Monday 11th May 2026

I began what I rather grandly call the "Kent Church Project" in July 2009 when we visited Postling.

Since then I have visited nearly 400 churches of various denominations and other religious buildings in the county, and so now it is the urban churches, and those in west Kent.

Or hard to get into and urban churches mostly in west Kent.

I did visit Tonbridge before Christmas 2024, but the parish church was locked, although I did a fine Victorian one near the station. So, being a man of leisure now, I thought I would arrange a visit.

I chose Monday as the weather was going to be poor, but on the day it dawned clear and would be sunny, though cool at first.

I could lay in, but my brain had me awake at half five, but lay in bed as Cleo snuggled up and I enjoyed her movement as she washed and made a next in the duvet.

Up, and what I thought would be a lazy morning, and was, until Jools pointed out that my train was in forty minutes, she wasn't dressed and I was only halfway through breakfast.

Panic!

We were out in ten minutes, and Jools drove me through the rush hour traffic to Dover Priory, I bought my ticket and had ten minutes to wait before the train came in.

A direct train to Tonbridge, so I could settle into a seat on the left as usual, and enjoy the hour and twenty minute ride through Kent, passing by Marden Meadow on the way, where the colour of the army of orchids could be seen from the speeding train.

I got off, walked up to street level, turned left and walked up the High Street.

Last time I was here my back hurt so much I took three or four goes at walking up it with breaks taken on seats as I walked up. Not this time, just up the street, no pain, just looking for a barbers that had no queue.

I found one next to the Old Chequers pub, and was shown into the chair, and I was shorn in twenty minutes, thus once done, the church would be open for visitors. I hoped.

I explored the back streets near the castle and fund a former Fire Station, now a café, so I went in and had a cuppa and their last cookie. Was good. Lots of clapboard houses in the area, and some with peg tiles too.

I took pictures.

A two minute walk, then dash across the busy road, down Church Lane, where I could see the west door open, and the warm lights inside.

Ss. Peter and Paul is a large and handsome building, and has history, or the site has, back to Saxon times. The current church dates back to the late 11th century, but the Victorians were busy here.

The church seems to have neew flooring leading to the Chancel, and to the south of the arch there is the equipment for a band including drums set up ready for use.

Not one for the traditionalists.

There is also a projection screen above the instruments too, with a projector towards the north east corner. Most glass is clear, with two exceptions. One in the north wall of the Chancel has some Victorian glass in the upper tracery, but in the large east window is a fine modern window of Christ in Majesty surrounded by angels.

On the exterior walls there are monuments dating back to the 17th century, and in the porch, a fine monument to Lady Philadelphia Lyttleton, who died while accompanying Queen Catherine on a visit to Tunbridge Wells in 1663.

There is a fine, if dark Royal coat of arms on a balcony on the west end of the Nave, with two hatchings, one on each side.

The church was busy, as the Tonbridge School south chapel has been turned into church centre and was hosting a Mother and toddlers group, or something similar.

Overall, its a church that hides it treasures well, among the modern embellishments. Clearly the parish church of a town that was monied, as its size and decoration showed.

I received a warm welcome, and the Chancel lights were switched on for me.

I leave the church and walk back down the high street. I had forty minutes to kill, so against my better judgement I went into a 'Spoons and ordered a pint of Sussex mild. But when it came it was clearly a weak IPA, it was so poor I couldn't be bothered to complain, so after drinking half of it, I leave and walk to the station to wait on platform 3.

The train came on, and despite there being dozens of schoolkids getting on, there was room for all, so I sat on the right hand side so I could see Marden Meadow when we went past.

Back in Dover for one. Jools was waiting, so she took us home and once inside, I cook lunch.

And so to the afternoon where we had the task of selecting a route through France to Val d'Isère where we are to meet up with an orchid tour, then south to Spain for the eclipse on August 12th.

We pick towns or cities, and find cheap places to stay on the edge of two, giving us ten days or so to get to Val d'Isère then just over a week to get to Spain.

Route agreed and hotels booked.

It is done.

We'll be screwed if there's a fuel shortage, of course, but we shall see.

Dinner was breaded chicken, buttered new potatoes and asparagus. Springlike and good.

