The Salt Marsh Walking Company

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The Salt Marsh Walking Company

Guided walks in Whitstable and surrounding areas / holiday planner
(2)

02/09/2024

Another amazing walk with Dan and his son Logan . It’s the third year I’ve taken them out together Logan always gifts his dad one of my vouchers for Father’s Day which I think is so lovely. Logan absolutely loves to hear all about the local history and we share our passion of mud larking so we always have lots to talk about he really is a great kid !

My husband Matt came along for this walk and him and Dan connected really well as they shared their love of motor bikes 🏍️

We saw some juvenile shell ducks and the kestrel was busy hunting , lots of red admiral, cabbage white , little blues and meadow brown butterflies , grasshoppers and Logan spotted a Box bug and a few grasshoppers . There were lots of blackberries to feast on and a few strawberries 😉

We stopped off at Graveney church for refreshments before heading back to The Sportsman .

Thank you so much Dan and Logan for you always amazing company . I’m very much looking forward to our next adventure.

02/09/2024

A few weeks ago I took Vanessa and Claire on a walk around Oare Creek . Vanessa is a regular walker with me and I really look forward to seeing her we always have such a giggle .

I had stayed the night down my dad’s boat so we met at the Cafe by the Creek and headed along the coastal path to Oare Nature Reserve. We couldn’t have asked for better weather and there were lots of birds to see . We also took a walk around the gun powder works which has a very eerie feel to it but it’s steeped in history and very interesting.

I can’t wait for our next walk together see you soon Vanessa & Claire xx

27/07/2024

Another beautiful walk at Seasalter with Liz and Pepin all the way from Belgium , I met them both earlier this year when they booked me for a history tour around Whitstable with 20 other people and I’m glad to say the weather was much nicer and warmer today

. The panoramic sky was filled with beautiful bellowing clouds and the sea wall abundant with wild flowers and butterflies including the meadow brown and small pearl bordered fritillary . We saw kestrel, sedge warbler , corn bunting , yellow wagtail with its young and a large parcel ( the collective word ) of linnets .

I love this landscape this time of year it’s so abundant with nature and to my surprise the bird life so far doesn’t seemed to have been affected by the huge solar panel farm being built there which is a huge relief also I read an information board onsite and it seems the company that own the solar farm are working very closely with natural England to try and encourage the nature that resides there to stay and have even put little doors around the perimeter fences to let animals come and go as they please but only time will tell if this huge farm can coexist with the wildlife here in a positive way.

Back to the walk we headed through the strawberry farm to Graveney church for cake and a short rest before heading back through the fields to the start of our walk at The Sportsman. Liz and Pepin thoroughly enjoyed themselves and are hoping to do my bluebell walk in Blean woods with me next year.

18/07/2024

This morning I took 16 analysts from London out on my 6 mile circular in Seasalter . I love it when companies invest wellness into their staff especially in the high profile jobs these guys have . Mark who owns the company was a brilliant bird watcher and had counted 45 species that we had seen on the walk . I talked about the history of the landscape which they all found very interesting and although a very hot walk we did make it back to The Sportsman in time for the lunch they had booked there ! We spotted lots of corn bunting which was good to see as there numbers in the UK have dropped 90 percent . I hope to see Mark and his team in the near future .

18/07/2024

A few weeks ago I took Sue and Stuart out on my Salt Paths and Strawberry fields walk . We all shared our passion of walking in nature and they were amazing company . Lots of reed bunting and sedge warbler and we even saw yellow wagtail and corn bunting. I’m very much looking forward to walking with them again soon 😊

28/04/2024

A lovely albeit very wet walk with Lauren , Lee , baby Decker and Zoltan the dog through the luscious green Blean woods. We did lots of puddle jumping but gave up on the end walking straight through the rushing mini streams along the footpaths after a night of heavy rain but to be honest it made it more fun. The nightingales were quiet but we heard woodpecker , coal tit , black cap and chiff chaff the woodlands is alive with life and the wood ants are rebuilding their thatch ready for a busy summer. Bluebells and wood anemones are coming out along with stitchwort and celandine. Thanks so much for a great walk Lauren and Lee I hope to see you soon xx

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21/04/2024

This morning I took 20 Belgian people out on my history tour around Whitstable it was my biggest group to date and they really were a lovely bunch . We started from the castle and headed along the coast battling the strong cold north easterly wind and then stopped off at The Forge for Oysters before they all headed back to their coach off to Canterbury .

