Day 9 - Hurst Green to Rye

We were promised "a beautiful walk through the apple orchards and hop gardens of the Sussex-Kent border", and we certainly had orchards and hop gardens (where the hops for Guinness were reputedly grown).

Lunch was at Ewhurst Green, after prayers at St James', at the White Dog Inn.

It's not only the hops that are used in production of alcoholic drinks, and the cider was so strong they'd only sell it in half pints! What with that and the Tipsy Cake, we all had a warm glow when we eventually staggered out, which was useful in the bitter weather. At times during the afternoon we were enveloped in a blizzard. And this is April!

We passed Bodiam Castle and headed on in the direction of Rye. At one stage we all stopped around a grass triangle at a road junction, probably to let the front marker get ahead. But it was too cold to stand still, so we spontaneously linked hands and did Ring-a-Ring-of-Roses around the island.

At Rye we stayed in the Community Centre (I'm sure, though the route notes don't say so), but were provided for by the Friars at the Franciscan Friary. For two Friars with a small kitchen this was a challenge, and we sat in the church with the kneelers as seats and the pews as tables!