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Viking Trail 2; Margate to Birchington
June 14, 2025 in England ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C
We're visiting Margate again, mainly to go to Dreamland; this time to attend Rewind, a concert featuring artists and bands from the 1980s. We arrived yesterday and had a walk around from our Airbnb at Cliftonville, an area on the north part of the town, seeing the Winter Garden and Old Town again (see earlier posts).

Today, we continue on the Viking Trail on the Isle of Thanet part of Kent, this time in the opposite direction, from Margate heading west; the Viking Trail is a coastal path that coincides with part of the King Charles III England Coastal Walk.

We walk down to the harbour area past the Turner Contemporary and Droight House and along Marine Terrace towards Nayland Rock (see previous posts as well!). From here, we carry on past St Mildred's Bay (backing onto Westbrook) and on towards Westgate-on-Sea; we pass here to Epple Bay and then carry on towards Birchington. Minnis Bay used to be one of the limits of the Isle of Thanet as the Wantsum Channel used to extend from here down to Sandwich, separating the island from the mainland; this channel has filled in due to natural silting and land reclamation over the 12 to 16th centuries, and the Isle of Thanet is now part of the UK mainland. It has been a good walk, covering 8.5 miles in pleasant weather; we take the bus back to Margate.

Then it's Dreamland to see......

Tiffany / Toyah / T'Pau / Heaven 17 / Nik Kershaw / Midge Ure (ex Ultravox) / Tony Hadley (ex Spandau Ballet)

It was a fantastic evening for people of a certain age!Read more
TravelerThe Viking Trail is predominantly for cyclists but walkers can follow it! The Antony Gormley sculpture can only be seen fully when the tide is out. As a result it is covered in slime and seaweed!
6/15/25Reply
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Kent Traveler
Viking Trail 1; Margate to Ramsgate
July 7, 2024 in England ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C
This part of the Viking Coastal Trail extends from Margate to Ramsgate via Broadstairs and is approximately 10 miles in length to walk. From Margate (see earlier post), we walk along Marine Terrace and Marine Drive past the Turner Contemporary and up to the clifftops of Cliftonville. Then it is on to Kingsgate via Botany Bay and then Kingsgate Bay; sitting on the clifftop of Kingsgate Bay is Kingsgate Castle - built in the 1760s, it is now split into private residential properties. The clifftop walk takes us past Joss Bay and Stone Bay on to the town of Broadstairs; this seaside resort is known as the "Jewel in Thanet's crown." We walk along the promenade (visiting the town itself tomorrow - see separate post) past the beautiful Viking and Louisa Bays and carry on south to Ramsgate; the town has one of the largest marinas on the English south coast and the harbour here is the only Royal Harbour in the United Kingdom. Ramsgate also has a very attractive coastline, particularly the Ramsgate Main Sands beach.

From Ramsgate, we take the Loop bus back up to Margate; it has been a good walk, and we were fortunate with the weather.Read more
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Kent Traveler
The Turner Dickens Walk
July 6, 2024 in England ⋅ 🌬 16 °C
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
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Kent Traveler
Margate
July 5, 2024 in England ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C
Margate is a seaside town in the Isle of Thanet district in the northeast part of Kent; we are spending the weekend here after seeing Jack Savoretti perform at Dreamland this evening. Margate was a popular seaside resort in the 18th century and onwards, but has seen a decline in recent years; I was last here many, many years ago when I was a child!

After a 2 hour drive down from Cambridge, we had an explore of the town in the afternoon before checking in at the apartment; we walked along Marine Terrace and then by Margate Sands before heading up to the Old Town (visiting the quirky Crab Museum!) - see captions on photos for details.

Then it was Dreamland and the Scenic Stage Arena; both Lee Albin Meldau (the support act) and Jack Savoretti were excellent; a great day out!Read more
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Kent Traveler
Faversham
January 15, 2023 in England ⋅ ⛅ 6 °C
Faversham is the oldest market town in Kent, recorded in the Domesday Book and located on a winding creek; there are many listed and historic buildings here. It is also home to Britain's Oldest Brewer - Shepherd Neame, which has been brewing beer since 1698.

We start our quick walk of the town starting at the Guildhall; it is located in Market Place, stands at the very heart of Faversham, and was originally built as a market hall in 1574. We divert down West Street to see some of the lovely old buildings there and then double back to the Guildhall to walk down Court Street and head down to the Creek - passing the Shepherd Neame Brewery on the way.

Faversham Creek connects the town to the Swale that separates mainland Kent from the Isle of Sheppey; during Roman Britain and into the first millennium, the Faversham coast was a large estuary with peninsulas either side. We walk along the Creek and reach Standard Quay; this was the town’s main unloading quay from the sixteenth century onwards and boasts one of the oldest warehouses in Britain, built from materials taken of the original Faversham Abbey when it was destroyed during the dissolution. On the opposite bank of the Creek to Standard Quay is a good example of regeneration; the modern apartments built along the Creek were once a part of Pollock’s shipyard. There are several classic ships and boats at Standard Quay now, along with many unique shops and outlets; at the end is Oyster Bay House - this was originally built to store locally-grown Kentish hops before being transported up the creek to the Hop Exchange near London Bridge (despite its name this warehouse has nothing to do with oysters but Faversham did have a great oyster trade).

We double back to town and walk up Abbey Street past the site of the original Abbey and cut across to the Church of St Mary of Charity; reputed to be the second largest in Kent, the church was founded in the medieval era, but the flying spire, known as a crown or corona spire, dates to the 18th century. The church is also noted for its rare medieval painted pillar.

A great visit to an interesting town; I must go back (not least for a brewery trip visit or to attend the Faversham Hop Festival).Read more
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Trip start
January 15, 2023

Viking Trail 2; Margate to Birchington

Viking Trail 1; Margate to Ramsgate

The Turner Dickens Walk

Margate

Faversham