Coast to coast walk, day 3... into the Elham Valley. Walking for Cortijo Romero.

The strange thing about living so near to the coast is that very often the inland areas are forgotten by visitors and even the locals.  Even though I will never tire of the endlessly different seascapes that I am so blessed to see each day, the one thing I miss are trees.  Something about trees has always inspired me, soothed me and filled my heart with joy.  So with this in mind, I was very happy to set out on the next stage of our walk heading further along the Elham Valley Way.  

Leaving Bridge, a pretty Kent village, I was already excited because we were about to walk across my favourite field.  This field has an almost regal feel, winding past a huge mansion where for a moment I could imagine being in a scene from Pride and Prejudice.  Even the sheep seem relaxed and friendly, almost smiling at us hiking past.  The grass feels soft underfoot and the clear path leads to another picturesque village and ancient church.  We actually know this area as it is near a very popular pub/hotel named "The Pig" which serves delicious home-grown vegetarian food while being surrounded by ancient oak trees.  Yet today we could only gaze longingly while carrying our egg-mayonnaise sandwiches ready for a picnic.   

The weather today would be called "blustery" with 20 mph winds making everything feel rather autumnal.  With such strong winds, the change in overhead skies was spectacular, one moment overcast and grey but an hour later clear blue skies would emerge.  The walk continued with a perfect variety of scenery, one moment walking past open fields, then wiggling past houses until we reached the next village of Kingston.  Even though my energy (post vaccine side-effects) has improved, I am still mindful of stopping when needed and taking some breaks to recharge.  We chose the village church again, hoping for a bench to sit on and we were rewarded with two benches.  For a moment it seemed odd to be eating our picnic once again overlooking a graveyard on this walk.  However, with the loss of my father still very present it actually felt comforting.  The rays of sunshine that suddenly streamed through a gap in the clouds brought some light and solace to the pain of missing my father.

Plodding steadily on after our picnic, we made our way towards Covert Wood where our marked footpath turned into this wonderful woodland.  I wanted to stop every minute to just soak in the sight and feel of so many trees surrounding us.  The sky had been cloudy again as we came into the wood, but after a few minutes, sunlight started to peep through, making leaves glisten as they rustled in the wind.  The green colour seemed more vibrant than ever and I had to stop to take photos of this sight, trying to capture the magical moment.  Perhaps the struggles in the recent weeks with my health post-vaccine has made the natural world feel like a tonic for my soul.

Slowly the wood thinned out, leading us eventually into a smaller wood which quickly descended through a field of sheep and we weaved our way back to the end point, next to our dear friends' house.  They moved away from Whitstable to this peaceful haven eight months ago and conveniently live next to this long-distance footpath.  We were welcomed with cups of herbal tea and home made gluten-free cake (thank you!) which of course tasted even more delicious after our hike.  Even though it wasn't an enormously long hike, as we drove home we could actually appreciate how far we had travelled just by putting one foot in front of the other.  I also realise that by going a bit slower with some breaks, I really notice the scenery and birdsong.  Thinking of Eckhart Tolle's words as I walk more steadily helps:

"Realise deeply that the present moment is all you ever have.  Make the Now the primary focus of your life" (Eckhart Tolle)


 

Thank you for your donations

so far, if you would like to 

donate to Cortijo Romero's appeal

please go to their JustGiving page.

Comments

  1. AnonymousOctober 12, 2021 at 1:59 PM

    I enjoyed reading about your walk and I hope you are feeling better from the vaccine. x

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sue WalkerNovember 6, 2021 at 6:43 PM

    "It looks absolutely beautiful Sue, a walk I definitely want to do. I hope you’re feeling better"

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A wonderful week of nourishment at Cortijo Romero in Spain.

Image
On Easter Saturday (2022) I arrived at the gates of Cortijo Romero in Southern Spain and was greeted by Lelly, the host for the week.  "How was your journey?" she asked kindly.  My answer to this was, "fine, everything had run surprisingly smoothly".  My EasyJet flight wasn't cancelled; there were no long queues at security as shown in the media;  I managed to breath comfortably through my FFP2 face mask for the entire journey (phew) and my digital NHS Covid Pass was accepted.  Having not left England for well over two years, there was definitely more effort needed to remember how to navigate travel again.  An element of uncertainty lingered in the background while making these plans to visit Cortijo Romero, but I accepted this as part of the "new normal" that we are supposedly adjusting to.  And, miraculously, each step of the plan fell into place until I was finally here, in one of the most peaceful and healing places that I know. As I walked around
Read more

How Cortijo Romero, in Spain, is keeping calm and riding the ups and downs of the pandemic.

