Tuesday 7th October 2025

Fungi.

Without fungi, the world as we know it, wouldn't be possible. In a year we'd be neck high in dead leaves, and nothing to break them down.

In the past we have gone out fungi have gone looking for them, and been partially successful.

One of the species I want to see, is the family called Waxcaps, specifically, Parrot Waxcaps, and last year I remember them being found in the churchyard of Doddington near Faversham.

So once we were up. And I was up oh my word early. Half five the first alarm went off, me sliding out of bed at quarter to six, then downing a coffee, before heading out to the sports centre at quarter past six.

This was because Jools needed the car for eight, to go out to a class she has joined.

You might be interested to hear I cycled round Budapest for forty minutes, then quickly cleaning down the bike, scuttling down the stairs and out to the car and home before the school run began in earnest.

I was back at half seven. Jools was in the shower, so I sat on the patio with Scully in the warm early morning sunshine.

Jools left, and I stayed where I was for another half hour before going inside to wash up, prepare breakfast and see what the world had in store.

When Jools had come back, and we had eaten breakfast and supped our brews. I suggested going to look for the waxcaps. There have been plenty of shots online, not from Doddington, but seemed peak season to me.

So we drove to Whitfield, along the A2 past Canterbury to Faversham, only to find the "main" road to Doddington closed to traffic for repairs.

Would doubled back where a sign had said there would be diversion signs.

Only the signs ran out, and I followed the sat nav back to the point were the roadworks should have started.

Although there were signs saying the road was closed across the road, no sign.

We doubled back and retraced our route, then followed the sat nav again only to find the road closed there as well.

So far this had taken us half an hour for a journey that should have taken five minutes.

Jools punched the destination into Google Maps, and that guided us beyond Newnham, where more signs declared the road ahead closed.

We chanced it, reached the foot of Church Hill, went up and into the churchyard.

45 minutes late.

So we searched the churchyard and graveyard extension, but only found some tiny brown fungi, which may have been my target species, just so old they lost their green colour.

We went into the church, I rattled a load of shots because I love Doddington, not least for its dedication: The Beheading of St John the Baptist.

And inside there was a painting of The Head of St John the Baptist on a platter, Herodias and Salome, Salome topless.

I can't remember this from previous visits.

Anyway, we were hungry, so we drove back down the hill and along to Chequers Hill to the Chequers pub for lunch.

We both had fine baguettes: mine with sausages and onion gravy, while Jools had peppered steak.

And a portion of the best pub chips I have had.

For me a pint of Late Red washed it down rather well. I noticed a sign opposite the pub pointing to St Catherine at Kingsdown (near Sittingbourne).

Last time here there were unfriendly signs everywhere, and as I was by myself, I didn't linger, but with Jools to sit in the car ready to move it in case the new owners o the Old rectory might complain.

They didn't. And so I walked through the long grass, up to the porch and entered the only complete Anglican church AW Pugin designed.

It is out of the way, down a dead end lane, and rarely visited, even though it is in the care of the CCT, so open from ten to four each day.

I took shots of the glass and monuments, and the ancient tiles on one side of the dead fire in the vestry.

Back to Jools in the car. This time we drove to Stalisfield, then down the hill to the A20, with fabulous views as the road wound down the down to the main road.

Into Ashford, onto the M20 and back home.

Scully had not been tested since breakfast, but neither had she been fed, and was fine. We did give her some food and she was happy enough.

Supper was peanuts and Cheeselets with beer/cider, as darkness fell outside.

I tried to watch some EFL Trophy football, but the ground was almost empty, and I was pooped.