Friday 31st July pm Rochester

The sun was out and the temperature had risen by the time we got to Rochester. Finding a park wasn't easy but we manage to get a pay and display at the Cathedral. I feel like a beer said Jannie and it took no encouragement from me to find a pub called the Eagle and out into the garden bar we trekked Beers and sammies and a chat to a couple of Americans from California about what they had seen and we were on our way to the Rochester Castle.

This would have once been a magnificent castle in its day. The Romans established a walled town on the present site in AD43 called Durobrivae and after they left the Saxons came in AD597 and built a Cathedral in AD604 and they called the town Hrofesceaster. They repaired the walls to fight off the Vikings in the ninth century. The Normans came in 1066 and built the castle in 1088 and they pulled down the Saxon Cathedral and built a Norman version. King John lay siege to the castle in 1215 during his war with his Barons. There is to be the 800year anniversary reinactment of the siege next month with all the dress up soldiers and even a trebuchet. Would be fun to watch.

Lots of worn stone stairs and the circular stairs that go all the way to the top, some 200, were too much for Jannie so she stayed on the ground whilst I ventured up. There is a magnificent view from the top and you can imagine there being lots of people living in this place. The entire centre is void of any floors, having decayed or rotted out sometime earlier, so is a long way down when you get to the top.

Off home from an entirely different direction this time. We filled up with petrol ready for our journey tomorrow - 37.73 ltr cost 43.73