Rochester Wood to Luddesdown...

There is a farm track that runs around the edge of Stonyfield Wood to the bottom of Longbottom Bank. Climbing back up the valley, between Gag Plantation and Rochester Forest, leading out to Halling Wood, through Bushy Wood, Brazenden Wood, Scrubs Wood and eventually to the top of Wrenches Shaw by Bassett's Seat.  There is a public footpath that short-cuts the journey up and down the valley by going straight through Rochester Forest, but I prefer to "go off-piste" as the edges of the woods offer much more by way of wildlife to see than the rather gloomy woodland interior.

This is my favourite walk, and the secluded rides are home to sometimes spectacular numbers of summer butterflies and a huge variety of woodland plants, not to mention the spectacular views across the valley towards Luddesdown and Cobham.

The cold snap in March has set the woodland butterflies back a bit, so I was a bit surprised to see something flying strongly down the path from Stonyfield Wood.  This turned out to be a moth rather than a butterfly, but still none the less interesting for that...

Speckled Yellow moth...

There weren't too many butterflies about, but this Green-Veined White was enjoying a drink from some Bugle blossom...

Green-Veined White butterfly

The Columbines were out, in various colours...

Pink Columbine (Aqualegia)

Blue Columbine (Aqualegia) with wild strawberry (small white flower, upper right)

Other wild flowers were putting on a good show.  All common species maybe, but it's good to be able to put a name to them as old friends...

Common Fumitory

Common Mallow

Creeping Buttercup

Doves-Foot Cranesbill...

The hawkweeds are common wildflowers related to the dandelion, but comprise of numerous different species that are difficult to tell apart.  I think this one is Smooth Hawks-Beard, but someone more knowledgeable than me may know better...

Hawksbeard (?)

Sanicle

Yellow Pimpernel

The leaves of Greater Burdock were becoming apparent everywhere in the woods...

Burdock...

Looking out across Cutter Ridge valley from Bassett's Seat, it was striking how the farmland was greening up, even compared with only a week ago...

To Luddesdown, from Bassett's Seat...

To Cobham, from Bassett's Seat...

Down on Cutter Ridge Road, this member of the Viburnum family was in bloom in the hedgerows...

Guelder Rose (Viburnum opulus)

Wrenches Shaw to Bush Road...

Spring turns to early summer and the wild flowers become more numerous and varied...

Sweet Woodruff

This member of the bedstraw family, with its distinctive whorl of green leaves, was blooming at the edge of Wrenches Shaw, up by the Bassett's Seat overlooking Luddesdown...

Luddesdown from Bassett's Seat...

The fields are starting to green up from their prairie-like appearance of just a few short weeks ago...

Towards Cobham from Bassett's Seat

Walking down Bowman's Hill to the junction of Warren Road with Cobhambury Road, the magnificent oak on the corner had transformed its appearance...

Oak - Warren Road

Walking down Warren Road to Bush Road, the roadside wild flowers were putting on a colourful show...

Bladder Campion...

Green Alkanet...

The blue Ground Ivy and White Dead-Nettle made a striking contrast in several areas...

Ground Ivy and White Dead-Nettle...

Wild Mignonette..

 One of the fields at the top of Bush Road to the north had acquired an unusual blue dusting...

Phacelia field...

This was down to a crop of Phacelia, a widely-used "green manure" that gives soil coverage to otherwise bare ground, and which can be ploughed in prior to commercial sowing...

Phacelia...

On the roadside verges, Cow Parsley was ubiquitous...

Cow Parsley...

A magnificent Lilac bush was in full bloom at the bottom of Upper Bush Road...

Lilac...

Church Hill to Merrals Shaw...

Some nice views of the effect the ever-changing seasons have on the local countryside were afforded during a gentle stroll from the top of Church Hill through Cuxton, up to Merrals Shaw wood near Ranscombe farm reserve...

The Hawthorns seem to have got a bit confused by the bitter cold snap at the end of February.  They usually bloom before the apple blossom, but this year they have erupted well after the apple blossom has finished...

Church Hill, hawthorn in blossom...

The hawthorns make a colourful contrast with the buttercups, which are still much in evidence on Church Hill...

Church Hill, looking towards the Medway Valley...

View from the North Downs Way at Ranscombe, across Longhoes

I wanted to see how the butterfly population was doing in Merrals Shaw, which has always been a good spot for woodland butterflies...

Green-Veined White...

Speckled Wood...

Small Tortoiseshell...

I also saw a few Brimstones, Orange Tips, Large and Small Whites and a solitary Peacock.  Some colourful flowers were on show as well...

Early Purple Orchid

Yellow Archangel

Brockles...

A warm, sunny day in early May offered an excellent excuse to enjoy a walk though Cuxton and up Mill Hill. Public footpath RS198 starts at railway bridge at the top of Poplicans Road, and runs up through the woodlands on Mill Hill. It is said locally that the base of the windmill that gave Mill Hill its name was moved to Cobham and converted into a house.  A house like this exists in Cobham, but it has been impossible to establish whether it came originally from Cuxton.

Mill Hill Wood is nationally important and is protected by law. Much of it is classified as "ancient": according to the Woodland Trust, "ancient woodland is woodland that has existed since at least 1600 A D, and possibly much longer. Prior to this date, planting of woodland was very uncommon which suggests that if a wood was present in 1600 it is likely to have been there for some time previously, and may be a remnant of the original 'wildwood' which once covered most of Britain..."

In several places, the woods open out, allowing views away to the south over Bush valley...

Southwards view from Mill Hill...

The path levels out at the eastern edge of Brockles, a field of some 20 acres that was (unlike so much of the open land in North Kent) spared the attentions of avaricious land speculators thanks to its acquisition by Plantlife in 2010.

There is a memorial bench there, allowing folk to sit and enjoy the views across the valley out towards Meopham and Luddesdown...

View from the eastern edge of Brockles...

The name "Brockles" seems to be a corruption of the Old English broc-hol, or "badger's hole". Walking across the field brings you to a shady copse where a carved bench ("The Seat") can be found.

"The Seat"

"The Seat"...

Installed as part of the "Valley of Visions" scheme, the bench is the work of local sculptor Steve Portchmouth. The information board, also seen on the above photo, was installed in 2011 by the Cuxton Heritage Trail team...

The west side of Brockles offer extensive views over Bush valley...

From Brockles towards Luddesdown...

From Brockles towards Cuxton...

Cuxton Church to Upper Bush

A pleasant walk from Cuxton Church to Upper Bush...

Cuxton Church

 This view is a little different from that of only a few weeks ago...

Southern churchyard

Northern churchyard

Church nave..

This pretty flower was tucked away by the churchyard wall adjacent to the woods...

Smooth Comfrey

Buttercups on Church Hill, looking towards Cuxton village...

Stitchwort, Mays Wood

Dean Farm valley...

Star of Bethlehem, Upper Bush...