left the village (even the Fieldfare!) and my way lit by my head-torch. If all else fails, there are the red lights of the aerial mast at Wrotham, which is due north!

The star Vega was very bright in the north east. Venus peeped through as I entered the woods at Gover Hill. There was no sign of the Sun or Mercury, they were behind the clouds.

Very large puddles of water and mud had to be negotiated after the rain last night.

The cock was crowing again, joined by another in competition which was deafening as I walked toward Crouch. And the blackbirds awoke. The night was gone now. It was around freezing when I left, but as I climbed to Hurst Wood, the temperature rose to 4 or 5 degrees.

Just a quick break at Doris's bench, because I wanted to have breakfast at Ightham Mote, when hopefully, the Sun would show itself.

Dropping down to Basted Mill, it was much cooler and the thermometer was at zero along the Bourne in the valley. I startled Sir Herne again by the river. I said sorry! The ground was firmer here as it was so cold. The river was murky from the recent rain.

Then I went through the orchards to Yopps Green and over the hill to Ightham Mote.

Breakfast of Pumpkin soup (of course!) in the sun. Mr Blackbird asked for some breadcrumbs and I gave him some.

It was much warmer as I left the Mote. I went back via Shipbourne, through the church-yard, across the green and into Dene Park Wood. Then into Clearhedges Wood, where I took off a layer and then home. It was one of those days when I felt I could keep walking! I hope I feel like this when I walk to Coldrum Longbarrow on Friday morning to see the Sun rise!

Planets

9 December 2012

It was very dark when I left at 6am, I certainly needed my head torch! The only light, was on my left, the glow of Tonbridge and on my right, the cow sheds at Park Farm. No moon or starlight this morning. It's a shame, as I wanted to see the unusual arrangement of Mercury, Venus, Saturn and the Moon, all in a low arc from the rising Sun. It's like that for a few days, I believe.

The only sound was a moorhen at Oxen Hoath and a cock crowing as I approached Crouch when the darkness was lifting. All the birds woke up then!

Breakfast was at Doris's bench as usual. A (pretty) young lady ran past and her dog wanted my pumpkin soup!

Not very cold here just 5 degrees; although the wind is cool.

I startled Sir Herne the Heron at the bridge below Basted Mill (and he startled me!) He flew away toward the Mill looking most put-out! I picked a couple of apples in the Brambly orchard for an apple crumble (good one last week).

At Yopps Green, I turned right toward Ightham Mote and there had the last of my soup. A Robin visited and asked for some crumbs. As he was so polite, I said that he could have some. So we ate together until it was time for me to go. There were a lot of guns going off around the Fairlawne Estate. People reducing the Pheasant population, I suppose.

There is a small Lime tree just outside Ightham Mote, which is full of Mistletoe. A place for lots of kisses! The Sun came out as I left Clearhedges wood, so I took off a layer and walked the rest of the way in Sunshine.

Soup for breakfast

2nd December 2012.

Out at 6am again. Very cold. A robin was singing by the light of a street lamp, a slightly melancholy tune.

Went north, with on my left shoulder, the gibbous Moon, Betelgeuse below and Capella and Jupiter pointing the way. On my right shoulder, my Moon shadow, Venus and the horizon the colour of a blood-orange. While you were tucked up in bed, I witnessed a perfect starlit morning!

Didn't need to turn on my head-torch until under the trees at Oxen Hoath. Then I went through Hurst Woods.

Breakfast of soup (of course!) and coffee, was on Doris's bench with the Sun behind the trees and the Moon in the blue sky in front of me. My hands froze - minus 3 degrees up here! I got the hand warmers out. Picked a few apples - there are still some to be had, but the Fieldfare (the orchards are full of them) have pecked at most. My hands didn't really warm up until my second break at Yopps Green on a bench in the Sun.

A pair of Buzzards at Basted Mill in the trees calling to each other. This pair we've seen all summer. I hope they survive the winter and breed next spring; we'll have our very own colony of Buzzards!

I followed the River Bourne and the warming Sun, home south.

Stormy weather

25th November:

I left home at 6am into a howling gale! Venus appeared from behind the scudding clouds as I walked west and then it was dark and foreboding into Clearhedges Wood. The sky was so dramatic with an orange glow on the horizon and dark clouds rushing by. It was like a scene from Wuthering Heights!

It was relatively calm in the wood with the wind above me in the tree tops. There were many trees strewn about in the torchlight, it looked like devastation! The birds and animals were keeping well under cover. The paths were flooded and muddy and was very hard going.

I ate more pumpkin soup at Ightham Mote! Then I went on to Wilmot Hill for a view of Hadlow Tower (more scaffolding has been taken down), then down to Budds Farm where there were lots of noisy parakeets, and on to St. Giles' Church for a second break. I took a diversion to Poult Wood for a change and through the golf course to Hadlow College and back home, it was very muddy. Quite a long walk but felt better this week.

More mud!

25th November 2012

Filthy weather when I set out at 6.30am and it didn't stop raining. I saw a Buzzard flying low in front of me along the track in Hurst Wood. Very exciting! Home made pumpkin soup and bread for breakfast under my brolly in the rain. The Bourne Valley below looked miserable and damp. Got back covered in mud!

Fierce climb

18th November:

Venus was very bright at 6.30am. But I turned my back on Venus and followed Jupiter west to Underriver. Breakfast on the granite bench on One Tree Hill. Good grief! That climb from Underriver to One Tree Hill is a killer, I was pooped! Lovely views as the mist was just clearing from the valley. Second break at St Giles Church, Shipbourne. I sat on the bench against the west wall for a coffee. Took the shortest route back home through Dene Park Wood.

Particularly knackered this week. Felt a bit peculiar (but my balls are OK!).

Bruised!

11th November 2012:

Took Dee over to Kindown for a Kilndown, Goudhurst, Bedgebury walk. Beautiful morning. Started at 7am and it was freezing - minus 2 degrees. My fingers froze and I had forgotten my hand warmers! The dew on some cobwebs had frozen. We warmed up going up the hill to Goudhurst. Gorgeous views across to Lamberhurst and Horsmonden. We took a break near Three Chimneys Farm, sitting on a felled oak tree and facing the sun. We warmed up properly there. More pumpkin soup! Bruised my balls going over a fence as Maisie, Di's little dog, rushed under me and I over-balanced. Ouch!                                                               We stopped for 2 minutes silence at 11am.                                                                                                   We had a second break in the Sun at Marshall's Lake in the Pinetum. Then back up to Kilndown, limping a little!

Pleasure in the Sun because others died.