Calendar Events
21st – 25th September 2026 (4 nights) at the Hydro Hotel, Eastbourne. Full details available from the party leader, Malcolm A 07392 413098
29th June-3rd July (4 nights) at the Peveril of the Peak Hotel, Dovedale. The price includes breakfast, packed luch and dinner. HF provides walk leaders each day for long and short walks. Full details are available in the HF 2025/26 brochure page 42, or on their website, or from the party leader, Peter F 07535 059949
To register your interest, members should email Betty at bettysherry40@yahoo.co.uk by 17th April 2026
Birdwatching at Stodmarsh Nature Reserve
On Monday 27th April, several EKRC members were treated to a morning of bird watching with Russ and Alison at Stodmarsh National Nature Reserve. Under Russ’ superb tutorlage we learned about so many birds and creatures in the reserve and actually saw:
8 Greylag Goose, 14 Mute Swan, 4 Shoveler, 2 Gadwall, 8 Mallard, 6 Teal, 1 Pochard, 12 Tufted Duck, 2 Cuckoo, 2 Feral Pigeon, 3 Stock Dove, 7 Wood pigeon, 1 Collared Dove, 1 Water Rail, 4 Moorhen, 18 Coot, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Snipe, 1 Common l Sandpiper, 2 Greenshank, 11 Common Tern, 2 Herring Gull, 7 Cormorant, 3 Bittern, 1 Little Egret, 1 Great White Egret, 4 Cattle Egret, 3 Grey Heron, 11 Marsh Harrier, 3 Buzzard, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Kestrel, 10 Hobby, 2 Magpie, 1 Jackdaw, 2 Carrion Crow, 1 Raven, 3 Blue Tit, 3 Great Tit, 1 Skylark, 1 Swallow,
16 Cetti’s Warbler, 2 Long-tailed Tit, 10 Chiffchaff, 13 Sedge Warbler, 19 Reed Warbler, 3 Blackcap, 2 Whitethroat, 3 Wren, 2 Treecreeper, 1 Starling, 4 Blackbird, 6 Robin, 2 Nightingale, 2 Dunnock, 1 Pied Wagtail, 5 Chaffinch, 2 Linnet, 2 Goldfinch, 3 Reed Bunting,
1 Red Fox, 100+ Marsh Frog
1 Variable Damselfly, 1 Small White butterfly, 3 Orange-tip butterfly, 3 Peacock butterfly
The photo of the fallen tree is actuall beaver damage!
Big thanks to Russ and Alison for their commitment and arrangements for this fantastic trip.
Spring Lunch 2026
On Wednesday 22nd April, members gathered at The Racing Greyhound, Ramsgate, to enjoy the Club Spring Lunch. No main meals featured here – we were too busy enjoying the meal for photos – but we took time over the desserts which were very worthy of a socials photo! The main meals were a choice of steak pie, salmon fillet, roast beef, lamb or turkey (with all the trimmings) with a selection of vegetables, roast or new potatoes, finishing with tea or coffee and mint chocolates.
The delicious meal was enjoyed together with past walkers who had joined the lunch to catch up with old friends and all the latest news.
Quiz Afternoon at Littlebourne Village Memorial Hall
The EKRC Quiz afternoon at Littlebourne Village Memorial Hall on Wednesday 25th February, was very popular with a number of teams competing to be The Brains of the club! It was a very enjoyable event with a lot of laughs and some stimulation of the grey matter.
Annual Lunch, January 2026
Members gathered at Canterbury Golf Club for the annual lunch on Wednesday 14th January.
We were treated to salmon fillet, steak pie or duck confit followed by profiteroles, tiramisu or berry pavlova with tea or coffee and chocolates to finish.
The food was extremely tasty and the service was excellent. It was fabulous to spend time together with so many friends, catching up on their news at the beginning of a new year with the prospect of many walks and further social events together in the coming months.
Autumn Holiday - Cotswolds, November 2025
Caravan Holiday, 3rd-7th November 2025
A group of EKRC walkers had a fabulous time at Parkside Resorts Holiday Park, St Margaret’s at Cliffe, enjoying reasonable weather for November on several walks of 6.5, 7 and 10 miles across the coastal paths and in the surrounding countryside. The evenings were spent in the juccuzi, the swimming pool, quizzing, enjoying meals together, including a cheese and wine evening, so much so, many have already re-booked for next year!
For their last evening they rounded off their fun-packed break with an evening meal at the King’s Head in Kingsdown.
If you want to join the gang for next year’s event, watch this Social page for more news of this future event.
Autumn Lunch and Walk, 22nd October 2025
On Wednesday 22nd October, members gathered for the annual Autumn Lunch at The Racing Greyhound in Ramsgate. Before the lunch, a large group of walkers enjoyed a 2 mile or 4 mile walk around the locale, taking in the interesting landmarks and gorgeous views of Ramsgate. We enjoyed the lunch so much nobody photographed the main course, but we did manage to capture three of the desserts!
Castle Farm Lavender Fields
On Wednesday 25th June members enjoyed a tour and walk at Castle Farm. Shoreham, Sevenoaks which had been organised by Tina & Betty. The tour was very informative as well as being enjoyably led by guide, Julie, with some unknown facts in particular about the difference between Lavender & Lavandin, there is one! The farm was established in 1892, originally as a mixed arable, fruit and beef farm. In the 1980’s William & Caroline Alexander sought advice from specialist growers and perfumers in Provence as to which varieties would be most suited for essential oil production for fragrance. Caroline was a passionate grower of flowers for drying and had used ‘Folgate’ Lavender for her many displays – she also became an award winning Chelsea Flower Show exhibitor. Growers in Provence were sceptical about how successfully lavender would grow in England (because it was too rainy and foggy!) but luckily the Alexanders persevered and now have an award winning farm to prove it could be done.
In association with Simon Charlesworth from Downderry Nursery, they trialled several new varieties to plant on the farm and the most successful, with a supreme fragrance was named ‘Ladybird Lavender’. Caroline’s father had been the editorial director who created the hugely popular Ladybird Books.
Seasons on the farm are June/July – Lavender, August – Sunflowers and Hops, September – PYO Norfolk Royal Apples and lastly October – Pumpkins. The Sunflowers are also open in season for PYO. The Farm Shop has many products which reflect their range of crops and there is collaboration with as many local businesses as possible. They use practical conservation methods integrated with their day-to-day activities and are the biggest Lavender Farm in the UK. This year Castle Farm won the award for the Best Small Farm Shop in the UK. The Farm Shop is open throughout the year Tuesdays to Sundays – castlefarmkent.co.uk
Two walks in Lullingstone Country Park, were enjoyed after lunch.
With a big thank you to Tina and Betty for organising a great day out.
Photos submitted by: Tina, Sue S, Sue E and John Stewart
