Walk 4. Cliffe Pools to Salt Fleet Flats

 Walk 4 takes me out on the north coast of the Hoo Peninsula. The word 'hoo' is derived from an old Anglo-Saxon word for a projecting area of land, a bit like the word 'peninsula'. Which would make this the Peninsula Peninsula! Anyway, moving on...

I begin at the crossing point of Cliffe Creek where I finished last time.

A short ten minute walk brings me to the end of Cliffe Creek and back at the Thames Estuary.

I turn right and continue along the estuary. The path is nice and flat although I cant see much over the wall. This doesn't change for quite a way!

Lots of this, with the cranes of the London Gateway Port over in Essex visible in the distance...

...and the ever-present sheep to the right.

After a while I spot something different. A small stone obelisk is sitting beside the sea wall apparently trying to do an impression of the Leaning Tower of Pisa! The inscription is faded and hard to make out but this marks Lower Hope Point, the limit of the Port of London Authority.

Shortly after Lower Hope Point I pass the derelict buildings of an old explosives factory. They are well spread out in order to minimise the effects of any accidents. I'm sure that set the workers minds at rest...

I'm now getting closer to the London Gateway Port across the river...

Somewhere around here lies the northernmost point of Kent. It's a bit hard to tell the exact spot because the coast curves very gently and all looks the same. In fact, this sea wall and scrubby bush combo goes on for the rest of today's walk! I'm going to say its here...

Almost another hour of this view brought me to the end point of today's walk, the Salt Fleet Flats. This wildlife sanctuary was created in 2016 to replace habitat lost as a result of the London Gateway development. Lying just to the west of Egypt Bay, it isn't on the Ordnance Survey maps yet!

Talking of OS maps, this walk has a little post script. My plan was to return to my car, parked in Cliffe village, along a public footpath on the map, which ran pretty much from where I was directly across the marshes to the village. However, apart from one faded 'public footpath' sign near my starting point, there were no signs at all. There was not even a visible path on the ground.

As a result, what I had expected to be a forty-odd minute stroll turned into a two hour-plus slog - bumbling about in one field of sheep after another, trying to find a way through the barbed wire fences and drainage ditches. There were plenty of big red signs of the 'keep out, private property, trespassers will be shot' variety, at which I kept thinking "well if you didn't remove the footpath signs and block the path I wouldn't be lost and walking across your property!" So a slightly irritating end to the day!

Anyway. Next time - more Hoo Peninsula! Hopefully with fewer access issues...

Walk 3. Gravesend to Cliffe Pools

 Walk 3 begins in Gravesend where it is the law, apparently, that you begin with Pocahontas. Now you may be wondering what Disney princesses have to do with a slightly down-at-heel town on the Thames. Well, it turns out that the real life Pocahontas died in Gravesend in 1617 and is buried in St Georges churchyard in the town. So my first port-of-call was to see her statue...

From the graveyard I cross a small carpark to the road along the Thames. You can't actually see the river due to the blocks of riverside flats, though. Gravesend Pier is here as well. Built in 1834, it is the oldest remaining cast iron pier in the world and you can catch a ferry to Essex, should you wish to do such a thing...

The Pier is also the beginning of the Saxon Shore Way, a long distance footpath that follows the route of the coast as it was in Anglo-Saxon times. I can follow large sections of this path, but not all of it as the coastline has moved quite a bit over the intervening 1200-odd years!

Past the Pier, Gravesend has a really nice little waterfront area that packs a lot into a short walk. First up is an old lightship (bit like a lighthouse - but on a ship!) that is now an 'art space' (not sure - go and have a look if it sounds like your kind of thing!)...

Beside the ship is a statue commemorating "those from around the world who served alongside Britain in all conflicts 1914 - 2014" that features this imposing-looking dude...

A bit further along is the site of a Blockhouse built by Henry VIII to defend the river. When I was there a couple of guys were doing a bit of preservation work on the remains.

Past the Port Of London Authority building there is a nice esplanade with benches, cafe, etc, although I can't guarantee these guys will be there...

So it turns out that Gravesend is well worth a little visit!

Next though is another industrial area. Half an hour later I am leaving the town and back out onto the marshes. To the landward side is a large area of firing range with plenty of 'danger area' signs and big red flags...

The next couple of miles are a lovely walk, nice even, grassy path, views over the Thames, peaceful and quiet.

Another half hour later, and I come to Shornmead Fort. This was built in the 1860s to defend the Thames and is now derelict and covered in graffiti. Still fun to have a bit of an explore and scramble over the ruins though!

Past the fort and it's onward across the marshes. Much of the rest of the walk is RSPB bird reserve. This bit is called Higham Marsh.

I'm now approaching Cliffe Pools. These have been developed on the site of old clay and gravel quarries to provide a variety of wildlife habitats. There is still some sort of gravel works operating here and behind the fence can be seen the remains of Cliffe Fort. Similar to Shornmead, this is yet another 1860s defensive structure but seems to be more intact. Maybe this is because it is closed to the public!

On the path round the fort is the remains of the launch-way of the Brennan Torpedo. This was an early experimental guided missile invented by the Australian Louis Brennan in the 1870s! I feel this should be more widely known about - the Victorians had a guided missile! Who'd have thought...

On the other side of the fort the path goes through the gravel works, including an exciting bit underneath a big conveyor thing...

...out the other end and I am at Cliffe Creek.

A short walk down the bank is a crossing point and the end of today's walk. All I've got to do now is find my way back to the car!

