Thursday, 5 November 2015

Day: 165 2/9/96 Faversham to Sittingborne

Weather:  fine, warm, still

Distance: 24.0 km ( 14.9 miles)    Total Distance:   2099.5 miles

I parked the car in back streets some half mile from the station and wandered through the town of Faversham again. It was much quieter today than the previous afternoon.  The walk proper started by the local brewery and then along a nice path by the river followed by a bit of a detour inland around some light industry and then back to the river proper. 

Once out of the town I walked around Ham Marshes on reasonably goods river embankment.  Up the next river inlet took me past a number of shipyards and marinas.  Then down to the Swale estuary again and mile after mile of sea defences.  I passed a team of workman from the newly formed Environment Agency, repairing the wall at one stage, or should I say, taking time out to throw stones in the sea, the stones they should have been putting in the wall.

At Conyer, I came up the creek through an orchard and had lunch in the pub.  The sandwiches were pretty poor on stale or just thawed bread.  The place was under new management and an Alsatian puppy was doing its best to cause havoc.  The local trouble maker came in trying to sell earrings to earn a bit of money, but the barmaid was having none of it!

Then it was back down the creek on the west side, more sea defences.  The weather was warm and still which meant that every time I went past a Hawthorn bush I got attacked by flies, in the hair, mouth and eyes, a particularly unpleasant experience.

Getting closer towards Sittingbourne the path and scenery got shabbier.  The Milton Creek offered views of the power station and paper works and associated smells.  I kept to the creek for as long as I could and was then forced inland along mile after mile of industrial estate.  From this angle Sittingbourne looked a dismal sort of place.


I got the train back to Faversham and then drove back to Coventry.

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