Image
Early August at Cortijo Romero is normally hot, but a warm breeze allows guests to relax fully under the clear blue summer skies.  Nestled in a lush, fertile valley within the Alpujurra region of southern Spain, Cortijo Romero has been welcoming guests for over three decades.  It describes itself as a personal development or creative holiday centre with a weekly programme that ranges from yoga courses, walking weeks, all kinds of creative expression to more therapeutic courses.  As you arrive at Cortijo Romero (CR) after a long journey, you are greeted by both the warm staff and a deeply nourishing energy that feels like no where else on earth.  It makes me want to breathe more deeply, as if a weight lifts from my shoulders and I arrive back home fully into my own self.  I've been fortunate to visit as a guest a number of times, mostly participating in restful and rejuvenating yoga courses.  I have also worked and lived in this beautiful oasis for two periods as their volunteer
Read more

Coast to coast walk day 5. The last section, reaching the south-east coast of Kent! Walking to support Cortijo Romero in Spain.

Image
Yesterday we finally embarked on the last section of our "coast to coast" walk continuing from our previous stop at the village of Etchinghill on the Elham Valley Way.  This final part of the route would take us all the way to the south-east coast of Kent, finishing on the beach at the seaside town of Hythe.  As with many things during the last 18 months of the pandemic, the walk has not gone to plan.  We intended to walk this section two weeks ago, but my on-going health struggles following my second Pfizer jab had other ideas.  Twenty-four hours after completing our previous section of the walk, I was suddenly ill again with more post-vaccine symptoms.  It has taken until now (alongside my GP's firm instruction to not suddenly over-do the exercise) to feel able to walk this far. Etchinghill was bathed in the most glorious morning light with clear blue skies above us and a definite autumnal chill in the air.  We retraced our steps for a mile or so from our last section a
Read more

When life takes an unexpected turn, the sudden passing of my father.

Image
How do I begin?  It was only a little over two weeks ago early on Saturday morning that I heard the phone ring.  I was in the bathroom at that moment, so all I heard was Martin saying "it's your sister, it's your sister, she has to speak to you".  First thing in the morning calls from my sister have never been good news, so I already knew this was about my dad.  I begged the universe for him to be poorly but still with us, so that we could dash to be with him but my wishes were already too late.  He had died peacefully in his sleep at his care home, having had a totally "normal" day previously.  He had been getting weaker in the last few months, but nothing that gave concern. Perhaps the sudden, unexpected part of this loss makes it more difficult for it to sink in.  The weekend passed in an emotional blur with a strange mixture of adrenaline and grief.  I had such a strong impulse to do something, to rush to his side and help.  But there was nothing we coul
Read more

Making a pilgrimage to lay flowers for the Queen and our collective loss.

Image
I stood in a local supermarket early yesterday morning choosing flowers to lay at Green Park next to Buckingham Palace for the Queen.  I wanted to ask someone for advice or reassurance.  Could I just take a small bunch of carnations that spoke to me, in bright pink or yellow?  Surely for the Queen, I should take a specially made bouquet, with exactly the flowers that she loved?  I reasoned that there would be already a lot of flowers there and that a small, biodegradable gesture would be perfectly acceptable.   Clutching my pink carnations, I followed a number of other people from Victoria Station making their way up to Hyde Park Corner.  Having not been to London since the pandemic began, it already felt strange to be among crowds, traffic and police.  Thankfully I had arrived early and there was plenty of space to walk along the pavement.  Turning into Green Park, however, I suddenly saw hundreds of people all making the same pilgrimage to the flowers.  Drawn by the same force that h
Read more

How to get through Covid fatigue - have patience and rest or push on through?

