Feeling At A Bit Of A Loose End

We weren't quite sure what we wanted to do today but knew that we didn't feel like venturing far. We settled on a micro trip to Loose, a village just a couple of miles outside Maidstone that only takes about 20 minutes to reach by car.
Loose is actually the name of the surrounding area but Loose village itself sits at the bottom of a steep sided valley which you descend into via Loose Hill.
The hill is so steep that in the 18th and 19th centuries local landowners kept horses halfway up the hill that were hired out to provide assistance in hauling carts to the top. The road is still lined with haul stones around which ropes were tied to help relieve the horses from the weight of the carts.
The village is wonderfully atmospheric with houses dating back centuries, a beautifully compact little church (my shot is taken across the  churchyard - I've just realised this is my second churchyard blip in a week -  towards one of the many historic houses) and with a picturesque causeway (Brooks Path) along Loose Stream that joins the two ends of the village, dividing the mill pond which once fed the local mill.
The causeway also happens to be right next to the village pub, The Chequers. Well we had to sample a pint didn't we! The beer was great and as we sat at a table we were greeted by the pub dog - a lovely collie who was perfectly happy to be stroked and then sat by our table looking up at us with very soulful eyes - it was lunchtime so it was probably hoping for a tasty snack! :-)