3 men on a walk 2015: Paddock Wood Orchards

Paddock Wood - Brenchley - Matfield loop

The weather lady said that the worst of the cold snap last week has disappeared to Denmark and she was right because it was a glorious day with definitely a touch of "Spring" in the air. This walk was just mapped out on the OS map and it was partly in an area we had not walked before but also took in a stretch of the High Weald Way which we had walked previously.

We parked up at Paddock Wood, right outside "Mascalls Manor" which was the birthplace and home of General Sir Frederick Morgan. ‘Freddy’ was responsible for Operation Overlord, in other words he masterminded the D Day landings of WW2 which secured the outcome of the war.

This part of Kent is very much the main fruit growing area and much of the walk took us along or through fruit farms, mostly Apple orchards but also some soft fruits like Raspberries and Black Current.

In Brenchley we passed "The Bull", site of a lunch stop in December and as we passed through the church-yard of Brenchley Church there were Crocuses and Snow Drops out and also a Camellia bush in full flower. I remarked that it must be a sunny spot but Trevor decided that it was the "nutrients and drainage" of the churchyard that led to such good blooms !

More orchards on the way round from Brenchley towards Matfield and then on the stretch from Matfield back to Paddock Wood. Yet another walk we must repeat in the springtime when the fruit trees are in blossom.

We finished the walk and the plan was to drive a couple of miles up the road to a new pub for us called "The Dovecote" but when we arrived we found they were closed on Monday lunchtimes. Not to be deterred we drove a couple of miles further on to the "George and Dragon" at Tudely where good ale and an excellent lunch were found. Another good watering hole to add to the list.