We are following a series of 10 walks which take in many areas I have long wanted to walk in, so I’m sure we will find it interesting.  We’ll stretch the walks out covering all seasons too. 

Our walk today started at Seabrook at the sluice gate which marks the end of the canal. I must say it was nothing exciting to look at and the navvies who started the digging all those years ago probably thought exactly the same.

 

The first part of the walk was a very muddy experience which is nothing unusual at this time of year but I get the feeling the footpaths through the woods following Sandy Lane will nearly always have trouble with water erosion, as was all too evident underfoot. In fact a large tree trunk had fallen into the middle of the path from the steep bank at one point.

Passing through Paraker Wood we noticed the White Horse of Cheriton on the hillside just over 3miles away where we had walked the previous Saturday in the snow. There were still one or two very small pockets of snow and in fact we were very grateful where the muddy footpaths were still partially frozen in places as it wasn’t so slippery.
 

Our walk took us across the bridleway that crosses the Sene Valley golf course. It was obvious that horses had been crossing the golf course too: I wonder if they look both ways for flying golf balls and proceed without delay as we were requested to! We waited for a group of golfers to finish their shots and they asked if we wanted to take pictures of them as examples of local wildlife, as they could be quite wild sometimes if their game isn’t going well.

I must admit I was really surprised to see a Trig point on the edge of one of the greens, but it was at least a well maintained one as there was a power supply at the back of it. I wonder how many other golf courses have trig points as part of the obstacles the golfers have to negotiate.
 

Safely across the golf course (twice as it happens) we entered the outskirts of Hythe and were looking for somewhere to sit down and have our lunch. As we reached St Leonard’s church on the hill overlooking the town there was a bench made for two which was perfect. St Leonard’s church has a very interesting history. It dates back to the 11th century and has become quite a tourist attraction because in the crypt are a collection of 2,000 skulls and 8,000 thigh bones. The ossuary usually only opens in the summer months when there are more tourists, but in the twenty minutes or so we had sat eating our lunch several people had turned up hoping to visit.

Eventually one couple went to ask at the vicarage if it was possible to have a look and of course we went to have a look too. There are several stories as to where all these bones have come from but the most likely is that they are the bones which were displaced when the churchyard was excavated for the chancel foundations in the twelfth century. The reason there are so many more thigh bones than skulls is that skulls are much more fragile.

The vicar showed us the skull where a nesting bird had once made its home and also showed us the jaws where, because of a diet with no sugar, the teeth showed no signs of decay. He also told us the story of how one of the skulls had been taken and for many years had sat on the mantelpiece of a local house. Despite pleas from the family to return it, it wasn’t until the death of the person who stole it that the skull was anonymously returned. It’s very obvious which skull this is as it has been varnished and stands out on the shelf. 

Having thanked the vicar for opening the crypt for us to view we made our way down through Hythe town centre and found the canal. It was then a two mile walk along the canal to bring us back to Seabrook and the car. 

We finished the day by washing our boots in the sea at Seabrook while watching the sun setting As had been the case all day the clouds obscured the sun as it was sinking but once it had set below the level of the clouds I managed to get a picture I was really pleased with of the subtle colours reflected in the cloud

   
 

A great little walk of almost 6 miles and a great start to exploring this area

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