Deaf Man Walking: Section 5 of the North Downs Way: Cuxton to Otford

A cloudy start to the day meant a brisk start from Cuxton Station and round the hills over Halling. There are a lot of woods walks in this section, so pardon me if you think I haven't taken too many pictures, but there's only so many photographs you can take of a tree before it gets deadly dull!

I met a Springer Spaniel on the way past Halling, who reminded me of a friend's dog! Right down to the bandana!

Views of the Medway from Upper Halling

Helluva slope!

Danny? Or Robbie? ;o)

Lots of trees!

It's an uneventful walk through Rochester Forest, et al, until we get to a very steep, long climb up to Trosley Country Park, which is inbetween Vigo and Trottiscliffe (full marks to anyone who can pronounce this place name - WITHOUT looking it up on Google!) Trosley Country Park is fabulous, if a little artificially created. But then again, what woods in this country aren't artificially created these days?

The steep climb to Trosley Country Park

Love these little waymarkers

An alien bursting from the ground!

Views from Trosley

I leave Trosley Country Park and head on down to Wrotham (Another point if you can pronounce this placename too! Wrotham is a cute little village with a nice looking church and I take a few minutes exploring before heading back round onto the Pilgrims Way. Most of the North Downs Way follows or is near the supposed track of the Pilgrims Way from Winchester to Canterbury. Hence why the road names when I'm on tarmac is the Pilgrims Way or Road!

The road to Wrotham

Common Blue Butterfly

St George's Church, Wrotham

I started singing Sting's "Fields of Gold" here... :oS

"You'll remember me when the west wind moves

Upon the fields of barley
You'll forget the sun in his jealous sky
As we walk in fields of gold..."

Better stop singing! (I'm tone-deaf too, and can't sing a note!) Next target is Kemsing, where I've worked before with Dad. A long time ago! We pass another waymarker for the North Downs Way. Oh! Seems I've gone past the halfway mark! Long way to go yet though... We see Kemsing from the top of the escarpment It's a fantastic view from up above!

NDW Waymarker

Stile onto a buttercup meadow

Thousands of buttercups!

'Orses

Kemsing Memorial

Kemsing

The end of the section is nigh and I make brisk work of it. When I arrive in Otford, I decide to go straight into the station and not explore. That can wait for another day, I enjoyed the walking today, apart from all the rubble on the ground. There were a lot of flint and chalk pebbles and rock, which makes the path difficult to negotiate at times, as well as where the rain has washed a channel through. But then, it wouldn't be trail walking if it wasn't difficult!