Coaling No 9 at New Romney

A lovely day to mark my birthday. The plan was to drive to the Kent coast, have coffee, go for a swim, have lunch, walk then a beer and finish off with a steak dinner.

Drive fine, coffee at Unit 1 at West Hythe excellent as was the shared brownie, so good that we had two coffees.

In arriving at Dymchurch we found the tide right up on the steps driven by a fresh breeze giving a choppy sea. We were also put off by a notice saying that it was unadvisable to swim owing to poor water quality! I gave the swim a miss. Rather different to the crystal clear waters of Shetland.

Undeterred we walked on to New Romney Station on the Romney Hythe and Dymchurch Railway, had a nondescript sandwich for lunch and, in an impromptu decision, caught the train to St Mary’s Bay, walking back to Dymchurch from the station.

We rounded off the outing with a return visit to Unit 1 for a pint of Hopfuzz IPA and half of Docker IPA for me. Susan drove home.

Perhaps our last trip in the RHDR, rather appropriately, given our new home, it was pulled by Northern Chief. The locomotive, built in 1925 is celebrating its 100th birthday next weekend.

No forms were tackled today.