Day: 169 8/3/97 Rochester to Allhallows-on-Sea

Weather:  Windy and cool but dry

Distance:  30km (18.6 miles)    Total Distance:  2168 miles

I drove down from Coventry early in the morning and parked at the station car park which was relatively empty. I left hoping that I would not receive a ticket for not being a railway passenger but at least I bought a car park ticket. 

Once I'd crossed the bridge I turned right and ended up on a new industrial estate but managed to find the paths through eventually.  The scenery improved at Lower Upnor with more trees and nice houses around.  Not far beyond I stumbled across a marina with its own café.  I was to learn over the next couple of years that marinas are good places to find cheap cafes open on weekends.  I treated myself to a good fry-up. 

I followed the footpaths after that inland to avoid the first power station and then back down to the sea again.  Once back down on the sea I increased my walking speed fearful that there were youths with an air rifle around.  I stopped for a rest just before I reached the Isle of Grain power station knowing that the next bit would be on main road full of lorries.  It turned out not to be too bad and at Grain I did a little circular walk of the village and walked what little bit of coast I was able to access. 

I was still feeling relatively fit and decided to try to make it to Allhallows.  It was very unclear on the map if I would be able to reach Allhallows on the coast because there was no footpath on the map.  If not I would have to take a massive detour inland.   I decided to give it a go and if no path existed I would just come back to Grain village and get a bus and at least know where I would be walking the next day.  It turned out that there was a track and no private signs or wire fences to get through.  I took a wrong turning at one stage and ended up in the little community on Grain Marsh where someone told me there was no right of way but pointed me in the right direction anyway. 

I was relieved to get onto Allhallows Marshes because at least I knew this was a public footpath and that I had saved myself a long detour.  Onto the coast again and I could see Southend across the river but I would not get there for another six months.  At Allhallows I sped up through a caravan site because I knew there was a bus due.  I felt a bit of a fool when I rushed up to this bus only to find he was going to Grain and would pick me up on the way back in another 20 minutes!

There then followed a pretty miserable evening.  First of all I had to find Rochester Youth Hostel and that took me ages driving around Chatham.  Added to that the roads were busy and dark.  The hostel itself was decent enough; new but even then had the usual problem that the showers were below par!  It occurred to me that someone could have a full time job as a plumber for the YHA and have a job for life.  

The next problem was food – I tried the pub nearby but they were not serving on a Saturday night, then another but they were fully booked and then went of in search of a take-away. I found a collection of them but most were packed apart from a Chinese so I plumbed for that. It ended up being one of the worst I had ever had.  I retired for the evening and hoped tomorrow would be better – but at least I had had a good days walking.