Day 9: Charing to Benenden

Well, we'd had the South Downs/cliffs, Romney Marsh, the North Downs, now we enter the Weald: the area between the North and South Downs, with its quite different terrain. It's a longish walk again, and we have an early start (but at least we're scheduled to arrive relatively early).

We had permission to celebrate Mass in the parish church, but to avoid conflicts with their own services (this being a Sunday) Mass was at 7 a.m. The village streets were quiet!

After breakfast at the Parish Hall, it was time to load up and be on the road by 9:15.

First stop was the old Norman Chapel at Newlands Stud - he we are approaching the chapel past the farmhouse.

Then on to the Bell at Smarden Bell for an early lunch

Afternoon prayers were in Biddenden, centre of the prosperous 15th century cloth trade

After prayers at All Saints we set out on the final third of the day

Whether it was a long walk through the forest I don't know for sure, but it certainly felt like a long walk for tired legs.

But our reward on reaching Benenden was a fantastic new village hall.