Mileage on this walk was about six and a half. Gravesend has a cool little riverside area and once you are out on the marshes it is so quiet. I think I only saw three other people out there and one of them was working at the quarry!

Next time - more Hoo Peninsula, more marshes... 

Walk 2. Greenhithe to Gravesend

 So I'm back at Greenhithe beside the Thames just past Asda! Today's walk will take me around the Swanscombe Peninsula, through industrial Northfleet, and into Gravesend.

That may look like a nice little sandy beach down there...but its actually mud! Mud with crap half buried in it.

The path here winds around some neat looking modern developments, and then sometimes sends you in to the old 'high street' part of the town. 

There are reminders of Greenhithe's maritime past all around, such as these decomposing boats, one of which is, intriguingly, made of concrete!

The route then follows a nice riverside path past Ingress Park, a large, pricey, housing estate built in the grounds of an old manor house.

At the eastern end of Ingress Park I came across several set of rails embedded in the path, together with some sort of gate arrangement and an old winch. No idea what is all for; a relic of the indusrial past, maybe?

The next section of the walk takes me out onto the Swanscombe Peninsula. The inland part of the peninsula is home to a couple of fairly skanky industrial estates, but out here near the river it is nice and green and mostly nature reserve. The Eurostar rail line cuts through the middle and disappears into its tunnel under the Thames.

This whole area is the proposed site of a massive new theme park development involving Paramount Pictures which is being called 'Britain's Disneyland'. Estimates of the cost range from £2.5 billion to £3.5 billion. So its a 'piece of string' job, basically! 

Some nature...

Next point on this walk is THE PYLON!!! This is reputedly the tallest pylon in the country. Well, this one and the one on the Essex bank opposite. Presumably they need to be this tall so that ships can pass beneath the cables. Whatever, there is no doubt that it is very tall...

Although there is a public right of way around the peninsula, somebody seems to be quite keen on keeping people away judging by some of the signage...

Shortly after THE PYLON I come to Broadness Salt Marsh and an interesting little harbour. This is a curious mix of incredibly dilapidated stuff and the well kept. 

Down the Eastern side of the peninsula is where it starts to get industrial. First I skirt what looks like a huge gravel works...

...then come out into a large, shabby, industrial estate.

Get yer old buses here...

The route comes out on a main road where I walk past the Ebbsfleet United ground and into yet another dingy industrial estate. Here, some brave souls are attempting to restore a disused harbour. Best of luck to 'em...

At the end of this lane I was expecting to cross a large cement works via a public right of way that looked like an alley. However, this is what I found...

It turns out the site is being redeveloped into riverside housing. Fortunately they have provided a new fenced off cinder track right beside the river. Hopefully this will be tidied up and permanent when the building work is finished.

I'm now into the last section of today's walk. I go through yet another industrial estate - a much smarter and neater one this time - and then on into Gravesend.

This walk was probably only about six miles but packed in a lot of stuff to see. Its a shame that so much of the second half is roadway, but once the various building works are done you should be able to spend more time beside the river!

Next time - exploring Gravesend then onto Cliffe!

Walk 1. Dartford to Greenhithe

 So, even before I’ve started, I have a slight problem!

I’ve decided to go clockwise round the coast; it just seems right, somehow! That gives my start point where the river Darent flows into the Thames Estuary. The Darent being the Kent border with London. It’s not what you would call ‘easily accessible’ though, so requires a bit of planning to get to. In the end, I parked up in Greenhithe near the station and took a train to Dartford. From Dartford Station the Darent Valley Footpath is well signposted and easily followed across the Dartford Marshes for a couple of miles to where I wanted to be. Where I found this…

Yes, the Dartford Creek Barrier. Helpfully, there is a handy information board for fans of flood defences…

After marvelling at the…err… marvels of modern engineering, I was on my way. The path was nice, easy, grassy, and flat, the river on my left and the marshes on my right. In the distance the Dartford Crossing, officially called the Queen Elizabeth II bridge.

As I neared the crossing, I passed first a delightful sewage farm, then the site of the old Littlebrook Power Station which has been redeveloped into, among other things, a MASSIVE Amazon distribution centre. Across the river, Essex had some big industrial action of its own going on involving some big boats!

The path at this point was concrete, seemingly a relic of the old industrial shore. Next up, walking under the Dartford crossing. Cool!

The bridge, of course, takes Southbound traffic only. To travel from Kent to Essex you use the tunnel. Possibly the most congested bit of road in the country, the average queue for the tunnel is twenty minutes. Often the M25 has traffic backed up for an hour or more. And you have to pay a toll for the privilege!

There are plans to alleviate the situation by building another crossing a few miles further east. This would be a huge engineering project and take many, many years, so if you are regularly stuck in the current queue I wouldn't hold your breath...

Anyway. Onto the last stretch of today’s walk. Greenhithe is only a mile or so away and there is greenery on my right separating the path from a load of light industrial units. Approaching Greenhithe the path turns inland to skirt some sort of gravel works and a large Asda. Past Asda, and I’m back at the car park!

This was quite a fun walk. I had thought that it would have a more 'industrial' vibe to it, but as it turns out there was a lot of greenery involved! The path was very quiet. I only met three people, a dog walker, a jogger, and a bloke who seemed to be photographing birds on the river. Or maybe he was doing industrial espionage...

I only managed to do the first 4 miles or so of the actual coast, but you have to factor in the couple of miles extra that it takes to get from Dartford Station to the flood barrier. So, still a long way to go!