A Splendid Weekend at the Coast

Well, campers, we spent last weekend at the seaside town of Whitstable on the Kent coast about 5 miles from Canterbury. It sits at the entrance of the Thames Estuary and for centuries has played a role in the maritime life of the area, as well as being a center of the oyster trade. In more recent times, it has been a vacation spot for Londoners as it is only about 75 minutes from Victoria Station by train. We arrived late Friday afternoon to deteriorating weather which turned even nastier in the night. However, by morning it was gloriously sunny and remained so for both Saturday and Sunday allowing us to walk along the sea wall and beaches for hours in the most beautiful weather. Our hotel, the Hotel Continental, was a typical 19th century seaside building with a lovely view of the sea. Our room was in the upper left corner.

 

 

Americans sometimes have trouble understanding that "beaches" in England are not like those in the US. For starters, there is little or no sand, instead these are rock beaches with quite substantial tidal flats that reach out into the sea a good way at low tide.

 

 

 

 

Second, this is the North Sea, so the water is about 45 degrees making for very chilly swimming--if you are foolish enough to try it. Instead, a typical day at the beach includes long walks along the sea wall and perhaps renting (or purchasing) a beach shack like this one to pile into in the event of bad weather.

 





A walk down into the harbor of Whitstable itself took us past rows of small artisan shops and the masts of the Whitstable Yacht Club--mostly small sailing boats or catamarans.

High Street had many small shops for art work, antiques, etc., a classic 19th century arcade, and, of course, numerous pubs and fish and chips shops. We had a wonderful example of the last at Ossie's Fish and Chips Shop just off the Marine Parade on our wanderings. A huge slab of fresh cod, battered and deep fried, with proper chips (what Americans call steak fries) on the side.

Again, could not believe our good fortune with the weather. We will long remember our stay.