Take a hike to Tunbridge Wells....

I had a lovely walk down to TunbridgeWells the other day. Yes, you heard me, a walk. I walked to Tunbridge Wells from Tonbridge on Monday. Why? I hear some of you saying; and that's just what my family said to me. Why would I do that when I could have caught the bus or driven or even cycled? Well for a few reasons actually. I've lived in Tonbridge for the best part of 23 years and have never done it before That was the first reason (and sometimes that's reason enough!) The second was I wanted to know how long it would take. And thirdly, I couldn't go running because of a strained calf muscle so I thought the next best thing would be to walk for a little more gentle exercise. Afterall it's only about 5 or six miles to the Pantiles, which was the ultimate destination, and, lately, I've been used to running further than that most Sundays. In truth though much of the walk was a little dull I have to say. From the top of Quarry Hill to Southborough Common takes only about half an hour but it seems like an age as the lorries buses and cars whip past you on that narrow stretch of the A26. You feel pretty lonely as there are very few other walkers or cyclists around. In fact you feel a bit of an oddball, a vagrant almost, so used to going by car are we. It's different if you're in a town or if you're out in the countryside with your walking boots on, climbing over styles and jumping across brooks; then you feel like your doing a leisure activity. But on the road you're just someone with no transport and not enough money to catch the bus; or at least I felt like that's what people might think. I spent all afternoon wandering around the shops and bought some nice new cloths in the Crew Sale and a few other bits and bobs. So catching the bus on the way home I felt a bit more normal with my expensive looking shop carrier bags. I'll probably never do it again but at least I now know that it takes only an hour and twenty minutes brisk walk from Tonbridge right to the centre of Tunbridge Wells, nothing really when you think about it. So next time I hear of kids bunking off school because of a bit of snow or bus drivers being on strike there'll be no excuses. They can take a hike....