Staycation in South East Kent
Canterbury is the main city and being fairly compact, more like a large town. History features highly with numerous medieval buildings still visible in and around the town as well as the world famous Cathedral and the St Augustine’s Abbey. The city offers a good dose of café culture and it is good for shopping; as well as the main chain stores, check out ‘The Kings Mile’ for independent traders including artists, jewellers and florists. It is lively in the evenings with many restaurants and bars, several with late licences and a couple of night clubs as well as the Marlowe theatre. From here, all the major attractions are within 30 mins drive of the city centre and there are also comprehensive bus services around the area and rail services too. South East Kent benefits from being surrounded by coastline so you are never far from a beach! Whether it's sandcastles, beach combing, rock pooling or walking, there are some beautiful stretches of coastline. Here are some of my favourites;
On the North Kent coast, Whitstable is a small town famous for it’s oysters, there is a fish market in the harbour selling the fresh daily catches, it’s also the town with the highest number of independent shops in the UK. With it’s clapboard houses and colourful beach huts, visit here and you could be stepping back in time. BBQs on the beach are permitted and you could do some grotter building….a traditional pastime to build up a circular tower using oyster shells and place a tea light inside. As it is getting dark, it creates a lovely glow on the beach as you watch the sunset. Just along the coast, Herne Bay is a 'proper’ seaside town with a long promenade, flower gardens, a pier complete with attractions for all the family (think helter skelter, carousel & rock stall, champagne bar, craft beer & food stands) with plenty of amusement arcades, fish ‘n’ chip restaurants & ice cream parlours along the front.
These and other towns are all linked by a coastal path and it's possible to cycle also. Many are pebble beaches so are best for beach combing. Reculver is a good place to rock pool and it is easy to find fossilised shark teeth!
Along the south coast, the pretty town of Hythe is the start of the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway, a miniature steam railway which is a fun day out for children and railway enthusiasts. You can also head in the opposite direction towards Sandgate and Folkestone, be sure to check out the Folkestone Coastal Park, there is a brilliant playground for children and the park features a wide variety of Mediterranean plants, taking advantage of the mild and sunny weather. Folkestone has a pebble beach one side of the harbour and a sandy beach on the other!
We love the White Cliffs coastline for walking and in particular the route from Dover to the South Foreland Lighthouse. You get great views and on a clear day you can easily see the French coastline. Samphire Hoe, also Dover is good for fossil finding
The Isle of Thanet is the most easterly of Kent's coastline and here you will find Margate, Ramsgate & Broadstairs. All have examples of Victorian architecture and were some of the UK's early beach resorts. They have sandy beaches so these are the best for sandcastles! Stone Bay is a favourite, with White Cliffs backing the sandy beach and nearby Joss Bay is a wide open sandy beach. Dreamland in Margate is a fun day out; a retro funfair with an original wooden Scenic Railway (roller coaster) which has been lovingly restored as well as many modern rides.
With miles of coastline and so many beaches, you could literally spend a week or more visiting a different beach or walking a separate area of coastal path everyday!
Leaving the coastlines behind and heading inland, it doesn’t take long to see why the area is known as the Garden of England. It is easy to spot fields of fruit orchards and vegetables growing, as well as traditional hop plants and an increasing number of vineyards some of which offer tours and tastings. With so much local produce, it is lovely to shop at one (or more) of the local farmers markets or shops. If you are self catering, it is a great way to stock up on local meats, cheeses, fruit & veg or if you are wanting a snack, there is also a great choice. As you travel around the area, you will also see smaller signs for local produce and in summer, the Kent cherries are wonderful!
Being very rural, there are endless opportunities for walking routes and for cycling on quiet country roads, through picturesque villages and usually with a traditional pub or coffee shop en route. National Cycle routes 1 & 2 as well as Regional Cycle Routes 15, 16 & 17 run through the area.
For history fans, Dover Castle is well worth a visit and fills a whole day with displays covering the castle’s history across the centuries including extensive World War displays including the wartime tunnels. Leeds Castle was declared the most beautiful castle in the world’ by King Henry VIII. The original boots owned by the Duke of Wellington are on display in Walmer Castle and in Deal, one of King Henry VIII’s fortress castles is built in the shape of the Tudor rose, overlooking the channel with it's cannons still in place.
For animal lovers, a visit to Wingham Wildlife Park or Howletts is a must. With gorillas, elephants, tigers, penguins and rhino to name a few of the animals you'd find there. At Port Lympne you can go on a unique guided safari drive and spot giraffes and zebra free roaming along with the local rabbits scampering around the 'grasslands' and the English channel on the horizon.
Feeling active? Why not try some watersports, paintballing or an alpaca trek? Betteshanger Country Park has off road cycle trails and on-site bike hire & golfers can test their skill on one of the championship golf courses. Or if you are looking for a relaxing break, we can do that too, in one of the hotels with spa facilities.
Whatever type of break you have mind, relaxing, foodie, family or active, please contact me for more information and recommendations to create your perfect staycation in South East Kent.