Weekend Guide to Kent

Why go to Kent (Ramsgate & Broadstairs)?

After 100 days of lockdown, moving flats in the middle of a pandemic and working from home, I was desperate for a change of scenery. I never thought I would say that about London, but 2020’s been an interesting  year. Some friends of mine did a day trip to go hiking in Kent (specifically Broadstairs) when day trips started to be allowed again and couldn’t stop raving about how beautiful it was. An hour and a half train ride from St Pancras or roughly two hour drive from London, Kent hosts some wonderfully quaint coastal towns that are easily accessible

We ended up staying in Ramsgate which is nearby Broadstairs after finding a very reasonably priced rental home with a large garden and BBQ for relaxing summer meals outside. While our usual trips are very much on the go, eating and drinking at all of the best places, our sole purpose was to get a change of scenery even if it meant mainly hanging out at our rented accommodations and eating meals there as pubs and restaurants slowly open up again. I think we did a fairly decent job in exploring some quaint beach-side towns  while also keeping socially distanced in the Kent English seaside.

Things to do and See

Ramsgate Royal Harbour and Marina – The historic waterfront of Ramsgate has a lively cosmopolitan feel. A pretty place for a stroll around town, Ramsgate Harbour is full of all types of boats and yachts bobbing in the picturesque marina. There are many different kinds, and some of them old and new (to which people live on them), are worth a close look at. This Cinque Port is the only ‘Royal Harbour’ in the country. Enjoy sandy bays alongside a working marina and walk a little further north or south to enjoy Ramsgate’s exquisite architecture, which  brings together Georgian terraces, regency villas and plus buildings designed by pioneering Victorian architect Augustus Pugin, 

Broadstairs – This “very instagrammable” town gives you both sandy beaches and loads of seaside charm. Walking around you’ll find cliff top walks, fishermen’s cottages and independent shops lining unspoilt streets. If we were to do our trip again, we all agreed that we’d try and stay in broadstairs for a quaint seaside getaway.

Viking Trail Walk  – This 2 – 3 mile walk along the coast from Broadstairs  takes in four bays, Joss Bay, Viking Bay, Stone Bay and Kingsgate Bay before you get to Botany Bay. Plenty of great photo opportunities as well as an easy walk for those of us who haven’t been exercising as much during lock down. A cool highlight from this trail is the Kingsgate Castle, whose grand structure sits on a cliff overlooking the ocean. Fun fact: the interior of the castle has been repurposed into apartments that people live in. Not a bad place to call home if you ask me. 

Botany Bay Beach – A 10 minute walk from Captain Digby Tavern, Botany Bay Beach is a real “get sand between your toes” beach in all of the best ways. The scenery and rock formations are very reminiscent of the white cliffs of Dover which are dramatic and quintessentially English. We definitely enjoyed walking around as well as relaxing to enjoy a sunny day and the crisp fresh air. 

Eat

Captain Digby Tavern- Located in Kingsgate Bay, this stone-built family restaurant/pub sits on a cliff top with some great views of Kingsgate Castle. We took this as our stopping point part way through our Viking Coastal Walk and enjoyed some absolutely delicious fish and chips with a wonderful outdoor view. Great place to refuel (and use the facilities) before continuing on your walk of the Kent seaside.

Drink

Royal Victoria Pavilion –  Ramsgate has a plethora of pubs and is quite well known for this scene, but one you don’t want to miss is the Royal Victoria Pavilion. Known as the world’s biggest Wetherspoons this 11,000 square foot beautiful Edwardian building also has the bonus of being right on the beach. We went for some drinks on the upper lever outside patio and really enjoyed the views of the beach and Marina all while socially distanced and able to order directly from their app. If you want to drink like a local, look no further than here.