Romney Marsh Farmers await your arrival LDWAs.........................

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Kent County PRoW guidance is "If further cultivation is necessary after the expiry of the 14 day period following ploughing, the path must be reinstated within 24 hours.Again this is best achieved before leaving the field by marking the path with two or more sets of wheelings.". As the farmer was not ploughing but cultivating the field into deep ridges for a potato crop it should have been done when he finished. I've never known this field to be anything other than straight forward to cross. This time I've never known a field so difficult to navigate. Even knowing where the path should go, not being able to see New Romney church tower in the dark any attempted bearing was soon thrown off by the ridges. The lack of reinstatement has been reported and the field is on our list of things to check before the main event.

In case it requires an amendment hold off printing the RD until it shows as the Final version. A stile collapsed near Brookland which might also require a short diversion.

If the "field of doom" was only just ploughed should it be "reinstated" by the time of the main event? I have a recollection (possibly incorrect) that if a filed is ploughed in readiness for a crop to be sown, the path has to be reinstated within 14 days. No comfort for the Marshalls of course and probably over optimistic for a main event entrant like me.

Thanks to all the Marshalls and CPers giving up this weekend to prove everything out for the main event!

Field of Doom is an apt name. No one who did the walk will be at a loss to know where that was. Imagine a sea of rolling billows two feet deep, but of soft soil rather than water. Comments on the farmer would breach forum rules, but I passed through a blue haze ...

Town and villages oozing character and atmosphere, many palatial CPs (required kit to be amended to include black tie) and of course the usual LDWA platinum service where checkpointers can’t do enough for you.

Hot, yes. Too much. Still, better than Valleys style rain, though the occasional shower would not have gone amiss. A breeze was forecast, but not much materialized. Nights, by abrupt contrast not long after sunset, were colder than any I can recall on a Hundred.

The route description was excellent. A few gpx discrepancies, but no doubt those will be sorted out for the main event.
Thanks to Kent Group for organizing a great walk and to local Groups for manning the CPs.

Mud was minimal.

A few muddy bits under trees mostly avoidable. Also the climb upto Lympne castle.

Congratulations to everyone who took part in the Marshals walk, and thanks in advance to those who'll be helping on the main event.
How was the MUD? My brother and I did a 5-day recce over Easter and MUD was a memorable feature. Deep, slippery, sticky MUD.
I think I spent as much time horizontal as I did vertical.

The hottest May bank holiday on record, ergo the hottest Marshals' Walk on record.

You didn't need to know the temperature in numbers, just count the bikinis on Sandgate beach and the BBQs in Lower Leas Coastal Park on Sunday.

The overnight Romney Marsh frog chorus must surely feature on the soundtrack of the post event video.

And thanks for the bananas which were at a perfect point of ripeness-not easy when buying in quantities. Also really loved the beetroot and cream cheese rolls, and the good veggie things like the quorn eggs. Great nutrition. Back to continue eating...

I have lots of lovely memories from CP 100 marshals’ walk-the myriad frogs calling at night and lots of other little nocturnal rustlings and cries; a blood orange half-moon rising over the marshes; the watery landscape, which compared only with the Shotley Peninsula 50 for its presence over many miles; early purple orchids on the verges, over 12” tall and in such a spectrum of colours; the unusual dawn chorus from marshland birds; bluebell woods in perfection; apple orchards in full blossom ; wisteria clothing the walls in pretty villages on the first afternoon. There is a lot to look at and be charmed by-which helps mitigate all those fields of rape!

Many thanks to all those who planned and/or supported the event, and who gave generous additions to CP supplies on the day to help keep us going through the heat. I was never at a loss for what to eat. The marshals were unfailingly kind, helpful and encouraging.

I didn’t finish-got to breakfast, but heigh ho, that’s life, and there is always Northumberland to come…

Looking forward to returning the favours and supporting everyone on the main event.

Home, Awake.

Thanks to all who gave up their weekend to marshal the marshals walk, I have to *totally* disagree with the weather selection, it was HOT.

The photos I took going round the route can be found at https://photos.app.goo.gl/NppPSx1Eo4CcyG5y2. Half of them are taken on a 360 camera, so if they look odd click on the picture and it should be shown correctly. The 360 photos stopped when the battery in the camera ran out.

Certainly not an easy route. Coming across the 'field of doom' is one I will remember. Based on my experience I would suggest prioritising comfort over traction with the footware.

I will post some comments on the RD and GPX track later.

Again, thanks to all marshals, and see you all in 3 weeks time.

Andy

Great event, great support.

A huge thank you to everyone involved with the Cinque Ports 100 marshalls event this weekend. It was a great event and the support at the checkpoints was just superb. Particular thanks to those who were so kind to me when some sleep was required! Whoever was in charge of the weather, many thanks! I hope you’re all having a well earned rest today. Thank you so much.

Seconded!

Very very best wishes to all those brave souls on the Marshals event. May the sun shine cooly on you and a gentle wind caress your backs all weekend!!!