09/05/22 - Saxon Shore Way - Stage 3 - Lower Halstow to Sittingbourne

Distance - 11.5 Miles

Geocaches - 2

Pubs - 0

Previous Stages - Stage 1, Stage 2

The stretch of water that separates the Isle of Sheppey from mainland Kent is known collectively as The Swale. Individual sections are the Reaches of Loading Hope, Long, Horse, Ferry, Clay and Elmley.

We called it Shit Creek.

A taxi from Gillingham to Lower Halstow and a gorgeous day for walking through agricultural fields of rape seed.

Saxon Shore Way Variety

Then we hit the water. A horseshoe route across Chetney Marshes means that we see the Kingsferry Bridge from every angle. It doesn't take long for my walking partner to realise that we are nearly walking around in circles. Motivation deteriorates. We have the mid-week holiday blues.

Busted Boats in Bedlams Bottom.  

Kingsferry Bridge from Shit Creek

Once past Kingsferry Bridge, the walking takes a significantly worse turn. Docks, factories, fly-tipping and a recycling plant that despite saying "Paper Mill" on the OS Map, appears to hold significant interest to seagulls.

But what is that on the map? A heritage railway line that runs from our location at the mouth of Milton Creek to our Sittingbourne destination? Nothing can go wrong on trails whilst you have tissues, a smart phone and a credit card. Its the middle one of these assets that is fired up to determine running times.

The answer? Sunday.

Today is Monday. Just the 6 days to wait.

We press on - knowing that there will be no pubs or refreshment stops today - until we reach our eventual destination in town.

There is but one place to rest. 

And the locals have been taking chunks off to feed the fire.

I cannot leave a blog on a low point.

Our digs for the night, for a second time on this trip, are in JDW. The Golden Hope served the pint of the week.  And it was both LocALE and a bargain £2.10.

Sittingbourne's Hopdeamon Skrimshander IPA, was a perfect copper coloured IPA. I'll be looking out for it again.

We had three before our afternoon nap. It had been that sort of day.

Paul, excited at the thought of more Skrimshander, after a night in Sittingbourne Micro's