Wednesday, 8 June 2022 (Group: Bromley)
Start time 10:00
Moderate
11 miles / 17.7 km
(Estimated finish time: 16:00)
Possibly one of the most interesting walks I have led. So much to see with beautiful views.Start behind church at Ancient Town of Winchelsea.
Bring Binoculars as there may be interesting birds to see . Walk may take longer than usual if we stop to look at wildlife and points of interest.
This is an almost flat walk except for about 130ft of climb at the end. We start by heading through the churchyard to have a look at the grave of Spike Milligan then go to the road in front of the Church to walk past a tree to commemorate the last open air sermon done by John Wesley on 7 Oct 1790. We then make our way west through the village to go through a old stone gate across the road called New Gate dated late 13 c which is is about half mile out of the Town we then make our way across the Royal Military Canal and fields to the beach then walk north east along the seawall and beach in the direction of Rye Harbour Nature Reserve passing the OLD LIFEBOAT STATION (MARY STANFORD BOATHOUSE, built in 1882 which is now a listed building. The Lifeboat House was built for an “oar pulling and sailing” type lifeboat. The Mary Stanford was placed in service at Rye Harbour in 1916, where she remained until she capsized on 15th November 1928 – this is the biggest loss of life from a single lifeboat in the history of the RNLI when 17 men lost their lives.
We then make our way to Rye Harbour through Rye Harbour Nature Reserve passing a martello tower at Rye Harbour for lunch stop at The William The Conqueror Pub on the edge of the harbour.
After lunch we head south east through the nature reserve with expanses of water on each side which were formed by the excavations of gravel pits excavated between 1935 and 1970 and used in the making of concrete pipes.
We then walk pass Watch House backing on to Nook Beach where I spent several holidays between 1960 and 1966. No running water or electricity in those days. At the end of the water we turn right and then right again to make our way to Camber Castle built by Henry VIII between 1512 and 1514. When it was built it was close to the sea. We then head back to Winchelsea where we have the only hill to climb which takes us through another town gate called Strand Gate to enter the Town where we have a climb of about 120 ft from the River Brede to the church. Total ascent for the walk is about 300 ft.
JUNE is the most important month for bird breeding activity with all species trying to survive against the pressures of weather and predators.
At the Beach Reserve it should be possible to watch many species raising their young, but please take care not to disturb them. Look out for alarmed adult birds, especially Ringed Plovers, and move away. The best places to watch are from the hides, where the birds will behave naturally. On the islands of Ternary Pool the gulls and terns will be feeding their young and the ducklings of Shelduck, Mallard and perhaps Ruddy Duck, Gadwall and Shoveler will be feeding themselves.
Despite the time of year there are some birds, like Curlew and Lapwing arriving from further north after breeding.
Some of the Reserve's more striking plants will not flower until this month, including Biting Stonecrop, Bee Orchid, Common Spotted Orchid and Pyramidal Orchid.
This is the best time to try and see the greatest variety of bird species (100 species in a day is the record, so far), with many wandering individuals and late arriving species like Spotted Flycatcher and Swift. Waders normally pass through in good numbers,