Thegn Sibert decided to reject the idea of sailing around the coast with his army. Instead, he ordered the captains to lash five boats together athwart the Swale Channel. In so doing, he had effectively created a footbridge across to the south of the island. The advantage of this scheme was that the landing would be unseen by the Vikings, who occupied the meadow situated on the northern side.
Whilst crossing to the north of the channel, Asculf tugged at Sibert’s tunic. “Lord, I know the way through the marshes so that we can reach the end of the woodlands without anybody seeing us.”
“The boy knows all the by-ways,” Heorstan confirmed.
The thegn agreed, instructing his men to keep silent and not to stray off the path their young guide would lead them along. They were repaid for the slown