There was football in the evening: Spurs v Leeds, and a Spurs win could have put West Ham on the brink of relegation, but it ended 1-1, so still all in the balance.

Sunday 10th May 2026

Its Sunday again.

And no lay in as my brain wakes me at half five.

May as well get up, then.

Up and dressed, drink coffee so that we can drive to the sports centre at just before seven.

The car park was as empty as we've ever seen it, and indeed when we reach the gym there is no Eurodisco blaring out and just one other person, who was pumping iron, or preparing to.

My podcast lasted 37 minutes, close enough to 40 for cash, and not worth starting a new one for three minutes. So we were done.

Sunday was warm and sunny, a contrast to the week which is to be cool and unsettled. A shame as I have people coming from Norwich for Dukes and orchids, I'm not holding out much hope for butterflies, but the forecast might change.

Back home for breakfast, and then to Jen's where I have to drop her off the two mugs I had redone with her son's image on, as she had dropped the original.

There is football from midday, so we leave at half eleven, so to be in place for the start of the Celtic v Rangers game, which was as fiery as expected.

The big game was West Ham v Arsenal, and was a dog of a game, Arsenal winning thanks to a scrambled goal, while the Hammers had a goal disallowed in injury time due to a foul on the keeper.

There was much gnashing of teeth by the Eastenders.

Other than that, not much to report.

An evening internetting and sipping sloe gin.

As you do.

Saturday 9th May 2026

Over the eighteen years I have been writing this blog, we have done many cool and interesting things, as well as stuff that is quite niche.

Only once before have I been asked not to post pictures of the place and things we visited, and even then six months later we were allowed.

But yesterday, I visited a place that has, over the years, has suffered a huge amount of theft and damage, so the team that care for it and the landowner asked those of us who did visit, not to post photos on "social media" and not to name the site.

All through yesterday I was thinking about how to write this up in the blog, but there we are.

My friend, Andy, in Faversham, told me about this visit, so I signed up. And at seven on Saturday morning in Faversham, so we could head west.

It was going to be a fine, sunny and warm Spring day, so driving through King's Wood to Challock and down into Ashford was very pleasant, but then over the Weald to west Kent, though ancient woodland, verdant farmland and picturesque villages, was most enjoyable indeed.

The sun caused the colours of the trees and fields to really "pop", especially the Horse chestnuts with their flowers sticking up from end of branches like lights on a Christmas tree, coloured pink, red and white.

Over the border into Kent, through Battle and into Sussex.

As we were ahead of schedule, we called in at a service station, bought a sandwich and drink, ate before we drove to the site, where we were half an hour or more early.

Our hosts had arrived and were setting up, so we sat on the tail gate listening to birds, especially Skylarks that were singing so sweetly, but joined in by Wrens, Robins, Starling and a Song thrush.

Then it was time for the visit.

Two hours later it was over. And, sadly, I won't be able to post any shots of the visit, ever.

But once back in the warm sunshine, we bid our hosts farewell, and we headed back to Kent, the sat-nav this time taking us via Rye.

And thoughts turned to beer and maybe lunch. At first I thought of the pub in Ivychurch, but it was then I remembered The Woolpack, a 14th century Inn beside the A259. Timber-framed and not a straight line in any room.

We ordered pints of Spring ale, and then baked camembert with bacon, which we consumed in the beer garden, as it was warm enough.

A most agreeable end to the trip.

I then drove us up to Ashford, onto the motorway and back through Challock and onto Faversham, dropping Andy at his doorstep, or near it.

From there it was just half an hour's drive up the A2 past Canterbury to home, getting back at just before three, and the start of the games on the radio.

There were just three games on at three, so I did computer stuff while I listened to news from the games. At half five Man City played and beat Brentford 3-0, thus piling the pressure onto Arsenal, who play on Sunday.

While the game played out, we had nachos and beer for supper, with an extra shake of hot chilli sauce to pep things up a bit.

Friday 8th May 2026

We made it to Friday.

Again.

And the day was to be as glorious as promised, so what better way to spend it than out in among the orchids?

No better way, obvs.

