Ramsgate, Broadstairs, Margate and Whitstable

Ramsgate is a classy place.  You approach along a sort of grand balcony with Edwardian terraces overlooking the cosy harbour.  Sailings to exotic places in Europe.  And now, Britain's biggest Wetherspoons, the Royal Victoria Pavilion, a cross between the Temperate House at Kew and Wembley Arena, right on the sandy sea front.  It's vast, with a grand staircase leading to the upstairs seating.  And toilets, of course.  You could imagine having a wedding there. 

Ramsgate

Harbour

Wetherspoons 

Terrace

I had a disturbed night, woken a few times by foxes who sounded quite close to the tent.  What if the were nosing round inside my flysheet, aiming to steal my shoes, or my gloves?  I imagined walking barefoot into Ramsgate to buy replacements.  Nothing was missing in the morning,  but there was a very strong smell of foxes.  It was grey, breezy, and cold.  Again.  It was only a couple of miles to Ramsgate, along the low ochre-coloured cliffs.

I was following NCN (that's National Cycle Network, Ruth) route 15, subtitled the Viking Way, around the Isle of Thanet.  Staying low profile - I decided that putting horns on my helmet might stand out too much.  After Ramsgate, a couple of miles along a clifftop drive lined with large houses, and I came to Broadstairs.  It feels like a Cornish village, nestling in a little cove with twisty narrow back streets.  In two ticks I was out the other side, passing more cliff-side mansions.

Ramsgate 

Next to the Curiosity Shoppe.
The next house along was called
Dickens Cottage!

Clifftop riding

A mile or three later and I turned the north east corner of Thanet and Kent,  which might be called Foreness Point.  It was now westward all the way back to London, more or less.  And the dream of a wind was now a headwind, still 15mph.

Foreness Point

Margate in the distance 

There was a nice path along the low cliff all the way (a few miles) to Margate.  Margate is big, not as big a deal as Deal maybe but perhaps more famous.  It is, or was, a proper seaside holiday town with lashings of candy floss and ices, an expanse of sand and a fairly deserted harbour.  But despite the Turner contemporary art gallery, it's obviously seen better days.  I couldn't  find anywhere to stop, so I struggled on a few miles to Westgate for an early elevenses.  Some silly person in Margate has decided that the promenade is closed to cycles between May and September, despite it being the Viking Way, with the only alternative being up a few flights of steps.

Margate

I was now leaving the Isle of Thanet, and I cycled past several miles of low-lying fen type land on the sea wall, before arriving at Reculver, site of an old castle with impressive remains, two towers visible for miles across the flat landscape.   The Vikings stopped at Margate, and NCN 15 was now The Oyster Bay Trail.

Black clouds over Reculver

Reculver

Black clouds had been gathering ahead for a while, and I was hit by a strong squally gust of wind.  The wind strengthened considerably,  and the rain was coming!   I dashed into the café,  after only six miles, but I doubted whether I could ride into that wind.  

I was getting a bit fed up of riding on the sea wall, where you are exposed to the full force of the wind, so it was a nice surprise to go on a grassy track over a hill to Herne Bay, where I rejoined the sea wall.  Consequently I didn't see most of it as it was up the cliff.   There was a bit of it by the coast, more ices and seaside attractions, and then I pushed on to Whitstable, famous for oysters.  

Herne bay

More sea wall

Unfortunately I didn't see much of the Whitstable seaside because I dashed into town to avoid another squall, had lunch, and when I came out, the route never went back to the sea front.  I think Whitstable is missing a tourist opportunity there - I would have ridden along the coast if I could, but it leads to a dead end.

Over my late lunch I pondered my options.  A campsite in 30 miles was too far, a campsite in 20 miles was not yet open for the season , and a hostel in 20 miles was £79 for an eight person room.  And 90% rain was forecast into the evening.  I decided to ride to Faversham and investigate B&B options.  It was a nice ride, inland and much more sheltered.

Looking back to Whitstable 

Faversham is a lovely old place, lots of interesting buildings to see.  It's not on the coast, but you have to go there to cross Faversham Creek.  Anyway, I ended up in a hotel just a mile up the A2 (eek!), and got warm, dry, clean, fed, recharged and rested.

There's been a huge amount to see in not many miles, but my! What a lot of weather!

Wharf by Faversham Creek 

Detail of doorway

Faversham