I love sharing the history of my town from our gothic castle to the railway line that once came into the harbour and all the maritime and smuggling stories. I’m so grateful to live in a town that’s so steeped in history !

21/04/2024

A wonderful Seasalter circular walk with Laura and Richard. The weather was perfect and they were lovely company . We stopped off at Graveney church for apple doughnuts and tea before heading back to The Sportsman 🌸

14/02/2024

So incredibly proud of for this brilliant art piece called Sirens of Sewage by and even more prouder that my husband Matt is the figure on the right immortalised forever and sending out the strong message of how Southern Water are still continuing to pour raw sewage illegally into our seas preventing us to swim , causing illness not only to humans but our dogs and the huge negative impact this is having on our marine life and it’s not just happening on our shores this is happening all over the UK coastlines and rivers . It needs to stop now ! For more information on what do and to look at the phenomenal work Jason does check out their pages . If we all come together as a collective we can make a difference .

02/02/2024

I love a winter sunset in Whitstable the colours are just awesome . I sat on the breakwater on my own watching this beauty taking in every pattern in the sky 🌅

27/01/2024

First Salt Marsh walk of 2024 with Chris and Loretta and was a stunningly beautiful day , the sun was shining , the seals were chilling on the sandbank and a buzzard seemed to follow us along most of our journey . A quick stop off for tea and cake at Graveney church before a very muddy walk back through the fields to The Sportsman. I love meeting new people especially when conversations flow , Chris and Loretta were wonderful company and I’m looking forward to taking them out again when they next visit .

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05/01/2024

Don’t forget to pick up your copy of which came out at the beginning of December and you can read my field guide all about Oare Creek and the brilliant walks you can do with some nature and local history thrown in . I really enjoyed writing this piece as Oare holds such a special place in my heart.

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and I wish you a happy and peaceful New Year x

23/12/2023

A very Merry Christmas to you all may it be filled with love happiness , don’t forget to feed the birds and see you in 2024 🎅🏻🎄❤️

14/11/2023

What an absolutely brilliant walk with Dan , his wonderful son Logan and Herbie their dog on Sunday . Dan and Logan came on a walk with me last year so I was so happy to see them again .

This was my first guided walk around Oare just outside Faversham and our first port of call was the the gunpowder works which is steeped in history and still has the remains of some of the buildings that once stood here over 200 years ago and as it is set in woodlands with huge lakes you get a lot of bird life . It has a very heavy atmosphere and it must of been a job where you would have been always living on your nerves all the time , even the horses that drew the carts of gunpowder had to wear sacks on their hooves to prevent sparks flying out . There was a huge explosion here in 1916 which I talk about in more detail in my written piece in the Whitstable Whistler which will be coming out soon .

Afterwards we headed to the creek and walked along the very muddy footpath to Oare Nature Reserve where there were plenty of Egrets , Red Shank and even a huge Grey Heron that flew right past us . Bearded T**s were singing away in the reed beds and we made our way to the bird hide for a well deserved hot chocolate and cake.

As we made our way back to the car I showed Logan , who has his own mud larking license , the pieces of old bottles and ceramics that can be found at low tide which are the remains of when the brick works were here in the 18th century .

Thanks so much to Dan, Logan and Herbie for a such a great walk I hope to see them both soon for another adventure .

17/09/2023

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30/08/2023

Yesterday I took the wonderful Tor and Colin on my Salt Paths and Strawberry Fields walk and we couldn’t of asked for more perfect weather.

As we walked along the sea wall you can see that work on the solar farm is in full swing . I’m not sure how to feel about it but I hope some of the nature and bird life will be able to coexist with the big change that’s happening .

Just before we headed inland we got to see the seals over on Sheppey and lots of Egrets hanging out together .

