An Andrew Bridge Website 2009 - 2012
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Walk 4 The Bell at Minster
Rambling Minster Marshes
The Details
OS Map: | Explorer 150 |
Length/Time: | 3.5 miles/ 2 hours |
Difficulty/Terrain: | Some country lanes but mostly field paths that can be rough and muddy after rain. Footbridges to cross and stiles at the railway crossing although the gates are usually unlocked. |
Transport & parking: | Minster Railway Station is nearby; parking at the pub or in public car park nextdoor |
Character of the area: | This walk is all across the former Minster Marshes which were drained in the Middle Ages.The River Stour is tidal here and attracts varied birdlife. Views are extensive to upland Thanet and across the river towards Ash. |
Look out for: | Birds in the laneside bushes Views across the River Stour Contrasts of marsh and upland |
The Walk
Leaving The Bell, turn right on the road going downhill and passing the church on the left.
At the bottom keep straight ahead, ignoring side roads, to reach a railway crossing. Cross the lines with care to reach a country lane. Go ahead down this.
The lane is easy to follow for a good way. At the entrance to a water works bear right to continue on a wide, rough tractor track. Ignore tracks going off right into fields.
In a little way the rough track swings left towards a heavy metal gate. Leave the track and go forward, in the same direction as before, on a narrow grassy path between bushes. Follow this to soon emerge on the bank of the River Stour where power cables cross the river.
Turn right along the river bank on an uneven grassy path for nearly a mile with the river on the left and power lines over on the right.
Eventually look out for a hedge running inland where the river path crosses a footbridge. Do not cross the bridge but turn inland following a field edge with the hedge on the left.
Leave the field up a bank onto a raised track. Turn left along this for a few paces. Just before a metal field gate look for a footpath on the right dropping down a bank on steps, through bushes to a long footbridge.
Cross the footbridge. Ignore a turning left. Walk directly away from the footbridge along the field edge with a drainage ditch down on the left. Pass under power lines and, still following the ditch and field edge, wind first right then left.
Eventually reach the top corner of the field by a concrete sluice gate on the left. The path meets a cross track with a stream beyond.
Here turn right on the wider track still following the field edge with a stream on the left. Minster church can be seen in the distance.
After some way reach a field corner by a wide concrete bridge. Turn left over this bridge and go forward along the edge of the field beyond with, once again, a wide drainage ditch down on the right.
Keep heading directly towards the railway in the distance. At a corner go left, then in a short distance right to head towards the railway again.
The path reaches a level crossing with gates and stiles over the railway. Cross with care and go forward to soon reach a country road by a campsite entrance. Turn right along this road for some way between trees, then past houses, to a T-junction at the far end.
Here turn left uphill, passing Minster Church on the right to return to The Bell.
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