Day 67 – Isle of Sheppy

 

 Date: Saturday 23^rd April 2011   Distance: 42.31 Miles

 

After a long sleep and an early breakfast we set off at 9 to go round the Isle of Sheppy.it was up through Bobbin, past Iwade, aptly named as Bob said this was all reclaimed marshland. Here firemen plus engine were at the village hall selling bunting and souvenirs.

 

The biggest thing to happen to Swale in the last 100 years was the bridge. It sweeps across the Swale water, from some angle looking like an elaborate ski jump. It’s high! The cycle way is at the side of the main road and we took the swing bridge- King’s Ferry Bridge. Unfortunately at the the roundabout the cycleway petered out and the traffic was horrendous. Further down was a giant car-boot sale, which would have accounted for some of the traffic.

 

When , 5 miles down the road we saw a sign for a RSPB viewing centre and Harty Ferry, down a lane and towards the sea, we took it, just to get away from the traffic. It was soon beautifully quiet and then a goose insisted on running down the road in front of us, honking all the way. Maybe its wings were clipped as it just couldn’t seem to get off the ground no matter how hard it flapped its wings. It eventually escaped into a field.

 

Rape was pungent and tall, while sedge lined the water channels. We saw 2 Marsh Harriers, verified by the display by the RSPB (just some notice boards and a hummock of grass on which to stand) and apparently Sheppy has 36 pairs. We feel very privileged to see these magnificent birds. When they hunt they keep their wings steady in a v shape, which makes them distinctive.

 

We turned right at the top of the road with very few cars( mostly the postman going back and forth) to the Ferry Inn for coffee. Here we met some people who recommended we visit Harty Church, a short ride or walk from the inn. It was a lovely site for the tiny church looking over the water and surrounded by fields. Inside were interesting artefacts, including a C14th monument chest, carved in wood. We met the people from the pub feeding the graveyard residents- peacocks. The younger of the two liked to nip the hand that fed it. Only Bob was brave enough and I got a great shot on camera.

 

We set off on the bridleway to Shellness but something went wrong when it became a footpath and the tandem wouldn’t fit through the kissing gates. It would have been pretty but we couldn’t risk having to lift over more and the ground was very rough even for pushing the bike. Back to the track we thought perhaps the next route went round the edge of a field and so blindly followed the path until we realised it was doubling back. Although not the right way and lost some time, exposed in the midday sun, we were pleased to notice corn cobs at even intervals around the perimeter of the field, well out in the open. We are sure this is to feed the small mammals in turn that will feed the marsh harriers.

 

Take three and we see the actual bridleway further down the track but it is far too overgrown with nettles ( we are in shorts) to even try. The track we ride takes us to a farm and then an old airport road made of concrete and good for riding. A caravan site at Muswell Manor would have provided drinks but no food. At the gate was information on this site” famous “ for the first flight of the Wright brothers. The first aviation factory was sited here.

 

We didn’t stop long and followed the concrete that became a cycle path all the way to the coast near to Shellness. A high grassy bank hid the North Sea and a sandy-mixed with mud beach. We stopped by a refreshment place with picnic tables and demolished some sandwiches and mugs of tea from the busy kiosk. We began to feel like we were in an episode of” Eastenders” watching the interaction of various family groups. Quite entertaining!

 

With the sea on our right we carried on through Leysdown , full of people, greasy food and nick nack shops. At Warden a quite typical urban housing estate built on a hill had the sea at the end of every road with lovely sea views. Then it was up, up, up past more caravan sites on a track full of the biggest pot holes ever! Traffic was sparse except for an empty bus for Sheerness.

 

We went to Minster to see the royal Saxon Abbey, which was full of people getting the church ready for Easter day. I lit 4 candles in memory of our parents and was saved from catching on fire by one of the flower ladies. They were very friendly and interested in our ride.

 

Next door , in the gatehouse, is a museum and tower  from which, on a clear day there are spectacular views. It was a bit murky today. We spoke to a man who gave us the lowdown on Richard Montgommery, an American ship from World War 2 that sank in bad weather with explosives- bombs to help us over here.  The ship’s flag can be seen at low tide but even though some explosives were removed enough are left to produce a tsunami if it ever went up.

 

At Sheerness we had a coffee at Greggs the bakers and experienced the worst toilets in the country. Queensborough had character and clean toilets in a little park by the Historical Jetty comprised of really old lampposts and nautical buildings. We liked it here.

 

We left for the bridge, now up for a sailing boat surrounded by noisy jet skis then retraced our wheels back and arrived at 5.20 where we put the bike in the boiler room of the Premier Inn.

 

It had been a varied day when we saw the first swallow of the year, orange tip butterflies and pungent fields of rape for the most part. It had exceeded my expectations despite it being busy on the roads.