The bird life seemed very quite after a summer of birdsong I’m sure they may be taking a rest and soon enough the Brent geese and other migrant birds will be visiting .

We stopped for tea and cake at Graveney church before heading back to the Sportsman . Kestrel’s hoovered in the sky as a group of cormorants flew overhead . The perfect end to a perfect walk.

Thank you Tor and Colin you were brilliant company and I hope to see you very soon x 🩷

14/08/2023

This afternoon I took the wonderful Nicolette and her family out on my Whitstable Historical Tour . The weather was perfect as we made our way up to the castle and then onto Tankerton beach towards the harbour . They were all fascinated by Whitstable’s history and also the landscape that surrounds it . For such a small town it really does have a lot of stories to tell . It was an absolute pleasure taking them around the town that I love and so lovely to hear the kind feedback they gave me afterwards .

If your interested in coming on my Whitstable Tour or one of my nature walks then you can either message me on here or through my website ( link in my bio ) or call me on 07555722846 🫶

10/07/2023

Summer swims and mackerel skies 🌊

05/07/2023

This afternoon I took a group of wonderful American tourists on my Whitstable History Tour . They had spent the morning looking around Canterbury Cathedral and had a lovely time being immersed in history.

We had a gentle walk around the castle and then Tankerton seafront so I could talk about the history of the landscape . We finished at Squeeze Gut Alley and they found the tour extremely interesting. I dropped them off at the Pearsons Arms to taste some local beer .

My Whitstable History Tours run all week so if you would book you can DM me on here or call me on 07555722846

30/06/2023

I’m away with my family for a few days on the Northumberland coast staying at a beautiful place called Alnmouth. Our accommodation is a static caravan over looking an estuary and the town . This morning Matt and I walked along a footpath to the sand dunes and along the beach where we climbed St Cuthberts mound . As we walked back a barn owl flew silently over us and my face beamed the biggest smile 😊 being in nature does wonders for the soul.

20/06/2023

So lovely being back writing for the as their field guide and this written piece is very special .

Dedicated to my lovely brother Mike who sadly passed away in March of acute myeloid leukaemia, I write about a walk me and my sister did not long after he died .

Throwing ourselves back to nature onto the Seasalter Marsh to heal and to just be together.

A big thanks again to the super talented Naomi who has drawn such a handsome Lapwing alongside my words , just beautiful!

You can pick up your copy of The Whitstable Whistler in most independent local shops in the high street and Harbour street or follow the link at the top of Instagram page and you can read it online

13/06/2023

Another corker of a day ! And this time I took out Nancy and her grandad Jim . We took a short walk along the sea wall from The Sportsman in Seasalter whilst I talked about the history of the landscape and all the bird life on the marsh and by the sea. We were glad of a cool fresh breeze which came with the incoming tide and the wild flowers were really flourishing with lots of insects and butterflies . We stopped off half way for a cup of tea and a delicious cake before heading back .

Thanks Nancy and Jim for your great company I look forward to seeing you soon ☺️

13/06/2023

What a beautiful day it was yesterday the sun was shining , clear blue sky and I got to meet the lovely David , his wife Sheelagh and her best friend Caroline for my Whitstable history tour.

David had brought Sheelagh to Whitstable for her birthday and surprised her with bringing Caroline along to . They had never been to Whitstable before so I knew this was going to be a wonderful walk.

We started at the castle talking about it’s very interesting past and then made our way to Tankerton slopes , through the harbour and along to Whitstable beach.

Not only do I discuss the history of Whitstable but also the landscape that surrounds it including the Red Sand Forts , the wind farm and Sheppey .

We finished the tour at Squeeze Gut Alley one of Whitstable’s most famous alley ways with a very comical story attached to it !

David , Sheelagh and Caroline were fascinated by Whitstable’s colourful history and I absolutely loved their company , it makes me feel so grateful when you have the privilege to take people on my walks who enjoy history as much as I do ☺️ I look forward to seeing them again soon .

