A walk in the country
Aug 24, 2009 13:34:00 GMT
Post by patricklondon on Aug 24, 2009 13:34:00 GMT
One of the glories of Britain is the way in which old-established footpaths in the countryside are preserved and available to all. In many London bookshops you'll find guide-books with descriptions and maps of routes taking to you places of great beauty and interest (not forgetting good places to stop for some refreshment) - and all within a commuter's train ride of the city centre.
All you need is some good shoes, some common sense and respect for such conventions as not littering and closing gates behind you. And, of course, a camera.
The other day, I went for a walk around the Eden Valley and Penshurst in Kent, just over an hour by train from London. The countryside here is the picture-book image of gentle slopes and fields interspersed with small copses and hedges, surrounding fields of sheep and cattle
and still sometimes the traditional Kentish crops of hops. The conical-roofs of oast-houses once used to dry the hops (now more commonly sought-after residential conversions) can be seen poking up through the trees:
This was a circular route from the station (about 11km), passing by some interesting chickens:
and some signs of autumn on its way:
and arriving just in time for lunch at Chiddingstone, a village (a single street of sixteenth-century cottages) owned entirely by the National Trust, with the landmark "Chiding Stone", a large outcrop that might have been used as a seat of judgement. Or not.
A wooded track leads you along above the valley
and takes you into Penshurst village, with Tudor houses crowded round the churchyard:
The main attraction here is Penshurst Place www.penshurstplace.com/, an historic country house with some very grand state rooms, including a glorious chestnut-beamed mediaeval hall. It was home to Sir Philip Sidney, poet, courtier and soldier, one of the stars of the court of Queen Elizabeth, and much quoted as a moral example - lying mortally wounded after the Battle of Zutphen he refused a drink of water, saying that a wounded soldier nearby needed it more.
Many others in the family were important courtiers and public officials in different generations, so it's no surprise to find one of the gardens laid out as a Union Flag in roses and lavender:
As all good country houses must (it's practically the law), it offers a cracking cream tea to set you up for the journey back to the station.
The route through the estate's parkland reveals a reminder of less peaceful times, a hastily thrown-up anti-invasion defence from 1940 now guarding the sheep:
and a last, classic, view of a cricket match in progress.
All you need is some good shoes, some common sense and respect for such conventions as not littering and closing gates behind you. And, of course, a camera.
The other day, I went for a walk around the Eden Valley and Penshurst in Kent, just over an hour by train from London. The countryside here is the picture-book image of gentle slopes and fields interspersed with small copses and hedges, surrounding fields of sheep and cattle
and still sometimes the traditional Kentish crops of hops. The conical-roofs of oast-houses once used to dry the hops (now more commonly sought-after residential conversions) can be seen poking up through the trees:
This was a circular route from the station (about 11km), passing by some interesting chickens:
and some signs of autumn on its way:
and arriving just in time for lunch at Chiddingstone, a village (a single street of sixteenth-century cottages) owned entirely by the National Trust, with the landmark "Chiding Stone", a large outcrop that might have been used as a seat of judgement. Or not.
A wooded track leads you along above the valley
and takes you into Penshurst village, with Tudor houses crowded round the churchyard:
The main attraction here is Penshurst Place www.penshurstplace.com/, an historic country house with some very grand state rooms, including a glorious chestnut-beamed mediaeval hall. It was home to Sir Philip Sidney, poet, courtier and soldier, one of the stars of the court of Queen Elizabeth, and much quoted as a moral example - lying mortally wounded after the Battle of Zutphen he refused a drink of water, saying that a wounded soldier nearby needed it more.
Many others in the family were important courtiers and public officials in different generations, so it's no surprise to find one of the gardens laid out as a Union Flag in roses and lavender:
As all good country houses must (it's practically the law), it offers a cracking cream tea to set you up for the journey back to the station.
The route through the estate's parkland reveals a reminder of less peaceful times, a hastily thrown-up anti-invasion defence from 1940 now guarding the sheep:
and a last, classic, view of a cricket match in progress.