Image
Getting covid for the first time was a bit of a shock, having managed to escape it for two and a half years.  I had just come back from a nourishing Ayurvedic retreat in Herefordshire and had been feeling relaxed and well.  A few days later, however, I rapidly felt ill with the classic signs: sore throat, fever and aching muscles.  I just knew that I finally had covid.  It was definitely more flu-like than a sniffly cold and took well over ten days to be out of bed very much.  But nearly six weeks on, I am still on the slow path to recovery... I keep telling myself that I am slowly improving.  The constant headache around the front of my head finally subsided which was a relief.  The muscle aches are less common.  I still cough, especially if I overdo things.  But the main thing left is the fatigue.  Like fatigue I have never experienced before.  It is not being tired nor low energy.  It feels like a strange creature has come to hang out in my body for a while.  Yet the fatigue also f
Read more

Swimming (and walking) in the snow while soaking up the beauty of nature.

Image
I think I might have got hooked on sea swimming, just a little, perhaps?  Last week I saw that snow was forecast and my first thought was "great, I can swim while the beach is covered in snow".  I have been excited for days that our little seaside town might get snow that actually settles on the ground rather than the mushy wet slush we've had.  I've not seen snow for years and while we are starting month FOUR of pretty much "lockdown" in this area, snow is beyond exciting.  It means I can have a mini-adventure right from my house and see the world looking all sparkly and white.  Snow feels like a change, a much needed break from the monotony and routine of these weeks of "staying at home".  I was so excited yesterday morning when I woke expecting swathes of pristine, not-yet-walked-on snow.  As I opened the curtains, my heart sank just a little because the snow wasn't settling.  But there were delicate snowflakes coming down alongside the free
Read more

Getting away from it all into the wilds of Herefordshire!

Image
Living in such uncertain times feels draining.  We seem to be reeling from one change to another at such speed.  Even though I am very mindful about what I watch and read in terms of news (very little) it is difficult to not be affected.  I wonder if this is one of the factors that is affecting my immunity and health?  To find some balance and sense of wellness, I recently headed to Herefordshire to get away from it all.  It wasn't the easiest of journeys as I'd just been ill with a stomach bug which was taking time to recover from (although not infectious still).  But I knew I would be okay once I arrived, as this retreat was all about health and rest!  Arriving at The Clover Mill in the torrential chilly rain wasn't the best start, but I could still see the Malvern hills peeping out from the rain clouds.  Clover Mill is a small Ayurvedic retreat centre, where people come to learn about Ayurveda, eat delicious freshly prepared food, do some yoga and be generally nourished
Read more

The wonders of sea swimming during lockdown! And how to get the health benefit without freezing!

Image
I am having two different conversations while out on my walks by the sea with locals.  The first involves the pandemic situation here in my little seaside town.  Up until recently, it has felt like a safe haven with relatively low case numbers.  But things change quickly in a pandemic and at the weekend more than one neighbour cheerfully commented that "we have gone purple" now.  Fortunately I have stared at the colourful coronavirus map of the UK enough times to know that purple means a lot of cases.  As I wonder how on earth that happened so quickly, it is also a stark reminder that there is actually a pandemic still rumbling away which is now more prevalent here. Fortunately the second conversation is about swimming and how I am managing to swim in the sea without freezing.  And that is a very good question that I am exploring.  The most commonly asked question is "what do you wear?"  There seems to be a divide in the world of open-water swimming about whether t
Read more

Why is resting so difficult to actually do? A peaceful weekend remembering how to slow down!

Image
"Rest more and take things easy for a while" is advice we have probably all heard or given at some point in our lives.  My GP told me recently to ensure that I rested while still recovering from a persistent virus and bronchitis.  I listened to her words of advice with a deep sense of relief, as if permission was being given to do what my body needs.  But simultaneously I wanted to ignore such advice and keep going as "normal".  I have a deeply ingrained habit of pushing on through, no matter how I feel, to get something done.  If I rest, I won't "progress" or "keep up" and will miss out on things.  Someone has to hold everything together I say to myself, that someone being me!  If I rest, the world could actually fall apart while I'm relaxing somewhere peaceful? Sound familiar?  Having ignored my body's natural need to slow down and rest for decades, I now find myself being forced to pay more attention due to my health.  If I overdo
Read more