Thank you David , Sheelagh and Caroline 😘

If you are interested in Coming on one of my Whitstable Tours you can DM me or call me on 07555722846

05/06/2023

Me and my friend Sophie took ourselves over to Lower Halstowe which sits by the River Medway. If we went back in time a few hundred years or so this quiet village would of been a hive of activity with the brick industry in full swing. So at low tide you can find traces of its lost industrial past with hundreds of broken bottles and plates , teapots and other ceramic and glass treasure from days gone by .

I came across what was probably part of a plate and it came from the Holborn Restaurant in London .

* The Holborn Restaurant
one of the most

famous lost restaurants of Old London.

Location: 129 Kingsway, Holborn

Description: Alas today it's a humdrum Sainsbury's and glass fronted office block, but 100 years ago this was one splendid restaurant. Holborn was once a place to go.

Founded in 1874, it was billed as adding a 'spice of poetry to the dull prose of every day life'.

The British Chess Federation was founded here in 1904.

In 1908 the Olympic Games were held in London, and a series of banquets were held here for the participating athletes.

It was a huge building containing a vast dining room 'The Venetian Hall' and a number of smaller private dining rooms and the restaurant was also very popular with the local freemasons.

It was demolished in 1955.

( * above information from The Shady Old Lady’s Guide to London )

13/05/2023

Today I climbed a mountain and it took my breath away !

27/04/2023

This morning I took Hazel for a beautiful walk around Blean Woods .

Hazel practices shamanic journeying through drumming and meditation and we were exploring the woods so we could hold an open air ceremony possibly over summer solstice, this would also be incorporated with a gentle walk through the woods first so we can connect with nature .

We instantly heard the nightingales as soon as we entered and also to our surprise heard a long eared owl . The wood anemones are out in full bloom and the lesser Celandine but the bluebells are coming a little later although there were a few here and there .

If you would be interested in a short guided walk in Blean woods followed by a guided meditation with shamanic drumming please DM for further details .

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25/03/2023

I’ve been very absent of late , this is because sadly I lost my dear brother Mike , he was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia at the beginning of January and very sadly lost his life on the 13th March . It’s left an irreplaceable void in all our hearts but I’m so grateful that he played such a huge and positive role in my life that I will carry forever.

When Mike was first diagnosed he spent the first part of his treatment staying at the Brabourne ward in Kent and Canterbury Hospital . The nurses that looked after Mike became our family and the care Mike received was unbelievable. They got to know my brothers witty sense of humour which he continued even in the darkest of moments and when he was transferred to Guys Hospital the nurses phoned regularly for updates.

So my brothers wife has set up a just giving page in memory of Michael to raise money for the Brabourne Ward so it can help in anyway to continue to give the loving support my family received day and night.

If you would like to help us and make a small contribution I would be so grateful , the link to the Just Giving Page is below .

The first two photos above are me , my sister and brother on our boat built by my grandad in 1972 and moored at Oare Creek a place I love to walk , brimming with nature and a place my brother also loved to be.

I look forward to seeing you all on my bluebell wood walks in Blean very soon , all my love Becca 💕

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/michael-ingham23

13/02/2023

Wow what an absolutely gorgeous day , feeling the sun on your face is so uplifting . Today I was lucky to take 6 tour operators on my Whitstable History Tour which was set up by Visit Kent . They were exploring the new and maybe not so widely known experiences that Kent has on offer and I was chosen as one of them .

We met at Whitstable Castle where we talked about it’s history before heading over to Tankerton slopes where I discussed the history of the landscape that surrounds Whitstable along with the Red Sand Forts and Sheppey . We then headed to the harbour and over to life boat station to talk about the oyster farm . They all thoroughly enjoyed themselves and it was a real pleasure to meet them .

If you fancy coming on one of my tours DM me or head to my website for more info x

12/02/2023

Bluebell seasons is upon us in a few months , why not book a guided walk with me where I can take you down secret unknown footpaths in Blean woods and show you the best bluebell spots on you doorstep . Along the way we can listen to the glorious nightingale and most definitely stop for a cup of tea and a scrumptious cake . For more details either DM me or call me on 07555722846 .

