I owe this post to British comedian Vic Reeves (real name Jim Moir) who shared one of his favourite walks on BBC Four earlier this year. I have to sit up and pay close attention when he’s on TV because his sense of humour takes you on quite the cerebral journey so I knew his walk would offer more than the usual birds, bees and Kent coastal path. As expected, he turned his back on the idyllic sandy coastline and ventured inland, behind rows of bungalows, down an alley, then under a small underpass into the oasis of calm that is Laden Pits nature reserve. Venture in and walk to the end of the pebble stone path till you reach the river bank. Straight ahead on a small island are 3 alien-like concrete structures seemingly looking back, looming over you. The most interesting of the 3 looks like a decaying satellite antenna for secret communication with extra terrestrials! Certainly reminiscent of Soviet architecture. The tranquility of this spot makes them all the more eerie and intimidating. I’m glad I wasn’t alone.

The structures were designed to function together as an early warning system to pick up the sounds of approaching enemy aircraft from across the English Channel. Radar was invented shortly afterwards and so these novel sound mirrors became redundant and were abandoned for nature to reclaim the land at its whim.

This walk returns to the coast and concludes at Dungeness with its lighthouses and conservation area. Simultaneously bleak and beautiful, this headland has become prime real estate and the new self-builds have arrived on the scene. They’ve done a good job though, it still feels very off-grid and they only add to the intrigue.