Ten Polys set out from Rochester station on a chilly but fairly sunny day. We briefly visited the splendid cathedral, before walking through the Castle grounds and along the River Medway to Borstal. We had stopped to look at the magnificent Restoration House,
where Charles II stayed and on which Dickens based Miss Havisham’s house in Great Expectations, and the site of the last Justice Tree in England near the castle. We stopped to read about the Short brothers, who founded a successful aviation company,
which held the UK rights to build copies of the Wright brothers’ aircraft. We crossed the long bridge which carries the noisy M2 and were soon following the North Downs Way with beautiful views. We left this long-distance route and stopped for our picnic overlooking a tranquil valley. The walk took us up to Cobham Woods and Park, passing the handsome Darnley Mausoleum. It was built for the 3rd Earl Darnley as their tombs in Westminster Abbey were full. However, it was never consecrated as the local bishop
didn’t approve the design and decorations, so it was actually never used for burials. We were just able to spot some beautiful stained glass through a window and resolved to come back another time as it is only open in the summer months. Further down the path
two splendid Highland cattle were busy munching chestnuts and took no notice of us!

We arrived in Cobham and stopped for a welcome drink at The Leather Bottle, Dickens’s favourite Ale house built in 1629 and featured in The Pickwick Papers. The last leg of our walk took us through an enormous apple orchard where we stopped to
watch them being harvested. On the return from Sole Street we discussed the many interesting things we would like to return to visit, including the Dickens festival the first weekend in December, and that another walk in this beautiful countryside would not go
amiss!

Susan.  Photos by Ida and Patricia