14th May

It was a chilly morning and dulling heavily when we set out to go back to the route.  We retraced our steps surprisingly quickly and were soon on our way.  Fairly early on was the amusingly named Titsey Plantation where we crossed the line of the Greenwich Meridien – it had been much heralded, but in the event it happened without any evidence of where exactly it was!!! So much for that!

Our route meandered up and down in its own jolly way.  Each time we emerged from Woodland there were amazing views over the valleys below but they were not shown off to their best advantage without the sun. We eventually came out at a broad path with enormous houses on both sides, spaced out behind high fences with exotic wrought iron gates again.  It was probably the longest length of flat walking we have experienced since we started out!

  
  The houses themselves felt almost as though they were Surrey’s last stand before we crossed the border into Kent.  It was near to this point that we came across a sculpture carved out of a dead tree.  

  We gradually became conscious that we were following the course of some red and white streamers.  A lady came puffing up beside us to inform us that they  were for a road race taking place between Worthing and Knockholt (what an earth can be that exciting in Knockhholt to make it worth running from Worthing!?!). Not wishing to be party poopers, we hoped we would be past their route before the runners proper materialised.  We didn’t see any so both we and they were spared!
The day eventually began to brighten and we walked over the top of Westerham Hill and Brasted (we were now in almost ‘home’ territory as these are places we walk).  Chevening House  appeared in the valley below us, a big stately pile, and then we were looking down on the junction of three major roadways – the M25, M26 and A21 which rather disturbed what might otherwise have been a peaceful corner of the landscape. 

Reaching a road we walked up to the roundabout which is the Bromley turn off to the M25 and walked over the busy motorway and eventually down into the village of Otford.  There being no appropriate accommodation in Otford we were being met and carried off to somewhere ‘suitable’.  Arriving early we took the opportunity to eat at a pub and have a reviving drink.  

The ‘suitable’ accommodation turned put to be an American Diner…….!