I have been putting off continuing the journey down the line because parking is so difficult and I did not expect to find much. I did return on a sunny Sunday morning though.
Back in the cutting at Finchcocks Road Bridge (south of Goudhurst Station site)
Heading south soon after the bridge there is a large bank of earth but it was actually quite easy to traverse.
Much as before the cutting continues for another 125 metres or so. It is mid-morning and the line has
swung south east, so the sun is immediately in front of me.
All the way along old railway sleepers form the bordering fences to fields of sheep, much as they probably did when the line closed in 1961. (Elvis Presley was 'no.1' of the singles chart then with 'Surrender').
At it's deepest the cutting is about 12 - 15 feet but it shallows out to the south-east.
At first I can hear the 'clip - clopping' of horses on the bridge behind me, then the distant sound of church bells and an occasional squirrel jumping in front of me. I get a sense of belonging being here which is hard to explain.
On both sides of the cutting and more sleepers.
Soon the cutting comes to an end unfortunately with another bank of earth beyond which I believe is a pumping station and a large house.
I am forced to walk over to Ranters Lane bridge via Blue Coat Lane. Peter Harding has walked the track bed to the bridge (prior to some of it becoming people's gardens) and he said that the bridge was still there but partially buried.
From Blue Coat Lane looking south-west. The line of trees mark the edge of the field adjoining
the railway.
A bump in the road indicates Ranters Lane Bridge but there is little to see from the top.
It is though quite a height.
The line followed a stream that fed into the River Teise just before the station and there is a foot path up here near this bridge, I followed it into a field but the stream remained in between myself and the track bed, in any case there was nothing to see except for some snowdrops.
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