Weather: Mild and Foggy
Distance: 25km
(15.5miles) Total Distance: 2184
miles
I started today’s walk with mixed
feelings. I was still in a satisfied mood after completing yesterdays stretch
but slightly apprehensive about today’s.
After so many walks close to civilization I realised that the first half
of today’s walk would be very isolated.
What great weather for walking this stretch of Dickensian shore line
though – still and foggy. All the way
along I kept thinking about Great Expectations – Magwich the convict and
Pip.
I parked the car in the village of
Allhallows and walked through the caravan site. I was up very early and was
walking by 7.30am. For mile after mile I would be walking along the sea defenses. I saw absolutely nobody until I started to head south. I wondered what would have happened to me if
I had hurt myself. At one point I saw a
collection of farm buildings through the mist all with their roofs missing
adding to the eeriness.
I had few stops and only started having
breaks proper once I reached the Cliff Fort area. I crossed a couple of gents who said they had
just started walking the Saxon Way that day and were armed with guidebook. I had no idea how far they were heading and
would have been shocked if they had attempted the deserted coastal defenses I
had just conquered. On the bus back to
Allhallows, I saw them at High Halstow, I think they must have opted for an
inland route.
Between Cliffe Fort and Halstow I started
to pass more people. The path was fairly
well marked but actually got worse the closer to Gravsend I got. Industry started to appear and many
piers. I went through a very derelict warehousing
type area – just the sort of place the film industry would love. For the last two miles I was having real
trouble with my knee and could hardly walk.
I hobbled up into the town and was disappointed to find the station was
at the opposite side. When I got there I ended up catching a bus back to
Rochester and from there another one back to Allhallows. A lady at the stop in Rochester said they
were thinking of stopping this bus. What a shame – it saved me no end of grief
that day!
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