Derelict boats, Oare Creek

A wonderful walk along the coastal marshes of North Kent from Teynham to Faversham. Desolate landscape, echoing with the cry of seabirds and, at the beginning near Conyer Creek the distinctive calling of Turtle Doves. Wonderful to hear but impossible to see.

The wildlife along the sea wall, looking out over the Swale and Isle of Sheppy was stunning and not just the bird life either. Loads of butterflies and flowering plants. Ambrosia for the soul. And hardly a soul about until we reached Harty Ferry where lots of birdspotters were about with their long lenses.

We sat outside the Sea Wall hide for lunch at the mouth of Faversham Creek looking out towards Whitstable and the Swale. Susan played me the call of the Turtle Dove which must have confused the birders inside the hide. I suggested she ought to play the cry of the Golden Eagle or the song of a Nightjar to see them tumble out of the hide looking for that elusive bird. She declined.

The last part of the walk was along Oare Creek. At low water the creek is but a mere trickle running between steep, muddy glutinous banks with dozens of boats stranded by the outgoing tide, some of them, like this collection have been stranded for some years. There's an air of desolation, dereliction and fascination along all these North Kent Castal creeks which I find fascinating.

We called in at a The Furlong, a local microbrewery in Faversham for a much needed refereshment before catching the train back to Teynham, It took 8 minutes to cover the distance that took us several uplifting hours. The beer was good to, a flight of three different ales each being a very agreeable drink. Another visit in the near future I think.