19/07/2026
Good morning everyone so Lesley completed her hike on Friday 17th July 2026!! She absolutely smashed it, kept her sunhat on, let me put sun cream on, use cooling wipes, kept her water intake up( has ASD) and was really good at eating, we had 2 slight detours 1st one I helped her get back on track the 2nd one she sorted herself. She was up at 5am to get food packed, suncream etc on and put horses out before we left at 6.45am. We hiked from great chart to conningbrook lakes, had a rest, conningbrook lakes to Wye, had a rest, Wye to chilham, had a rest then it was the last 6 and a half miles to Canterbury which we rested a couple of times, she got into Canterbury at 6.30pm we ended out hike at train station due to things out of our control finishing at toddlers clove was not possible. In all she hiked over flat ground, loose stones, loads of uphill walking, down hills, crossing and walking along roads incudling at least one crossing over the a28, we were lucky and had some shade in woods but lots of walking with no shade at all. She came across donkeys, pigs, rabbits, dragonflies, fish, birds and butterflies, we hiked on the Wye downs, north down valley walk, saw Wye from top of Wye downs and the Kent downs from north downs valley walk, we walked though woods and orchards, used some of the pilgrims walk and saw Canterbury cathedral from there which was 7 and a half miles away. She saw churches, boughton aluph church, passed though the village of old wives lees, past perry court farm, went though kings wood, though howfield woods, chilham square a coppice oratory and some absolutely beautiful views, she hardly complained and pushed herself forwards I am in awe of just how amazing and giving she is and am so proud of her for doing this, we are really grateful to you all of you who have followed her journey or supported her though comments or donations on the go fund me page which is still active and going until the 31st juley ( link below) for supporting her, some photos attached to look at along with route details
https://www.gofundme.com/f/hiking-to-help-save-1st-bethersden-scout-and-guide-hq
