It
rained heavily last night and well into this morning. By 10:00 am the storm was
starting to break up, and by 11:00 the sun was shining through broken clouds.
That was the signal for me to once again don my backpack and go for a walk. I
knew that pastures and trails with heavy vegetation would still be very wet, so
I decided to explore Toys Hill.
Toys
Hill comprises 450 acres of woodland under the care of the National Trust.
Seven miles of nature trails cross the reserve, along with several dedicated
public footpaths that have been around for centuries. Records document that in
year 1295 Robert Toys paid 12 pence to the manor of Otford to keep pigs in
the woods. For hundreds of years, herdsmen and local villagers grazed livestock
there. The recent nature trails complement the historic footpaths, providing a
lovely setting for a short day’s walk.
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| Trig point atop Toys Hill |
 |
Memorial bench near site of
former Weardale Manor |
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| Directional road sign |
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| Blue skies again |
© 2014 Ken Klug
Got to love that blue sky to go along the pretty green grass, I can almost smell it! Lovely memorial bench, lots of character.
ReplyDeleteFew more days left, enjoy!