Change of plan

Sometimes spontaneity pays off. It certainly did on Thursday, when I made the last-minute decision to go to the lovely East Sussex town of Rye for the day. My original plan made 2-3 days previously, had been to go hiking, as there was a 2–3-mile section of the North Downs Way that I wanted to finish off. This this was a section where I got lost in a wood and, after eventually escaping the confines of the trees, ended up walking along the road instead. It was also the day some 18 months ago, when my knee started playing up, and I ended up aborting the walk along that particular stretch of the NDW, at the Three Horseshoes in Knockholt Pound.

So, whilst I officially finished this long-distance pathway at the end of September, there were still three or four sections where I deviated from the official route. I have subsequently corrected three of those anomalies, which just left this section to the west of Knockholt to finish, and with the forecast for Thursday showing dry and sunny conditions I decided that would be the time to complete this outstanding section.

Unfortunately, the previous day was one of heavy and rather persistent rain, and as it showed no signs of abating, I was beginning to have doubts regarding Thursday’s walk, with particular regard to the conditions under foot. I made light of this, despite Mrs PBT’s expressing the same misgivings, but deep down I knew she was correct. Her concern centered on me slipping over and injuring myself, whilst mine was just getting covered in mud. After dinner that night, I told her she was right, and instead I would go out somewhere by bus.

The destination I chose was the Swan at West Peckham, an attractive pub overlooking the village green, which has brewed its own range of distinctive ales for a couple of decades. I guessed that being following hot on the heels of the festive season, the Swan would have its legendary Christmas Ale on tap. I even went as far extending an invitation on the on the WhatsApp Beer Chat group, in order to testing the waters, and discover if anyone cared to join me.

It was Mrs PBT’s comment, shortly before bedtime, that's sowed the seed of a different idea in my mind. She stated that the buses would be crowded due to the rail strike (she’s still a little concerned about COVID), but I put her straight, and said that the next round of industrial action wasn’t due until the following week, and so the buses would be fine. This was where the seed planted the previous evening turned into a distinct possibility, particularly after my WhatsApp suggestion came back with no takers.

I decided to postpone the trip to the Swan until the following week and take advantage of a full service on the trains. Rye sprang instantly to mind, because over the Christmas period, I had drawn up a list of locations and pubs, I wanted to visit over the course of the coming year, using public transport. A quick look at National Rail inquiries indicated that town was easily doable by train, and In fact is just an hour’s journey from Tonbridge. Rye is a thriving and bustling tow, packed full of independent shops. Many of them are housed in attractive and characterful old buildings, and the same applies to the Waterworks, a micro-pub housed in the town’s former waterworks.

The building, which dates from 1718, has also been home to a public toilet, plus an antique shop. The premises became a micro-pub in May 2018, and since then the pub has never looked back. Several members of my local CAMRA branch had raved about this establishment, but to my shame until last Thursday, I had never set foot in the place. A trip to Rye would allow me to “tick” the Waterworks, as well as calling in at the town’s other outstanding Good Beer Guide entry, the Ypres Castle.

So, on a bright and sunny morning, I headed down to Tonbridge railway station, Senior Rail Card at the ready, for a journey by train, down to the Ancient Town of Rye. After queuing to buy my ticket, I was slightly too late to grab a coffee – a shame as I like to sit on the train, enjoying a caffeine fix, whilst watching the countryside slipping by outside the window. The fields and orchards we passed through looked quite saturated with rain, and many of the associated streams and drainage ditches were full, almost to the point of overflowing. Mrs PBT’s was right in her assessment, as even up on top of the North Downs, I couldn’t really imagine that the situation was any better.

A change of trains at Ashford gave me time, but only just, for the cup of coffee I was craving. The Dover-bound train I was leaving, fortunately pulled up just outside the Starbucks outlet on the platform. My connecting train was the Southern service to Eastbourne, and it was already waiting on the adjoining platform. After queuing up behind several customers with complicated orders, there was just time to order and pay for a flat white, before entering what used to be called the Marshlink service and find a seat.

The train was almost full, but with only three coaches this was not surprising. Several of the stations along this isolated stretch of line, have short platforms – hence the limited number of carriages, but I managed to find a vacant Priority Seat (I qualify in terms of age), and sat down to enjoy my coffee as the train began its journey towards, and then across Romney Marsh. The relatively new Turbostar trains are light years away from the old “diesel thumpers” that used to thunder across this flat, and at times bleak landscape, and it was good to see a line, that was under threat of closure back in British Rail days, being well used.

Roughly an hour after leaving Tonbridge, my train pulled into Rye station. Judging by the number of people leaving the train, Rye is obviously a popular destination, and after an absence of almost four years, I couldn’t wait to start exploring and renewing my acquaintance with the town. Join me next time, as I visit two pubs and two hotel bars: two of them old favourites, and two of them new.