Thanks Peter ! My notes reckon 1387 up and 820 down giving a revised total of 2207 steps ....

I seem to recall that at least one big step had ..er.. a little step up to it...or down from it...

And as for the stiles

Man with gardening gear is being dispatched to 16.1

Rod, could you have a recount on the way round so we now how many are steps up and how many down...

... and if you think there are many artificial steps, you are right - my full recce total is 2119 - narrow steps, wide steps, shallow steps, high steps, excluding steps up onto stiles and kerbside steps - noteworthy because it breaks stride pattern. Total steps 2119 is surely a record for any Hundred ?!

RD v1.50. Para 16.1. Yesterday (20 May) found the "very wide double LMGs" (at the end of the para) were chained shut. The "gap to right" was totally overgrown.

3.3 The path down to Jempsons at Peasmarsh was easily the wettest place on the route. There's not normally a stream in the vicinity so whether that's a true cause is unknown. Any path behind the hedge is not an official diversion and should be avoided.

6.9 The farmer has invariably been reinstating the field as per the route description even though it doesn't match the definitive path but this line was recently cultivated out. A few days before the Marshals' locals had trampled in the definitive path as Helen found it. Since then it has been cultivated again and was a blank, if rough, canvas. Field will be inspected for further developments.

13.2 The wood is not very big but mostly thin and rather long. Obvious in daylight but ominous at night. A strategy will be adopted to minimise navigation errors through this section.

Steve, we were having difficulties with our interpretation of paras 13.1. and 13. 2 of the RD long before we got to line 3... I think part of the problem is that there are not enough distances given in the RD, which would be really important at night... we managed because we were joined by someone with a GPS. In effect we collectively navigated through a big wood by dead reckoning. The GPX file of the route does not appear to match the visible route on the ground. The OS right of way seems correct which means you may need to use the 1:25000 map at this point.

Although I did not complete I can confirm that RD at 13.2 needs adjusting/enhancing.

3rd line- reach wmk-stones, THEN CONTINUE SO (not bw on L- that takes you away in the opposite direction);

4th line-Cont for 180 yds as path BsL IGNORE 1ST PATH ON RIGHT & IN 5 YDS TR.

Seconded re. the useful comments.

I recced it 2½ weeks before the Marshals' Walk and can add:

6.9 In the RD after TR028238 is an instruction: AHD (130°) and in 160yds at Xing path BR (190°) but the path and the GPX seemed to BR immediately on about 170° and there was no crossing track. (If this is the Field of Doom it would certainly add to its reputation if people could not find their way out of it).

12.5 the route turns left on what is effectively the RHS of the trees with fences visible. There is another minor TK "thru" the trees earlier on where the GPX turns off, so could cause confusion, but it rejoins the route after curving right the other side of the trees.
Both these have been reported.

I also reported in 3.3 that the enc path after the red-tiled house was flooded and a local walker said it was due to a stream diversion and there was a detour to the L of the enclosing hedge, but no-one has mentioned this since then so maybe it was more of a short-term problem than it appeared.

The GPX discrepancies in 13.2 and some elsewhere could well be because the number of points has been kept to a minimum but a recorded track confirms it went via the OS path to the fence/fld corner. At the TR (beware low branches) there was a small track off to the right just before the correct one, which was a little further round the corner.

Hi Andy. Thanks for the useful comments. The swan was looking at us with some anxiety, understandably, because its mate's nest is close to the path, although partly concealed in the reeds

I particularly agree with you about paras 13.1 and 13.2.

I do not have a GPS, but this is a complicated and intricate section of the route . We simply could not interpret the RD on the ground. It may be more obvious in daylight. (but it wasn't daylight at 0200)

However we were accompanied by a competent person with a Garmin GPS and the loaded GPX file, who could not reconcile the GPX with the RD either.

This section traverses a large and dense wild wood with many tracks and paths, some unmarked, so navigation may require care and the 1:25000 OS map. I understand that Kent LDWA may consider flagging this section, if resources permit.

Below is my first pass at going through my memeory and track log for comments on the RD and GPX. I havent attempted to rationalize the list. The numbers refer to the section of the RD

1.2 The gap in the hedge is at TQ843101 not TQ835102 as in the GPX

1.2 The GPX track takes a different route to the RD at TQ837103 and goes north of the bushes before decending to the wooden posts

1.2 GPX track diverges from the RD at TQ843106, OS map is correct.

3.1 TR out of CP

3.3 At churchyard there are 2 KGs to exit, the wrong one is the first one you see as it is directly visible when you enter the churchyard. Exit is via KG in RH wall.

4.2 At TQ894296 where the field narrows there is a pair of breading swans. Just off the track, and the male was not happy with 40 off walkers going past, and was closing range on me. In 3 weeks with possible chicks in the nest it is going to be furious. Suggest some orange barrier fence may be worth putting up there to keep the walkers away and give him some comfort.

4.3 I know one person went wrong at the start of this section. Should be ‘TR and SO for 150yds’

5.2 At TQ896331-TQ899328 the GPX track heads significantly to the right of the ROW which is used by the RD.

6.4 Initiall I went L on the wrong RD at Poplar Hall

6.4 TQ979254-TQ981255 the GPX track crosses the drain early compared to the RD, the OS map is the route I followed.

6.9 TR061238 – Field of doom

10.3 TR187357 RD goes straight down the ROW, not TR as in the GPX, not sure that is a viable route.

11.2 The GPX takes East St behind the Mariner, and not the RD (the two routes soon join up)

11.2 At ‘ECP f-post on L, TL up bank.’ The GPX track continues up the old costal path route (closed?)

11.2 Feel there are 2 top cnrs, The RD feels it is refering to one a bit up the track.

11.2-11.3 TR241370-TR241373 The GPX track significantly deviates from the route and passes through the Martello Tower

11.4 The GPX trak does not match the route on the ground. The Clipper was not at the track junction.

11.7-11.8 Did not find the turnings as marked, I ended up going ahead into the open access area and then crossing back across to the FP. Initial section GPX down from the top does not match the GPX, taking a direct path missing the TR at diversion sign.

12.1 Directed route from marshals was not the same as the GPX

12.3 Path down Broadless Bottom does not match the GPX.

12.5 GPX track turns L through trees befor ethe white bungalow, no route visible at that point.

13.1 GPX track does not exit CP via the veranda

13.2 GPX track does not follow a visible route, OS map RoW correct.

13.3 Failed to find the route onto the shared use path at TR378500, complex junction of tracks there which made little sense in the dark. Ended up returning back onto the RD (at that time I took the RD as the path) and following that until realised what I had done and manged to get back onto the shared use path.

15.2 GPX track turns late compared to the rouet through the cemetery.

16.1 Exiting from Manor Farm around the chained double LMG’s was interesting, slight deviation on the GPX to the route I took at that point.

I will say that as it stands anyone attempting to follow the route using *only* the current GPX file will have significant difficulties and may well fail to find the route