• Day 3: Wrotham to The Friars Aylesford Priory, 19.3km / 12 miles
• Weather: cool (high of 10ºC), grey and overcast, with a little sun in the afternoon
• Accommodation: The Friars Aylesford Priory
• Stamps: St George’s Church, Wrotham; The Friars Aylesford

The double bed was a little short and I had to sleep at an angle. It was a good mattress though, and a nice thick duvet, which helped, since I had the window open all night. 

The Bull Hotel full English breakfast was very good; made by the talkative and charming host, who did nice runny poached eggs. She also removed teabags from the pot so it wouldn’t become too strong – nice. She told us about her Downton Abbey-like experiences in Buckinghamshire, with memories of someone she knew who had been a servant, and of a German nanny. Intriguing stuff. 

After the long hikes of the first two days, Day 3 promised to be a gentler 12 miles to The Friars Aylesford Priory, the path threading between roads, dirt tracks and footpaths. 

At St George’s Church, John, who had gone ahead, was chatting to a volunteer who had given him a tour. He talked about the rector going on a long pilgrimage. High expectations of an odyssey to Rome were dashed when he said the rector had walked to Rochester, about 6 miles away. I got the stamp, and we set off. 

Just out of Wrotham we met up with the North Downs Way, crossed the M20, which had provided comforting white noise through the night, went past a house where a school friend of John had once lived, and went by a lot of fly-tipping.

Continuing on a road aptly named ‘Pilgrims Way,’ we passed up the opportunity of a detour south to get a stamp at Trosley Court and then to see a Long Barrow. Having briefly split for the North Downs Way to take the ridge while we stayed low, the two routes joined again for a stretch before the North Downs Way turned left to Rochester. The Pilgrims’ Way went sharp right at Upper Halling, along a footpath straight for Halling, and we ran across the rather treacherous A228. 

In Halling, there was no longer a ferry over the Medway – it closed in 1963, according to the Cicerone guide. Despite ‘Ferry Road’ taking us down towards Bishop’s Palace, the path turned south on reaching the River Medway, by the remains of the great hall of the Bishop’s Palace. With the satellite view on Google Maps, we kept nearer to the river, traversing some fields, rather than facing the A228 again. 

Crossing Peters Bridge (a commemorative plaque noted it was opened in September 2016), we avoided the walk down to a roundabout by stepping over the barrier and scrambling down a steep bank to join the riverside path, next to a large new housing development where Peters Cement Works used to be.

Just before 1pm, we reached St Mary’s Church at Burham Court, sitting on a bench outside for a break. I went inside to see if there was a stamp. There wasn’t. I was struck by how austere it was inside. 

A fingerpost had Aylesford 2.75 miles away, and the good news was that the priory was on the near side of the village. The track took us past solar panels and waterworks, and wasn’t particularly charming, although it was away from road traffic.

Approaching the priory at around 1.45pm, we found it looked just as one would have expected, with old stone buildings creating a religious complex of courtyards, chapels, a gatehouse, and big old trees. Our accommodation, in the courtyard, was called St Teresa of Avila, behind a creaky old wooden door. While the room was ancient, with thick walls and exposed wood, the twin beds were modern and comfortable. We shared a bathroom with another room, but there appeared to be no one staying there. 

I quickly showered ahead of other pilgrims arriving, and we headed outside to take a proper look. A noticeboard had the Times of Confessions: 10.30am, 11.30am, 2.30pm and 4pm Monday to Saturday. At the Main Shrine, which was in a relatively modern building, the mosaics were by Adam Kossowski – the same artist who had done ‘The History of the Old Kent Road’ mosaic back in London. Chatting to a guy who worked there but did not appear to be a monk, I learned the oldest part of the complex was the accommodation from the 12th century, if I recall correctly (the priory was founded in 1242). He said that the magnolia behind St Joseph’s Chapel was in bloom and worth a look. It was splendid.

Looking at Google Maps for a pub to visit, The Little Gem had a 4.9 rating with 70 reviews. From the outside it looked like a place out of a film set with a tiny and crooked door. It sold beer from Goacher’s, a local brewery neither of us had heard of. Sitting at the bar, I slowly made my way through the ales: Fine Light, a blend of Gold Star and Fine Light, an Old 1066 and a Gold. There was also a Mild, which John had and rated. 

Back at The Friars for 6.30pm, we had dinner in the Pilgrim’s Hall. Looking at the weather forecast, I saw that heavy snow showers and a fresh breeze were expected in Aylesford on Thursday! 

These are some photos from Day 3: