Sea Flight
Sat 18th May 2019
Walk Details:
The route will be linear from Folkestone Central Station to Dover in the morning, and because of rail engineering works, a circular route from Dover via St Margaret’s in the afternoon (from the eight bells pub)
{If using the Wetherspoons for breakfast, The Samuel Peto, 23 Rendezvous Street, CT20 1EY, (1 mile from the Station), please meet the Group at the Cinque Ports100 Checkpoint 10, outside St Eanswythe’s School, Church Street, CT20 1SE, TR229359, at 09:55.}
For lunch we will stop at The Wetherspoons ‘The Eight Bells’ CT16 1BZ (for those who wish to tick another W pub off their list) or bring sandwiches to eat on the sea front (start/finish of North Downs Way)
Entry Details:
Walk Report
Sea Flight, Saturday 18th May 201922 walkers, 20 miles - leader Roderick Smith
22 walkers from London and Kent Groups met at Folkestone Central Station, and set out at 09:50 on a 20-mile social walk on a warm day; no rain occurred although showers had been forecast.
We walked to the seafront (a Spitfire provided a dramatic flypast), and turned east to the Cinque Ports 100 checkpoint 10 before climbing to the Battle of Britain Memorial at Capel-le-Ferne and a brief refreshment halt where a 23rd person joined the Group. Along the North Downs Way to Dover Marina, and the Eight Bells for lunch. Sadly, views to Dungeness and across the Channel were obscured by thick mist; the clifftop views were quite breath-taking nonetheless.
After lunch, we climbed the Cinque Ports 100 route to the Blériot Memorial (110 years in July since he landed in Britain). Thence to the Cinque Ports 100 HQ at the Duke of York’s Royal Military School. After crossing the busy A2, we entered the fields of Bere Farm where the farmer kindly escorted us through two fields of very inquisitive cattle. We reached St Margaret’s, close to the Cinque Ports 100 checkpoint 12; some chose to head back to Deal, the original terminus for the walk but abandoned because of rail engineering works, and some headed back to Dover for an earlier return to London. The majority descended to the Pines Garden Tea Room and Museum; Fred Cleary provided a connection between Ron’s City Plaques walk of 12 April 2019 and this walk.
After refreshments, we walked to the South Foreland Lighthouse, and back to Dover at 17:35 via Fan Bay and the Langdon Visitor Centre. A small micro-brewery pub provided a welcome break while waiting for the return train to London. A successful and enjoyable, warm, rain-free day out.
Photographs by Barry Arnold; more by Barry on the group Facebook site
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