Before The Virus, Sunday mornings were for walking. Either with the Dover and Thanet Rights of Way Society or footpath work with my oldest son Joseph. Kent County Council has not yet authorised countryside access work to resume. But I can walk with my son, two metres apart because he’s a separate household. A favouriteContinue reading “Circuit of Canterbury”
Category Archives: walking
Julius Caesar was here
About three kilometres west of Canterbury was the first recorded battle on British soil. In 55BC Julius Caesar made a brief excursion to this land. In 54BC he returned with a greater force. He wrote that a day’s march from the sea he forded a river. The native Brits took refuge in a hillfort whichContinue reading “Julius Caesar was here”
Pretence of normality
For years i’ve been walking with the Dover and Thanet Rights of Way Society. DATROWS for short. Most of their walks are five or six miles, too much for my ageing legs. I’ve led a few”leisurely” three mile walks. The schedule had me doing this today, Sunday May 24th. The lockdown has cancelled all walks.Continue reading “Pretence of normality”
Another Larkey Valley Sunday
The Larkey Valley Wood is about three kilometres southwest of Canterbury. Given to the city by Alderman Frank Hooker in 1932, it is 44 hectares of woodland. A Site of Special Scientific Interest and local Nature Reserve. Looked at another way, one of Canterbury’s public parks. I came here often in times past, walking withContinue reading “Another Larkey Valley Sunday”
Cricket or walking?
One of my interests is cricket. BBC Radio 5X have re-broadcast ball-by-ball commentary on the epic Edgbaston Test of 2005 between England and Australia. On Sunday August 7th Australia needed an unlikely 107 runs to win. England only needed to take two wickets. What’s this got to do with walking? In those fitter days iContinue reading “Cricket or walking?”
May is here
A curious May Day. No morris dancing, no political marches. Still, Sumer is icumen in. Today’s walk is three miles long, to the west of Canterbury. In normal times, i would walk three miles every Sunday, either with Datrows walking group or as a countryside access warden. This isn’t about my health, but i amContinue reading “May is here”
A symbolic trespass
On April 24th, 1932 the Kinder mass trespass took place. The Duke of Devonshire would not let walkers on his grouse moors between Manchester and Sheffield. Walkers and political activists challenged him with a deliberate trespass, battling with game keepers. Some were arrested and jailed. Folksinger and communist Ewan McColl wrote “The Manchester Rambler”, aContinue reading “A symbolic trespass”
The Rites of Spring
Spring is not a single event but a series. From maybe the first snowdrops to Morris dancing in the May. An important stage is visiting a bluebell wood. This lockdown year my challenge was to find one an easy walk from home. The nearest is on the large campus of the University of Kent, aboutContinue reading “The Rites of Spring”
Easter Sunday
My Exercise Walk this sunny Sunday was a slow stroll around Canterbury, delivering Easter eggs to two of my sons and enjoying the ancient empty streets. I’ll write of a longer walk, which i might have done but for the lockdown. The village of Chartham is about three miles southwest of Canterbury. Take bus orContinue reading “Easter Sunday”
Could be last walk for a while?
Things are changing too fast for reasoned comment. Government guidelines permit outdoor exercise. But the health secretary says we should all stay indoors. So why are shops and garages open? If everyone stayed at home society would collapse. Enough! My Exercise Walk today (Sunday April 5th) was very different from last Sunday’s. Last week hadContinue reading “Could be last walk for a while?”
Rambling Brummie 