Summer Solstice 2020: Coldrum Long Barrow

I would have loved to return to Avebury for the summer solstice this year, and had hoped I might finally be able to finish off my walk along the Ridgeway, but I begrudgingly heeded the National Trust's request for people to stay away from Avebury, and thought it might be better to find somewhere closer to London for the solstice. So after a bit of research I settled on Coldrum Long Barrow.

I combined this with a short walk, of about 3 or 4 miles, from the nearby town of West Malling. Due to the restrictions on movement, this is only the second time I've left London since early March (when I did the fifth leg of the Ridgeway) - the first time being our trip to Ivinghoe Beacon. Although much of today's walk was through relatively unremarkable countryside it was a great feeling to be back outdoors and walking again.

West Malling is a pretty town and by contrast with the very busy urban streets of London my stroll through seemed rather idyllic. 

I followed Ryarsh Lane out of West Malling, and after a slightly unnerving railway crossing the path went through a narrow strip of woodland beside a little stream, which made for very pleasant walking.

I took a short video of the babbling brook. Best played with the sound on.

The stream had what looked like a sort of sluice gate. I wonder if there were watermills on it at one time?

St. Martin's Church, Ryarsh, seems to have been cut off from the rest of Ryarsh by the M20. It's a handsome building with its turreted spire, and looked quite striking against the slightly moody sky as it was at this point of the day.

Prior to crossing the M20 the scenery opened up and the skies started to clear, and I was treated to views towards the North Downs across green fields and an oast house in the distance. A very Kentish scene.

Beyond the M20 I passed through Ryarsh proper. The Duke of Wellington was another handsome building, alas closed for the time being. The lane leading out of Ryarsh rose up a hill, as I approached Ryarsh Wood.

Ryarsh Wood provided some pleasant shade, as it was starting to warm up a bit, and I had begun to notice the heavier than usual backpack I had with me.

Beyond Ryarsh Wood lay the goal of today's walk - Coldrum Long Barrow. It's a small site, but an historically important one - a thousand years older than Stone Henge, and one of the oldest long barrows in the country.

After a quick look around Coldrum Long Barrow I returned to the concrete track which leads to it as this seemed like a safe place to cook some lunch. This was the first time to use my little stove actually out in the countryside, and it was very successful - I just cooked some pasta, with a tomato stock cube, and added some grated cheese at the end. It made a sort of soupy cheesey pasta which was actually very tasty, and only required a single fuel block.

I then spent a very pleasant couple of hours hanging around Coldrum Long Barrow with two friends I'd arranged to meet there, over a social distanced glass of wine or two. It's a small site, and there isn't a huge amount of the structure externally visible now - mainly just the cluster of stones you see above - but it does have nice views over the surrounding landscape.

To end here's a photo I was quite fond of taken in one of the adjoining fields. Sorry it's a bit grainy.