The Georgina Drayton Trail.
Meeting at Harrietsham station at 10.15 (there’s a train from Victoria that leaves at 8.55 and arrives at 10.13 & another from St.Pancras that leaves at 9.07 and arrives at 10.12) we’ll leave via the back of the station, crossing fields and woods, rising with the land to near the top of ridge of the North Downs.
We’ll eat lunch in the grounds of the oddly isolated St. Margaret’s Church in Wychling (built 1200s, restored 1800s), which is nestled on the edge of Wychling woods.
After lunch we’ll head to a small village called Frinsted and walk through some person’s private airfield. Later we’ll pass the 16th century Ringlestone Inn (once a hospice for Monks), we could stop for a refreshing cordial if it is a warm day. Eventually we’ll join up with the north downs way and head back down the hill into Harrietsham, where there’s a nice pub to have an end of walk drink or two if you choose.
These are the paths known to 18th century Kentish seer/sage/healer/loner/all round kind person Georgina Drayton. I only know of her legend because one summer evening years ago a drunken morris dancer in a pub in a town nearby sung her song a capella to me and my friends. He sought to woo one of the women in our group. Despite possessing an angelic voice that told a moving tale, his romantic advances proved unsuccessful. She seemingly couldn’t see past his attire of breeches and bells. At the time, skinny jeans and v-neck t-shirts were what was considered cool.
