Kent Holiday Day 4

We woke to a showery morning and didn't venture out beyond the local shop until after an early lunch today. This afternoon we did a rather different walk - a circular walk around and through the Allhallows Marshes. This post sums it up perfectly.

This was our route, based on one I had found posted on OSMaps.

Here are a few photos.

It was still cloudy to start but the rain had stopped.

The tide was part way out.

We saw plenty of birds.

Oystercatchers and an egret.

Shelduck.

A curlew.

Looking back at the holiday village.

 

Now we were on the sea wall protecting the marshes.

We found a deserted beach.

More shelduck.

We were heading towards the old industrial complex of the Isle-of-Grain.

A view out to sea.

This flock of starlings kept landing and moving. Here they were alarmed by us approaching.

We were now at the mouth of  Yantlet Creek.

Here are some cormorants.

Dawn decided to go back here as she worried she would need the toilet before we got back if she didn't, but I continued to do the full walk.

There were swans too.

Over this way is North Level which is marked as a danger area on the map and has no footpaths. In the early decades of the 20th century military facilities were established, including an experimental seaplane station near the village and a firing range

Looking towards Grain.

Here the England Coast path, which I had been following so far, turned left to go to Grain.

This is one of several grey herons I came across.

The Isle-of-Grain is a landscape of abandoned industrial activity. Read all about the history of the area here.

I was nearly defeated by this stile, which is rather high.

After a loop around my route took me back along the edge of this ditch.

The marsh is well drained and the path was dry throughout. After passing these cows I continued to go through  Binney Farm...

...towards Allhallows village.

I attempted to entry the holiday park via Slough Fort, but the gate was locked....

...so I had to go through the main entrance.

That was an interesting walk through and interesting landscape. Lots of birds, but, apart from Dawn, I saw only 1 other person - a bird watcher with a camera close to the start.

You can find more details of my 8.6 mile route here on MapMyWalk (or download a GPX file here) and more of my photos here on Flickr.