The Mountbottom track

The morning mist and cloud gradually lifted, and by late morning it was a beautiful day. S helped J to finish a painting and massaged her stiff shoulders and arms, and I went for a walk across the Exted valley. It's a peaceful valley adjoining our larger and more populous Elham valley, and is accessed only via little lanes. This raised track runs across the valley from one of the oldest farmhouses in the area, hugging an ancient hedgerow. At the far end of the field it joins the public footpath which crosses the field from the village, and a steep, rocky path climbs up through the woods to the top of the downs and the hamlet of Exted. I walked rather slowly (taking a lot of photos with my footpath project in mind), so did not have time to climb the hill; my triangular route from the village took me down steep steps and across fields on the narrow public footpath, then back along the track and up the lane to my starting point. I'd like to know more about the history and purpose of this well-built stretch of track, which would accommodate horses and possibly carts, but which leads only to the bottom of a path which would be near-impossible for either. It's not very long, and has no obvious destination at one end. 

Later, I made a start at the year's first batch of marmalade, juicing fruit and slicing peel to simmer in the slow cooker overnight before being boiled the following day. I love the sunniness of marmalade in the middle of winter.