Doing ‘The Windmill’ walk

We’re very lucky on the Hoo Peninsula to have so many good, and sometimes quite dramatic, walking routes. However, a popular walk for many people living in Hoo is what I call the ‘triangular walk’ around the village.

This includes Bells Lane, the old Ratcliffe Highway and Main Road. I’ve met a good many locals whilst out enjoying the fresh air and views.

Conveniently, The Windmill pub is on the old Ratcliffe Highway and marks the half way point of the walk.

Just along from the pub, in the direction of Chattenden, is the now rather dilapidated Mill House - believed to have been built in 1799 and, according to Philip Macdougall’s book about the Hoo Peninsula, the home for many years to the Ballard family, who were a local farming family.

I like this building a lot, and only wish that I could win the lottery to pay for its renovation, before it collapses!

Depending on how fast you walk, I’d say this walk takes about an hour to complete - that’s without stopping at The Windmill for a swift pint!

  

Snow beckons . . .

With the much anticipated snow potentially only hours away (expected overnight Saturday into Sunday), I popped along to Homeleigh Nurseries, Garden Centre and Farm Shop earlier today to get myself some road salt and a new shovel.

Lots of other people clearly had the same idea, as the place was buzzing. The proprietor Ron Thorne (pictured below) was on hand and happy to help everyone find what they wanted.

Another blatant advert I know, but in the form of a useful ‘public service announcement’! If you’re thinking about popping along tomorrow, they’re open from 8am till 5pm on a Sunday - and have plenty of shovels and grit.

Homeleigh Nurseries, Garden Centre and Farm Shop, Ratcliffe Highway, Hoo, ME3 8QD. Telephone: 01634 250235.

Wherever you are and whatever you’re doing - wrap up, stay warm and keep a look out for elderly or vulnerable neighbours that might need some help and assistance.

Take care!
 

St. Mary Hoo, Village Photographs

Following an earlier post about the Spencer family and St. Mary Hoo, I thought I would add some photographs of this location.

With the weather continuing its warm spell, I went over to St. Mary Hoo at the weekend, whilst on route to the Summer Fete at Stoke School and then, yet again, on to spend some time at Grain Beach.

St. Mary Hoo is located off the Ratcliffe Highway (which is off the A228) and the entire village sits on Hall Road, which is a no through road. The 2001 census states that the village had a population of 244 and I doubt this has changed very much since that time.

Although the Church is privately owned, I had a walk around the outside to look at the graves. I couldn’t find any connected to my family, but there are clearly many gaps where stones have either been removed (because of damage and age) or simply because people (like my own family) couldn’t really afford them.

I would really like to find old photographs of St. Mary Hoo and the surrounding areas.

Clinch Street and Decoy Hill Road

Clinch Street leads into Decoy Hill Road, both of which run from Britannia Road (between Fenn Corner on the A228 and High Halstow). Luckily, the weather was pleasant when I had a stroll along these roads, but I still have much to explore, including further exploration of Halstow Marshes to Egypt Bay – famous for its historical smuggling links and where prison hulks once anchored.

 

A228 Ratcliffe Highway, Fenn Corner Roundabout

Good to see progress being made on the construction of the new roundabout at Fenn Corner, on the A228 Ratcliffe Highway.