vitiworks: October 2013

Thursday, 24 October 2013

From Faversham to London

For a last time this summer I waited until the tent was dry and ready to be packed.
On my way to the railway station I once again visited Faversham.

After yesterdays desastrous weather I was astonished about the clear blue sky - and very happy :)
I had a nice ride along lonely seaside ressorts and reached in the evening the pretty village Faversham. I found a camp site not far away.
In the evening I realised that I had been exactly half a year on tour. I cooked me a nice meal and topped up the tea with a splash of whisky. The night was beautiful with clear starry sky and a nice big moon - I decided that it was time to go back to London, get my stuff organised there and return to Germany.

Anyone for a new moustache?

Pirate Radios

In the 60ies it was popular to listen to Pirate radio. What I was able to see from Whitstable were the former forts from WW2 on Shivering Sands, later Radio City. It´s nickname was The Tower of Power.
Below a video about these forts and a compilation about pirate radios in the UK.

From Reculver to Whitstable

I got back to my tent which still wasn´t dry, but I took it down and had a chat with Terry who was building a new house for his racing pigeons.
Meanwhile it had started to rain, what it did for several hours. But nice enough, as I reached Whitstable in the evening the sun gave a final appearance and I checked in for B&B in order to get dry :)

It hadn´t been raining, but the next morning was really wet and grey. I decided to take it slow, let my tent up for some hours to dry out a bit and go and visit the remains of the Romans and the Anglo-Saxons in Reculver.

My tour from Sandwich to Reculver took me to the site of the first Roman landing in Britain. It was already closed.
I didn´t want to go through Margate and Ramsgate and went across Kent to its other coast side.
Kent seems to be an agricultural important area. Loads of fields are used for growing fruit and the whole area smelled like Cider :)
In Reculver I once again faced the problem of travelling with old maps. The camp site on the map had closed since the 70ies. But I had luck and the owner of King Ethelbert Inn allowed me to sleep on a piece of his meadow :)

Read about the church here.

As I left Deal I also left the south coast and the Channel.
In Sandwich I had the opportunity to go to a cycle shop. My gears needed to be done. So thanks for the friendly, cheap and fast help!

Pig

Deal - Let´s go putting!

Deal

I wanted to avoid Dover and its cliffs and Roderick from the camp site in Folkstone had told me about Deal and Walmer, possibly the place where Julius Caesar first arrived in Britain. So I took the train instead of cycling.
The day was grey and cold and I arrived late. Unfortunately the search for a camp site took long time. My borrowed maps are old and former camp sites has often been turned into caravan sites, and they dont like me there.

Deal Town Hall

Folkstone - East Cliff and the Warren Country Park

Close to Folkstone but up the hill and down to the Country Park there is a camp site with a spectacular view of the coast. I just wanted to stay for a night but decided to stay for a second night and listen to the sea at night - and nuthin else :)
The two first pics shows the view from the camp site.

The Royal Military Canal was built as protection against Napoleon, but never came to use for that case.
The canal itself is straight without natural bendings, in former times it had canons in every corner.
Apart from having a room with view on the canal, I only went for walks along it. Cyling is only possible on a short part of the canal before reaching Hythe.

Change Times

And yes, my camera is partly damaged :(

It took some hours before the fog left, inside as also outside. My tent was dry at midday so I went to take a look at St. Mary in the Marsh before heading off in direction Lydd and Dungeness.

And no, it is not true. Doctor Syn was not real, therefore not the vicar in this church :)

I had an appointement for Sunday evening in the small village St. Mary in the Marsh, in The Star Inn. Mark and his friends Phil and John were having a gig there.
I arrived at half past four, put up my tent in the garden und had an unique evening of entertainment - great musicians played together!
Listen, my friends!

Busy hands from Rye created these pieces. Each one a part of life and history in Rye. I bet the killer on the last work is smuggler Tony.

Paul Simon - Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes
Paul Simon - 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover
R.E.M. - The One I Love

Pett Level - Rubbish

I did it again - The Stade is the name of the harbour in Hastings :)

From Pett Level to Hastings

I went for a walk along the cliffs and the nature reserve to Hastings. It was pouring down with rain for a while, but stopped just in time for a walk around in Hastings and it´s harbour.

Duck

Pett Level - The Rescue

The beach reaches far and invited me to take walks along the shore.
When the tide is low one can see the remains of an old forrest which grew here 2000 years ago.
I spent hours on the beach, and met strange creatures on my way.

Pett Level - The Magic Spot :)

After having cycled up the cliffs behind Hastings I rolled down to the Romney Marshes. Just in the corner where the road leads down to the coast is the village Pett Level. The sandstone cliffs reach their easternmost point and the Royal Military Canal ends here.
As I sat on a bench listening to the sea, Dan the fisherman, invited me to a cup of tea. I had already met Lou, had a room in Mark´s B&B and some hours later had my first beer in the local pub The Smugglers Inn.
In the end I stayed in Pett Level 3 times, always returning to the musical events in the pub and all those nice people I met there :)
So here comes a big shout out to Mark and Karen, Graham, Lou and Dan, to Joe, Phil and Leslie, and Maureen. I also want to say hello to the staff of the pub, Sue and Steve, Amber, Alex and all the others around :)
It was really good to meet you all and to listen to the music made in these surroundings - I had a great time!

From Bexhill-on-Sea to Hastings

A grey and damp day. I came through Bexhill-on-Sea which in May 1902 became "The Birthplace of British Motor Racing".
I was more interested in the boats and the equipment of the fishermen, sorry for that mates :)