The rain was easing as I set off from the cliffs above Dover, a grey start to the day and I felt a bit grey too.
Then within 5 minutes I’d met Glenn MacDonald who was walking to the cliffs to scatter his mother’s ashes having travelled all the way from Australia. By coincidence he worked in mental health and we had a long cheerful chat before going our separate ways
A quick breakfast in Dover then it was following the coast to Folkestone. The path marking wasn’t great and partly due to this and partly to my incompetence I descended about 150 steps to reach the railway line, when I got there there was a keen train fan waiting to photograph a particular train. He was surprised I didn’t know about it . He was even more surprised when I went back up the steps without waiting for the train when I realised I should be on the cliff top not the beach.
The cliffs gave views of the English Channel with a steady stream of ships.
Then the cliffs faded away and it was a plod along the coastal defences to arrive in Folkestone.
When I got to Folkestone I needed to collect the new end tips for my walking poles as one had broken. The next problem was removing the old tips. I had researched this on YouTube and I needed a large adjustable spanner.
A visit to the local hardware shop and I had a 12 inch spanner weighing about a kilo.
As I walked through the streets of Folkestone in the gathering dusk I came towards a group of youngsters.
They took one look at me and made their way across the road. A bulky looking figure with walking poles in one hand and a 12 inch wrench in the other wasn’t to be messed with!
At the hotel it was a matter of moments to slide the wrench down the pole hard to knock the tips off. Then there was the issue of what to do with the wrench , I didn’t want to carry it.
So I gave it to the hotel receptionist who seemed surprisingly pleased with it.
I don’t suppose she gets given them every day.