03/02/2023

What a beautiful sky this evening . I went for a dog walk with my lovely friend Esa it’s time to have a good catch up and off load anything that’s not serving us . Talking and walking is such a great healer and with a back drop like this our day ends with a smile and feeling of gratitude! Happy Friday people x

Address

60 Sydenham Street
Whitstable
CT51HN

Website

http://www.thesaltmarshwalkingcompany.co.uk/

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The Nightingales have returned to Blean woods and they are singing their hearts out ! I’ve just come back from a magical walk around the reserve with my friend Ann @theanndavies. We walked deep into the woodland and saw many birds including chiff chaff , lesser spotted woodpecker and many more. If you would like a guided woodland walk now is the best time to go with all the blue bells and wood anemone in bloom. DM me for more info . #thesaltmarshwalkingcompany #bleanwoods #bleannaturereserve #ancientwoodland #rspb_love_nature #birdwatching #birdwatchinguk #immersinginnature #kentbirding #kentwoodlands #visitkent #lovekent #mindfulwalking

Come and join me for my new guided woodland walks at the Blean Nature Reserve. Now is the time to immerse yourself in nature and see the woodland come alive in birdsong and gorgeous flowers such as the bluebell and wood anemone. Learn about the amazing woodland and how it plays its part as a keystone species and if you have a dog you are very welcome to bring them along to. For more information about my guided woodland walk and other walks I do either message me on here or give me a call on 07555 722846 or visit my website www.thesaltmarshwalkingcompany.co.uk #thesaltmarshwalkingcompany #bleannaturereserve #guidedwalks #woodlandwalks🐞 #immersinginnature #visitkent #kentwoodlands

Starlings overhead !

I’ve been doing some early morning dog walks to Long beach recently to reset my mind for the day. It’s one of my favourite local beaches along with Seasalter. Today the Terns had returned screeching to each other and diving into the water for fish and young gulls we’re still pestering their parents for food. I saved a few moon jellyfish that had been stranded on the shingle abandoned by the sea, it made me happy to sea them swim away amongst the petrified shrimp that were abundant and darted through the water and then hiding under the smallest of stones.

Early morning start for the Caraccio Family as we headed out on a 7 mile circular walk from Freshwater to The Needles on the Isle of Wight. Truly spectacular views the camera does not do it justice at all absolutely breathtaking x #thesaltmarshwalkingcompany #isleofwight #familyholiday #theneedlesisleofwight

Beautiful walk at Oare Creek yesterday morning another one of my favourite places to go and immerse myself in nature. We saw a beautiful Grey Heron silently fly past and a Kestral hovering above us and as we got to the mouth of the creek there were lots of Godwits feeding along the mud banks. Further along the walk is the famous Oare Roman spring where you can refill your water bottle before heading along the coast past the old Gun Powder Works. In 1916 there was a devastating explosion killing over 100 people who were all buried in a mass grave in Faversham cemetery where a memorial still stands today to all those who lost their lives. #thesaltmarshwalkingcompany #oaremarshes #oaregunpowderworks #favershamhistory #immersingbackintonature🌱 #oareboatyard #nuturenature #visitkent #kentlife #supportkent #kentcoast #kentcountryside #kent #kentgardenofengland

Also the same seaweed but pickled , goes brilliantly with a selection of Kentish cheeses and crackers. Hope mine tastes as good as @luciathewildkitchen because her one was incredible 😍 #thesaltmarshwalkingcompany #seaweedeater #seaweedlover #eatwhatyoupickle #coastalforaging #mindfulforaging 🌊🌱🐚

First sunrise swim with my Blue Tit Gang ! Thanks girls so lovely to see you all and thanks to Sally for the organising and hot coffee and croissants 🥐 #thesaltmarshwalkingcompany #sunriseswimmers #bluetitschillswimmers #tankertonbeach #girlgang #gratefulheart

A walk with the lovely Imogen from @bangersandballs. It’s was so lovely sharing each other’s knowledge and I can’t wait for our exciting collaboration in September! 🌱 🌸 🐚 #thesaltmarshwalkingcompany #bangersandballsforaging #seasaltermarshes #seasalterbeach #graveneymarsh #foraginguk #saxonshoreway #localhistory #visitkent #experiencekent #coastalforaging #coastalfootpath #lovewhereyoulive