Hi all, here's a quick walk report from yesterday and pics!

 

A hot, sunny day for the 2025 walk. Around 50 people and 4 dogs met up at Chilham Station where the traditional badges were distributed. In the first part of the walk, took in the river where the boys’ battle took place, the mill that was their HQ, Jullieberries Hill - the 5000 year old longbarrow used for a pow-wow, the hill where the long grass scene took place, the hill used for the “beastly carriers” scene, and also a recently-installed memorial for a crashed hurricane pilot. Playlets were read out of relevant scenes and we learned that, in the words of John Sweet, Erwin Hillier was “nuts on the subject of cloud and he’ll wait for hours to get the right one in the back of his photographic figures” What was wanted was clouds in the background and bright sunlight on the actors themselves! Since we last saw it, the barrow of Jullieberries Hill has been covered over by trees and other plants, but from up the hill it can still be made out.

We proceeded into Chilham village proper, where the ball-throwing scene on School Hill was recreated, we saw the site of the glue man’s appearance in Taylor’s Hill, and did the scene where Alison interviews Polly Finn. The walk ended in the church where we heard Colpeper’s speech and Professor Ian Christie spoke to us about the Archers production team. £104 was collected for local homelessness charity Porchlight. 

Laura Wirtz