This did mean I had a lay in, while Jools got ready for yoga, fee the cats, make coffee and the rest, so that when I do stir at ten to six, all I have to do after getting dressed is to drink the already poured coffee.

Jools leaves for Dover and her class, so I put the bins out, then sit on the patio with Scully as the sun rises and gathers warmth.

Fran was due at just gone nine, so I had breakfast, so to be ready when Jools came back, and I could take the car.

She arrived ten minutes late: signal fault at Minster-in-Thanet, apparently.

And our first call was the early Late Spider again, as Fran had not seen it yet.

We park on the lane, then walk up the down to the compound, and on the bank is the single tiny flower. Fran climbed over the (switched-off) fence, got her shot, then came back so we could go back to the car and then onwards to orchid central.

We turn up Stone Street, and go up to Petham, turn off through the picturesque village, then out the other side into woodland.

We park on Pennypot Lane, and waiting for us was our friend, Terry.

So the three of us shake hands, then set off down the track through the trees, the sounds of the modern world a million miles away, and the air full of the sound of birdsong.

Great, Blue and Coal tits, and maybe a few Long-tailed tits as well. It made our hearts sing.

Up the slope to the entrance to the reserve, though our eyes were caught by the half dozen Lady Orchids on the other side of the track, on a low bank.

After getting shots, we walk into the reserve, so Terry could see his first Duke.

We found one in a couple of minutes, and it was easy enough to get open wing shots of the tiny butterfly.

All around were dozens of spikes of yet more Ladys, and the fading spikes of Early Purples, one of a large size, which was a suspect hybrid. I take shots of all parts for ID purposes.

All around too were the understated stems if Fly orchids, dozens of them, and some already fading having been pollenated.

We find a couple of White helleborine in flower, one with open flowers showing the yellow inner lip colour. And a little way further on, a single spike of Greater butterfly had one flower partially open.

It counts. We all agree.

We walk along the top path, me snapping most Lady spikes in flower, until there was just too many.

At the other end we find more Dukes basking, but cloud was building, and by the time we had returned along the lower path, there was just a couple of them still to be seen.

At the largest Duke lek, there was a very robust spike of Lady Orchid, a good two feet or more high. Its rude to point out to a Lady how large she is, so I just took her picture.

And as we huffed up the track back to the car, the clouds thickened and so we tried to redouble our steps in case it turned stormy.

But it didn't.

Time to take Fran back to Hern Bay, going past Canterbury then back along Thanet Way, where the skies cleared and it turned into a fine afternoon.

I dropped Fran off at her house, then back to Thanet Way, taking the road over the fields to Preston so I could call in at the butchers for some steak and sausages.

That done, back over the fields to Ash, then to Sandwich and home to Dover, getting back at two.

Where it was time to start cooking dinner: sweet chilli spatchcock chicken, roast potatoes, Yorkshire puddings, steamed veg and creamed spinach.

It took two hours or so to cook, and by then we were beyond hungry, but the meal was worth it.

I do badly in the music quiz, getting the answer wrong, but its the taking part that counts.

Finally there was the first Championship play off game, which was thin gruel in a 0-0 draw between Hull and Millwall.

Time for bed.

Thursday 7th May 2026

As you might have realised, the orchid season is in full swing now, with the "main" season now upon me, and there not being enough hours in the day to get round all the sites. Though I will try.

Thursday would be a hard phys day, with a session in the gym first, then a walk round the Barham site looking for certain orchids, then to Park Gate Down to check on the Monkeys before an unplanned stop at the cliffs to hunt for the Late Spider we missed on Tuesday.

And the weather was going to partly play ball. Starting off cloudy, then brightening up. But sadly we'd be out in the morning.

We were running ten minutes behind, so arrived at the sports centre at ten past six, but the two bikes were unoccupied, so we took one each and we began to peddle.

I did my 40 minutes, and once done, I waited for Jools outside as I tried to cool down, before we drove round to Tesco for supplies, which involved yet more steps.

Then back home for a shower and change. Breakfast and a brew.

So that by nine we were ready for the off.

Traffic on the A2 was busy as a ferry had just disgorged it's payload, so lorries struggling to the dual carriageway from Lydden onwards. We got through then took it easy, before slowing down to take the sharp turn down to the Black Robin and the woods beyond.

