With an easy going route planned, there’s no excuse not to get some fresh air and gentle exercise on our latest What’s On walk this weekend.

Led by expert Geoff Rambler, this Saturday’s free group walk will visit what was the site of the Throwley airfield, near Faversham.

Author Anthony Moor described it as “Kent’s Forgotten Airfield” in his book of the same name, and the ramble will provide the ideal opportunity to reflect on “those magnificent men in their flying machines”.

What’s On has teamed up with Geoff Rambler for this series of walks, which are accompanied by commentary on local history, to look back on the impact that war has had on the Kent landscape.

Geoff says: “September 1916 saw a significant change in our air defence plans.

“Up to then, Zeppelins were able to fly freely over Kent, bringing terror with their bombs to the communities below.

“All that changed on the September 10, 1916, when a Zeppelin was brought down near London with a new incendiary bullet.

“People of Ramsgate and Folkestone, who had been subjected to many bombing raids, poured onto the streets to celebrate.

“Now with the ability to counter Zeppelin air raids there was a change in our home air defence strategy.

“Airfields were created for the Home Defence squadrons. Amongst those in Kent were Bekesbourne, Detling and Throwley.

“Work on building Throwley airfield started in October 1916 but with the fall-off in Zeppelin raids, due to the effectiveness of incendiary bullets, progress was not as fast as it might have been and planes were sent back to the front line.

“Renewed urgency to get the Home Defence airfields commissioned came when a new threat appeared in the skies in May 1917 in the form of the Gotha bombers.

“It was these bombers that were responsible for the bombing of Folkestone and the killing of over 70 civilians in Tontine Street on May 25, 1917.”

Geoff adds: “Throwley was finally commissioned on July 30, 1917, and provided a base for a squadron of fighter planes that were responsible for patrolling what was known as the Judd Line that ran between Judd Hill, near Throwley, to Wardens Point, Sheppey.

“This patrol offered air protection to the dockyards of Sheerness and Chatham as well as a deterrent to planes using the Thames as a navigation guide to London.

“The airfield was finally decommissioned in late 1919 and the land was returned to agricultural use.

“In the Second World War Cadman’s Farm was used as an emergency landing airfield for Detling.”

Geoff says: “The airmen seem to have done little to endear themselves to the locals – other than perhaps to the girls of Faversham.

“Once a week the airmen were allowed into Faversham for a bath and thus provided an opportunity for the girls to meet the ‘dashing’ pilots.

“However, the youthful exuberance of the pilots led to many complaints about them flying low and ‘buzzing’ communities and using shipping buoys for unofficial target practice.”

THIS WEEKEND’S WALK

THROWLEY

Saturday, October 25, leaving at 10am. It is a circular walk of 4.5 miles. Meet in the car park of the Red Lion, Badlesmere Lees, Ashford Road, ME13 0NX.

Geoff says: “The landlady of the Red Lion has kindly agreed to us using her car park – please repay her kindness by calling in if you can after the walk.”

Of the route itself, he says: “This walk is largely across farmland and along farm tracks. Although there is a bit of a climb, it is largely level and easy going.

“The airfield was set up on the land of Cadman’s Farm and remnants of some of the buildings can still be seen in the woods known as Dodds Willow.

“These include the remains of a semi-subterranean bomb/pyrotechnic store. We will walk along lanes that would have been lined by wooden hangers and workshops. Our route takes in Bell’s Forestall, which provided accommodation for the officers.”

Read all about it

Geoff Rambler’s real name is Geoff Ettridge, but as an accomplished walking leader of more than 10 years, the nickname stuck.

This 2014 series of walks on the First World War theme features in his book If Walks Could Talk, available now for a minimum donation of £5. Proceeds go to the Royal British Legion. If Walks Could Talk is available from geofframbler.co.uk and is also stocked by Cotswold Outdoor Leisure stores in their Newnham Court, Maidstone, and Orpington stores.

Geoff Rambler’s real name is Geoff Ettridge, but as an accomplished walking leader of more than 10 years, the nickname stuck.

This 2014 series of walks on the First World War theme features in his book If Walks Could Talk, available now for a minimum donation of £5. Proceeds go to the Royal British Legion. If Walks Could Talk is available from www.geofframbler.co.uk and is also stocked by Cotswold Outdoor Leisure stores in their Newnham Court, Maidstone, and Orpington stores.