Crumbling glories and graffiti contrast with sandy bays, tidal pools and wide esplanades in this thought-provoking walk
The essential elements of a great walk include accessibility by train, good coffee stops, outstanding picnic places, viewpoints, interesting places to see and above all a great pub near the end with the possibility of an overnight stay. At Vespucci we have spent a lot of time working this out, as our aim is to become a trusted source for great walks – not only inspiring you but also giving you everything you need to make it happen.
Using our network of curators, many walks are put under the microscope – but few make the grade. The South Downs, the North Downs, national parks, the Chilterns, the Purbeck Hills and the High Weald are all fertile hunting grounds for our walks. So I was intrigued when my co-founder, Alex, asked me to take the train to Margate to check out a walk he had researched. It’s not a corner of the country I have ever visited, yet it is now only an hour and a half from St Pancras. It is always exciting to step off the train at a station for the first time to go on an unfamiliar walk. With my network railcard and departing after 10am, the return ticket only cost me £23. Bargain!
Alex pitched it to me as an exceptional coastal walk from Margate to Broadstairs with outstanding beaches and coastal swimming opportunities, including one of Europe’s largest outdoor sea swimming pools. I’m afraid this was never going to tip the balance for me, but I was interested in visiting somewhere new where there was talk of cultural renaissance and renewal linked to the Turner Contemporary Art Gallery, which opened in 2011. It’s a short walk of 11