I walked up the bridleway, hoping that there's be Early purples as well as the Lesser butterfly in flower.

Sadly, where once were dozens of Early purples, including a good number of var. alba, there were only a handful, as encroaching vegetation had crowded most of them out. And even worse, the Lesser butterfly has put up no spike, so now flower on site this year.

I look nearby but find only Twayblades.

Over the road and there too vegetation is high, hiding most of the Lady Orchid rosettes. And while I was expecting dozens, if not more, flowering spikes, we found about twenty, and no var. alba, and with the season so advanced, that seems it is it.

Nearby I found the desiccated spikes of last year's Bird's-nests, then spot the emerging spikes of this year's plants, with one mostly already in flower.

Happy with that we walk back to the car, drive back to the village and go down the valley before heading up the old lane to Park Gate and the reserve beyond.

We had the place to ourselves for the hour we were there. And while elsewhere the early spring Primroses and Cowslips have gone to seed, at PGD Cowslips cover the side of the down, still in their prime.

Despite being inland, the reserve lies in an orientation so that the westerlies blow along it, making plants here flower a week or two later than elsewhere.

A Monkey is already in flower at the private site to the north, but I could only find three spikes, two of which were a few days from beginning to flower.

We walked to the far end to look for Fly, none seen in flower, but we could have missed the odd one. But did find about eight Greater butterfly spikes well developed.

Walking back Jools snapped a Small copper, and I chased a couple of Small heaths, but found them already too flighty to get close up shots of.

So back down the valley through Elham and Lyminge, back to the motorway and on to the coast, parking in the layby, at least this stop would take no more then ten minutes, if I could find the single Late spider flowering.

We walk up the path, and begin scanning the bank, until I saw what I had missed two days previously: a small plant, with white sepals, not pink, with a single flower.

I climbed over the fence, taking care not to step on any other plants, and get shots of the small plant.

The first of the few.

Happy with that we go back to the car and drive to the A20 and home through Dover, and lunch.

We warmed up the leftover Chinese from Monday, then feasted on the two remaining short cakes along with a huge brew.

Now, to relax.

17,000 steps and my legs let me know about it. My right knee stiffened up so I hobbled around for a while until I was mobile again.

Dinner was Caprese, with some very ripe tomatoes, and then the fresh basil making it most flavoursome. I cracked open a bottle of XV. And had a baguette to mop up the Balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

Twas lovely.

There was more football on the radio for the evening, Villa v Forest for a place in a European final. And, and there's no easy way to say this Forest fans, your took one hell of a beating, with Villa winning 4-0.

Wednesday 6th May 2026

Middle of the week.

And I manage to go back to sleep and sleep in until gone seven, waking with Cleo asleep beside me, snuggling up at the back of my knees.

So, in short. My legs were better, but the damaged areas needed air, so I would wear shorts all day and take off the bandage. Only sun dried my skin out too much, so I would sit inside most of the day.

There was nothing planned. And there was rain forecasted. Which didn't arrive.

It is ten years since our trip to Japan, so I am posting my blog of the trip on BlueSky, in 240 character posts, most with an accompanying image, so that takes an hour of the morning to download the images from Flickr and repost them.

Not sure if anyone is going to look at them, but for me a reminder o the wonderful things we did over there with Jen.

In the garden, what is left of the wisteria is in flower, two dangling strings of flowers hang from the remaining half of the twig, and if you get in close, looks fabulous.

Jools went to keep fit, so I stayed home and did Ian things. I listened to the latest Danny Baker podcast and relived Sunday evening's experience.

One of the hardest habits to break is the weekly shop. Shopping for a week when we can go every day. Sometimes it leaves us with spare food that sometimes goes bad, so instead of going shopping, we will have the courgettes as fritters that afternoon, no pizza for us!

It might not have rained, but was cold. Cold enough to turn the heating on after trying to hold out until after nine. Darn it, why suffer?

There's nothing to watch on TV. Even with the hundreds of extra channels we now get on Sky. I still have not learned how to get certain Sky channels, like Sky Arts, just to search for programs. I look at the list of films, and I see nothing I recognise or want to watch.

