Andrew's Travels

This walk is a 4 mile cross country route between Turner's Margate and Dickens' Broadstairs, and celebrates the connections Margate has with artist JMW Turner and Broadstairs with writer Charles Dickens.  The walk starts at the Turner Contemporary in Margate and finishes at the Dickens House Museum on Broadstairs Promenade.

JMW Turner was one of the greatest British artists and “the father of Modern art”; he first visited Margate as a boy in 1786 and returned in his 20s to hone his skills and then visited regularly, always staying at the same guest house (ran by a Mrs Booth).  The Turner Contemporary, one of the UK’s leading art galleries, opened on 16th April 2011, and is situated on the same site as Mrs Booth’s guest house, where Turner stayed when he visited the town.

Charles Dickens was one of the greatest novelists of the Victorian era; he first visited Broadstairs in 1837 and developed a deep affection for the town. He rented a house, now called "Bleak House," on Fort Road in 1850, which is believed to have inspired the title of one of his novels, Bleak House, published in 1853. Dickens also wrote parts of the novel "David Copperfield" while staying in Broadstairs.

We set off from the Turner Contemporary in Margate, seeing the Anthony Gormley statue in the sea.  We walk via the Old Town towards Hawley Square and leave the town passing Draper's Windmill, a traditional Smock mill, and on towards the historic village of St Peter's; St Peter’s Church was built in 1070 and the churchyard is said to be the longest in the country.  There are 24 Dickens inspired mosaic panels set within a landscaped area, in the village of St Peter’s showing Dickens’ most famous characters, including Scrooge, Magwich, Bill Sykes, Mr Bumble and Fagin; one panel shows Dickens and Turner face to face - they were contemporaries but Turner was already in his 30s when Dickens was born in 1812.  We soon reach Broadstairs and pass the Crampton Tower Museum and Pierremont Hall before reaching the Dickens House Museum (unfortunately closed).  

From here, we walk through the York Arch; built in the 15th century, it once had two strong wooden doors to defend against high tides before offering protection against smugglers in later years.  Up the Hill, we see Bleak House (originally known as Fort House); see note earlier.

Another great day out, followed by the Loop bus back to Margate.Read more

Vijlandi is a pretty town overlooking a picturesque valley with a lake at the centre; the main attraction is the castle, but the town is interesting as well.

We start at Vijlandi Teutonic Order Castle; there was originally a hill fort built in the 9th century on part of the site, but the German Crusaders (the Knights of the Sword or the Livonian Order), built stone fortifications on a series of three small hills; the main castle was a convent building protected by three outer baileys. It fell into disrepair after the Polish-Swedish wars in the 17th century; now, only parts of the wall and foundations remain. We continue with a short tour of the Old Town (see captions on photos).

We drive on to Tartu for two nights; most of us walk along the river and via the Town Hall Square to Pussirohukelder, formerly a gunpowder cellar, but now a beer restaurant; I have an Estonian mashed potato dish with smoked meat and sour cream, served in a bread roll, as well as some the excellent house beer!Read more