L2L Day 3 Folkestone to New Romney - 14.5 miles

The view of yesterday's sunset may have been serene but this morning, the Sisyphian task of repairing the eroding beach by moving shale and gravel back along the beach from whence it came, continued at a lumbering pace.


It didn't deter us or many others from enjoying a walk along the sea wall as it stretches seemingly for miles from Folkestone to Dungeness.



We decided that our route should turn inland and found another early 19th century defence against the French - The Royal Military canal designed to impede any invading force.

 Today, it's a peaceful canal walk 

which stretches for miles with weeping willows, reed banks, birdlife, pretty bridges and sleepy fishermen and a cormorant.


In Hythe, we visited the corrugated iron, Tin Tabernacle 


or the 'Tin Tab' as it's apparently called locally where the U3A was holding a monthly coffee morning.


Beyond Hythe we turned Southwards and headed along footpaths lined with Bitter Cress


and Great Horsetail, 


across the marshes and stopped off for a coffee - in the middle of nowhere - at the Botolph's Bridge pub which fortunately opened it's doors just as we arrived.


There we got talking to Malcolm Stevenson...and his Border terrier Benji.
Now long retired, Malcolm had played football as a schoolboy for Accrington Stanley. As an experienced miner, he'd moved south to work on the Channel tunnel and in his role had been introduced to the rich and famous including The Queen, Margaret Thatcher and ...the "bloke who played Trigger" in Only Fools and Horses!
Before moving South, his heroism following a gas explosion underground in his pit in Accrington had been recognised in a story in the Daily Mirror. Despite being injured he'd gone back in three times to search for his injured comrades.
We then set off along Donkey Street, through fields of crops, disturbing hares and heron


before crossing the Hythe and Dymchurch railway.


On arriving back at the sea wall, we walked the next two miles into an increasingly strong breeze and drizzle and arrived at Dymchurch - not the most inspiring of places - but we had a unexpectedly cheerful lunch at a very charming local cafe.

Don't judge a book by it's cover!!!

Then back on to the sea wall where we - not suprisingly - had the beach to ourselves !!! 


before eventually turning inland and crossing fields of crops and rape in full colour...

to arrive at our accommodation in New Romney, - The Ship Hotel.

I popped out before supper to have a quick look at St Nicholas' Church. 


The first church was commissioned in 1086 by Bishop Odo, brother in law to William the Conqueror.






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