Dinner, served at two, was fritters with chilli mayonnaise. And as we desired something sweet, I made a half batch of short cakes, which were just out of the oven when Di from over the road came round, with news of a caravan park being planned for along Collingwood, though it might impact us too.

So, I made brews and served Di a fresh and still warm short cake along with a brew, while we talked.

Di is scared of the world, thanks in no small part to whatever right-wing paper, probably the Hate Mail, she reads. And I try to comfort her with the fact that serious crime, including knife crime, is well down year on year and the world, London in particular isn't as bad as some would have you believe.

That just left the evening, with more footy on the radio: Bayern v PSG, and the follow up to the nine goal thriller of last week. Bayern had to win by two, but they never really looked like they could do it, and once PSG scored after 3 minutes to make it 6-4 on aggregate, it was pretty much game over.

Kane scored in injury time, but no time for the equaliser, so PSG go through to face Arsenal.

Tuesday 5th May 2026

The Bank Holiday was over, so back to the serious life that is retirement.

Up again at ten past five, get dressed and drink coffee so I can be at the gym again for a session on the bike.

And be back in time to drop Jools off at the Riverside Centre as I was taking friends orchiding.

Once back I have a shower, am dressed and breakfasted when Iain arrives at half eight, so we can drive to Herne Bay to pick up Fran.

Having been caught up in traffic and roadworks last time I went to Fran's in the morning, instead we take the road to Preston, then out through Stourmouth to Monkton before turning onto Thanet Way and back off the Isle.

We arrived at Fran's dead on time of half eight, get back on Thanet Way, then turn south on the A2 to canterbury before taking the turning to Bridge and out across the downs to Hardres, down Stone Street to Yockletts.

And even better, the weather was better than the forecast, there was even some warm sunshine which might mean we see butterflies as well as orchids.

We amble up the path, me and Fran pointing out plants and insects on the way, before the climb up to the lower meadow.

There we see a young college student out snapping plants. We're helpful and show him two Fly Orchid spikes he had missed behind the bench. But, I told him, there's many many more down the slope.

We were here to see the "green" Fly, so at the right point, we dive into the undergrowth, through a clearing and into a thicket, where by a fallen tree I stumble up two other orchiding friends standing beside the tiny spike, showing two green flowers, almost ghost-like.

I chat with Graham about, well, orchids and stuff, then we leave to take to the path, to check on the Greater Butterfly: sadly two blind rosettes found, but one spike had been seen earlier. And the Herb paris, with the eight leaved one still showing well, though a bit crowded.

We turned round and walked back to the car, finding many more Lady and Fly Orchids on the way. But sadly, at the lower meadow, no Green hairstreaks but a couple of Brimstones were seen, but too flighty for photos.

It was nearing midday, so I called Jools and arranged to meet her at Dover Priory, but on the way I sidetracked us in the hope of finding a Late Spider in flower.

Turning off at Hawkinge, I drive to the parking place, pull over. And after a short walk up to the pen, we found just one rosette with a spike just forming.

Back to the car, then turn round and back to the A20, and into Dover where Jools had been waiting some time. But instead of going straight home, we instead went back to Lydden to show Iain the colony of Man Orchids.

A quick hop over the fence, and we find a good couple of hundred spikes all over the reserve, with one spike being as hyper coloured as I've seen any Man Orchid, and hypo coloured is much more common.

And that was that.

We dropped Fran off at the bus stop so she could catch one to canterbury and then onwards to Herne Bay, and once home Iain left in his car.

Which left the afternoon to relax in, as it was near to two in the afternoon, and just four hours from our booked table for dinner at The Swingate, so we ignored the hunger pangs.

At six we drove over to the former pub, where we were greeted with smiles due to us also going on Monday, when they were closed. But they were very nice about it, even though it was my fault!

We had starters and main courses, and as I had just eaten two oranges all day, I was mighty hungry, and at the end, not overly full. Just nice.

We had a table packed with dishes for the main course: three mains, dahl, rice and a naan. All yummy.

Jools drove us home, so I could listen to Arsenal on the radio, and they won to make it to the Champion's League Final.