2nd – 4th June

Exploring some little known (to me) areas of the South Downs & Kent by motorcycle.

Heading out over Salisbury Plain, the outward ride took in Stockbridge, Winchester, Petersfield, Haslemere, Petworth, Wisborough Green (a tea stop!), Billingshurst, Cowfold, Haywards Heath, Uckfield, Crowborough, Wadhurst, Ticehurst, Tenterden, Ashford and Canterbury (my base for the weekend).

On the Saturday, I dedicated the morning to a visit to Blean Woods (two areas) in search of the incredibly rare Heath Fritillary butterfly which I’d never seen – East Blean Woods came up trumps. In the afternoon, the two wheeled explorations included Faversham, Sittingbourne and the “Medway towns” of Gillingham, Chatham and Rochester followed by a visit to the “end of the road” at Grain (on the Isle of Grain). The return leg to Canterbury included at detour onto the Isle of Sheppey visiting Sheerness and Leysdown on Sea.

The return leg from Canterbury was “coastal” taking in Seasalter, Whitstable, Herne Bay, Reculver, Westgate on Sea, Margate, Broadstairs, Ramsgate, Sandwich, Deal (for a cockles and a cupcake lunch), St. Margarets Cliffe, Dover, Folkestone, Sandgate, Hythe, Dymchurch and the Romney Marsh to Rye. Then, it was heading inland to Battle, Hailsham, Lewes, Ditchling, Albourne, Storrington, Pulborough and Petworth ready for the final push towards home through Midhurst, Petersfield and Winchester. At Stockbridge, the biking came to a premature end; I’d been nursing a slow puncture all day which then turned into a full on deflation. Thus the weekend ended in the Three Cups Inn where I decamped whilst I waited for Amanda to recover me. The following evening, I recovered the bike.

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