| Centre XV Camping weekend at the Cock Inn, Henley Street
As new member of the VSOC the camping weekend to the Cock Inn at Henley Street, Kent was filled with great anticipation. Friday the 3rd of August had come fast and it was time to blow the dust off my tent and sleeping bag, give the XV 1100 a quick polish, check the tyres, fuel and oil and review the quickest route to North Kent. The ride from Hastings shouldn’t have been more than 75 minutes, but as I wasn’t going to leave until around 7.15pm I didn’t want to lose my way in amongst the conglomeration of motorways, highways and byways, and the mass of small roads that surrounded my final destination. There’s nothing worse than trying to pitch a tent in the dark – besides I didn’t intend losing valuable drinking time! I said farewells to the wife and headed out. (It’s hard enough to get her on the back of the XV at the best of times - maybe she’d come on a future event even if I had to gag and affix her to the pillion with bungee straps!) The weather looked good as I zoomed up the A21 to the Pembury turn-off. Unfortunately, when I got to the A25 some idiot had blocked off the A228 forcing me to turn left and stop at two petrol stations for new directions. Although reckoning I was only about 5 miles from the campsite it’s funny how ‘locals’ never seem to know their area – even when it’s just up the road!! This is where a bit of ESP and inspiration comes in handy! Or was it my XV taking me there? Spooky! Passing Meopham the narrow turn-off to Luddesdown and Cuxton wasn’t too far and after a couple of hiccups and what seemed like an eternity the Cock Inn finally appeared in the now dim twilight like a ship in the night. Pulling into the car park Dave, whom I hadn’t met before, heard the low rumble of the XV and kindly materialised from the pub and directed me to the opposite camping site hidden by a large hedgerow. I quickly parked the bike and pitched my tent amongst the others and headed for the bar. It was just after 21.15hrs and I knew my consumption of the merry stuff would be limited – or so I thought! As I entered the saloon bar I could immediately tell I’d missed out on several pints! Merrily sitting there was John & Jo, Charlie, Dave (who had greeted me), ‘pathfinder’ Phil, Lyndon & Ann (who’d had a puncture last week on our trip to Biggles’ Bar at Lydd Airport) and was introduced to new members Dave & Diane from Dartford. As I was supposedly the ‘last’ to arrive I bought the next round (there’s goes the petrol money!) and settled down to a nice pint of Adnams and a rum chaser – just to see if I could catch up on the alcohol front!! No chance as they’d all had a head start! The conversation was lively and later we were joined by another Dave and Chris, who weren’t camping but dropped by to say Hi. After several more rounds, and chatting about the ‘usual’ topics of bikes, bits, the occasional lewd joke, and feeling more like an analgesic advertisement for Brahms & Liszt, most our now very merry crew staggered off to their tents. Yours truly and a couple of ‘die-hards’ stayed on in order to gain a new perspective and meaning of life from the bottom of our glasses that seemed constantly dry, and were finally met by the busy owners of the Cock Inn Andy & Denise, where we chatted until around 01.15am. Situated on the very edge of the North Downs, Henley Street and Luddesdown is surrounded by a mass of motorways and the large cities and towns of Rochester, Gravesend and the other Medway towns. The tiny and remote villages of Luddesdown and Henley Street are at the centre of a spider’s web of public footpaths and bridleways, and is a seventh heaven for horse riders and ramblers alike. The long-distance footpath - the Wealdway - runs the length of the parish. The old manor house, now known as Luddesdown Court, dates from 1100AD and is the oldest continuously inhabited house in England. The Cock Inn at Henley Street to nearby Luddesdown, with its 17 acres of hidden grounds, has been in continuous use as a public house since 1716 and it’s current owners and our hosts for the weekend, Andy and Denise, have been pulling pints at this popular but ‘hidden’ beauty spot for the past 20 years. Their main beer served is Adnams of Southwold, and was informed the Cock Inn sells more Adnams than any other pub in the UK. I guess our crowd vastly helped that statistic!! Andy is well into bikes and owns a Drag Star and an older 535. His other hobbies include shooting, going over to Cork in Ireland every month, and has a great passion for the annual re-enactment group of the Anglo-Zulu War at Rorke’s Drift in 1879, when some 150 soldiers defended a supply station against some 4000 Zulus. The battle was well depicted in the well known 1964 Diamond movie production of “Zulu” that starred Michael Caine, Jack Hawkins, Stanley Baker and Nigel Green. On an historical note, since the Victoria Cross was instigated by Queen Victoria in 1854, only 1354 have been awarded, 11 of those Victoria Crosses were awarded to the gallant troops who fought the Zulu’s at Rorke's Drift – the largest number of VC’s to be awarded in any single engagement. I’ve yet to find another pub with a display of models of thousands of Zulu’s and the 2nd Battalion, 24th (2nd Warwickshire) Regiment of Foot – plus a full size replica of a Gatling Gun in the pub garden!! The Cock Inn is well worth a visit - you’ll be welcomed by Andy and Denise with open arms, anytime. Funny thing about camping, especially when one’s had a few too many jars the night before, one tends to wake up early (Speak for yourself – Ed). Was it the sound of the wood pigeons cooing, or the need to expel a certain liquid? Talk about quiet. Nothing stirred in this serene location even at 7.30am. Finally the drone of voices and a whistling kettle perched on a Primus stove forced most to emerge from their cocoons into the bright sunlight. The ardent, polishing and checking their bikes for the planned Saturday ride out. Our hospitable hosts, Andy & Denise were outside on this glorious morning cooking our breakfast on their grill, and soon the waft of bacon hit our nostrils. At 9.15am we all virtually glided over the road to the pub and was soon presented with a bacon & egg sandwich, morning tea or coffee. Some of our bleary eyed contingent looked a little hung-over, and Phil the pathfinder was no exception. He should have been nicknamed ‘White & Green Phil’. Talk about green around the gills, and a face whiter than a virgins bum. He claimed it was the cider from the night before – or the chicken tikka hadn’t agreed with him. As our ‘pathfinder’ for our scheduled 42-mile ride that morning, we had visions of getting lost in the depths of Kent or stopping off to deliver him to the local A & E for a stomach pump or enema!! Apart from the cyclists who passed the pub shouting ‘Bacon sandwiches!’ as soon as we’d finished breakfast (which our hosts refused our offer to pay for), other members started to turn up for the ride out. Rod from Dartford, with his multi-coloured XV tank, (thank God I was wearing my sunglasses!), Mick & Joanne from Maidstone, Dave from Rochester, Clem & Pam from Sittingbourne, Roy & Daphne from Pembury, and others who I hadn’t met before. As a new member writing up our weekend exploits, apologies if I can’t remember all your names! After the obligatory ‘photo shoot’ we clattered-off on our ride at around 11.00am. Must have been well over 15 bikes led by Phil the (‘White & Green’) pathfinder who we all hoped knew the way. The narrow lanes from the Cock Inn took us to yet other narrow lanes mostly inhabited by occasional car driver who thought they owned the whole road and that bikes were one foot wide! Aided by Phil’s assistant pathfinders, Chris & Dave who neatly ‘blocked’ junctions allowing our bikes uninhibited progression, without incident we finally arrived at the Oakdene Café at around 12.30pm for lunch. After queuing for a bit (I didn’t get mine the night before, ouch!!) we ordered our various food & drinks and sat outside on their comfortable plastic chairs spreading our arriving grub out onto the tables. The sunshine was very warm and fairly constant amongst the broken cloud. Seemed to be too nice to move quickly so we cooled our heels for a while and tried to get a facial tan. Phil’s’ colour was now returning to his cheeks, so we suggested he sit down so we couldn’t see his white virgin bum (!), and consume his sausage sandwich which seemed to further increase his rosy cheeks. After an hour or so some members who weren’t camping, said their goodbyes and headed off. The rest clambered back on our machines for the ride back to the Cock Inn and our campground. We arrived back to the quietness of the countryside, parked up and the ‘new arrivals’ pitched their tents, whilst the rest headed for the bar – some actually at a pace in order to make a head start! With a mixture of coffees (for those still tender from the night before), and pints of beer, we settled in the pubs garden in the warm summer sunshine seemingly not wanting to move. We inspected the infamous Gatling gun in the corner, and spent the rest of the afternoon chatting. The topics were friendly and interesting, and as a new member, still somewhat coherent being alcohol free all day, I learnt more about the VSOC in Kent & Sussex and got to know the remaining members of our club who were camping the Saturday night. By around 5.00pm Brahms & Liszt were becoming evident again, whilst some headed for their tents for a late afternoon kip – or whatever! Come 6.00pm we were all getting hungry, and although the pub is not known for it’s food, we a had delightful meals served with dishes ranging from Cumberland sausages, seafood platters, to chicken tika’s and curry. During the ensuing evening we were grandly entertained by Mick (to the chagrin of Joanne) who pretended to be David Bailey whilst balancing on a stool, often on one leg, taking pictures with his disposable camera. I doubt if any of the pictures came out due to camera or ‘Mick’ shake! As the evening progressed this popular pub became quite lively. Andy the landlord doesn’t have a juke box (makes a change), but encourages old-fashioned chat in a very cosy old-fashioned pub. There’s darts (Ann beat me first round) and the usual games, but without the blaring noise of a jukebox it was really a perfect setting. During the evening we were joined by Chris & Ruth, Bob originally from Nottingham, and Tony from Pegwell Bay who turned up in his white van to camp for the night. He chatted at length about his permanent move to Southern Spain in two weeks and once he’s settled we’re all invited to visit him down there where one can enjoy 340 days of permanent sunshine. The evening finished on high note with Mick (the disposable camera) being thoroughly aided by his lovely wife Jo back to camp. I think we were all tucked up by midnight – as I understand it, perhaps a record in the annals of the club! Waking up the next morning at an unearthly 5.45am for a Sunday, and after a number of heavy downpours during the night which left the bikes wet but sparkling clean, I went for the ‘usual’ and decided on a walk-about of the area. The Cock Inn is in a most unusual and quiet location. There are a myriad of footpaths and bridal ways so I decided to walk up one. I quickly disturbed a fox that dashed into the rich undergrowth, and spotted several rabbits that scampered off across a field. Fortunately, I didn’t come across the ‘big cat’ that’s supposed to inhabit these parts – just maybe it hadn’t had it’s breakfast! Continuing up the bridle path I came upon open fields of peas growing, and heading back noticing many exotic trees not native to the UK. This place is a true and calm oasis in the middle of a populated part of the UK. Getting back to camp others were beginning to stir, and when the bacon & eggs starting to waft across the road to the campsite a progressive rush to grab a picnic table ensued. Our hosts had excelled themselves yet again, just like the morning before. After breakfast it was time to de-camp. The sun was blazing right from sunrise so the tents were dry in no time and were quickly disassembled and we all said our goodbyes and dispersed. For those who didn’t manage to make it to the Centre XV Camping weekend at the Cock Inn, Henley Street, you missed a great time and a great weekend! In fact, we all enjoyed it so much that Andy the landlord of the Cock Inn has heartily endorsed we return on the suggestion we make it an annual affair. So mark your calendars for next year!!
Written and contributed by Paul (Sid) Meyer
Hastings, East Sussex 6th August 2001 |