During this hike our intention was to view the poppy fields before they took to the winds and bid farewell until next year. Unfortunately, we were too late. However, I turned to admire the view across the gilded wheat and barley fields and a Persian carpet of vivid purple blinked at me in the distance. “Look!” I exclaimed. “We have to go there!” What spectacular lavender fields scattered among the North Kent Downs.

Back down through Shoreham Village, up past the church that’s in front of the pub where punters were already sitting outside eating meals and chatting and laughing, through the barley fields, down towards the River Darent, along the Darenth Valley Long Distance Footpath with houses either side, through the wheat fields and then there they were in plain sight. I wanted to run as fast as I could and dive in to the lavender, such beauty so soft and all encompassing.

We stopped for lunch on a hill overlooking Lullingstone Castle that dated back to the 11^th century, with lavender fields to our right.

First time I’d seen hop fields with their bines climbing wooden poles, which belonged to The Hop Shop.

The return route took us through the lush Lullingstone Country Park, its golf course and then through woods and more wheat and barley fields.