Thursday 19th October 2023

The first of a four day weekend, and I decided to go back to Canterbury to photograph the windows in the Chapter House and the newly revealed windows in the west end of the Nave of the Cathedral.

I don't usually worry about the weather, but it seemed grim for the day, so did take a coat.

And didn't lose it.

Jools dropped me off at Priory Station just before half seven, giving me time to get a ticket and climb the bridge over to platform 3 where the train left at quarter to.

It trundled through the tunnels and cuttings to Buckland, then after the junction, I got a glimpse in dawn's soft light of our old back garden on Crabble Hill, before out of control vegetation took the view away.

Kids got on the train at every stop, all going to Canterbury, they were quiet and well behaved. While I looked out of the window, at what little evidence remains of the mining industry in the county. Only the fenced off sidings at Snowdon really remain, and they are overgrown with trees now, hiding the rails in deep shadows.

It wasn't raining when we arrived at Canterbury East, so I walked to the centre, stopping off for breakfast at the Saffron Café for a fry up.

Then a three minute walk to the High Street and the view along Mercery Lane to Christchurch Gate and the Cathedral beyond.

I had timed it well, with just a couple of minutes waiting at the Buttermarket, the doors were opened, I showed my ticket from my visit last month (valid for a year), and entered.

I made straight for the crypt, as I wanted to get shots there. Just a few. There are signs saying its for private prayer and no photos or videos to be taken, but I was the only one there, and the shot I wanted, came out as a double exposure, but I include it here as I won't try again.

Odd to be in such a large space in such a famous building, and have it to yourself. I was down in the crypt for ten minutes, and no one else came down.

Then to my main targets, out to the Cloisters and then along to the Chapterhouse to take shots of both huge windows, and shots of each panels, and finally out to the Nave of the Cathedral to take shots of the newly revealed windows at the west end.

I left the cathedral after 40 minutes, and found that the leaden skies were producing rain now. And rain that got heavier, and looked like it had set in for the day.

So, I made the decision to head back to the station and go home, hoping trains were once every 30 minutes.

The rain came down heavier and heavier as I rushed as quickly as my fat little legs could carry me, back over the ring road to the station, only to find I had missed a train by nine minutes, and so had 51 to wait for the next one.

Oh well.

I was wet, but not soaked.

So I bought a coffee and a tiny Snickers to eat on the platform, in the hope a RHTT would come though, and was rewarded twenty minutes later when one did rumble through on the Up line.

The train came in and about two hundred kids came pouring off the train, stressed teachers and assistants trying to keep control, it was quite the sight. Passengers on the train were clearly releaved the kids had left the train, and some peace and quiet settled. And as we headed back to Dover, clouds cleared and the sun even came out, but I was done for the day, happy to have got the shots I wanted.

At Dover I get a taxi to run me home, meaning I was back before midday, and warming up after I made a brew.

I spent the rest of the day writing, editing, listening to podcasts and even found time to run the vacuum over the living room.

And that is it for a very fine first day off for the weekend.