Pembury to Goudhurst
I think weather forecasters are much like English Doctors - they don't work weekends. Friday, Saturday and Sunday the forecast for Monday's walk was for high cloud until mid afternoon when a shower or two might pop up. Come Monday Morning the early forecast had Carol, the Weather Lady, saying that considerable showers, some very heavy would prevail until mid afternoon. WRONG - no rain at all and a very warm and humid day, which meant that we had the wrong clothes on for a vigorous walk!Anyway, besides that the walk was good and through varied countryside including some of Kent's famous fruit orchards. The original plan was to try and get to Cranbrook (4 miles beyond Goudhurst) but a few early "forced detours" because of poor trail signage coupled with legs that hadn't really been tested for several weeks led to a dismal average speed which was only 2.2 MPH at one point.
Goudhurst was always our intended lunch stop but the village is atop a very steep hill and whilst we could see the destination from afar the walk and climb to it meant that we were sorely in need of liquids when we finally arrived at 2-00pm.
| No wonder we get lost! |
| Matfield village green |
| Palmers Green Church |
| Palmers Green High Street |
| Walking through the Apple and Pear Orchards |
| Oast Houses and Churches were a common sight today |
| That's Goudhurst in the distance |
| Massive English Oak's are a wonderful sight |
| Who put that big hill in front of the pub! |
| At last, pub in sight - The Star and Eagle |
| Just look what they had on Tap - eat your heart out Murray!! |
Stats for the day were ...
Date
|
Steps
|
Distance (mi)
|
Time (Hr)
|
Calories
|
Average speed (mph)
|
Elevation gain (feet)
|
Elevation lost (feet)
|
17/06/2013
|
20,225
|
10.4
|
4:17
|
1,273
|
2.4
|
1,736
|
1,744
|