To start, we enjoyed a coach tour of Kent, involving a twisting and winding drive from Ashford, through small side roads, showing off the varied hamlets, and villages with farming and local trades, ending at Tenterden –familiar to many of us from a previous outing.
Onto the fascinating St Augustine’s church with its unique separate wooden bell tower, fascinating box pews, 13th cent Lead font and some walls leaning outwards!! Then. losing altitude, we wound up at sea level, to marvel at Europe’s only desert – Romney Marsh – much larger and longer than first view, and saw the stony and harsh environs with scarce foliage, the abandoned fishing boats and the few isolated private properties. We drove all the way to the end of the desert, to the three lighthouses and the infamous Dungeness Power station – a great hulk on the skyline – but also the very welcome fish and chips lunch at the famous Pilot Inn, just a stones throw from the beach, and very popular. Then the thrill of the Romney Hythe and Dymnchurch railway – with the wind in our hair. and ignoring health and safety for 30 mins. Finished the day at Hythe – a sleepy retirement town, with an old narrow high street where shops close at 4 o’clock every day. So, unique geography and buildings, a desert, and a scarry train ride – a very enjoyable day – thanks to Steve Duckworth.
