Today marks a change of plans. The Saxon Shore Way heads inland. Given my new ambition to walk the entire coastline of Britain (don’t laugh), I’m taking the Viking Coastal Trail and rejoining the Saxon Shore Way at Sandwich.
There are dramatic views of St Mary’s Church twin towers at Reculver. My focus is clearly on the looming towers as I only notice the “Do not follow path close to cliff edge” signs as I leave the danger area. There are steel sculptures of local heroes including a Dambusters pilot who practised over the sea nearby, as the twin towers were similar to those on the River Ruhr.
Margate Harbour is my lunch stop after a long morning of concrete promenade walking. Not the most inspiring stretch. Things pick up very quickly. The Turner Contemporary Art Gallery on the harbourfront is sadly closed. However, I’m drawn to a solitary figure staring out to sea. It’s one of 100 solid cast iron figures installed round the world in the Another Time series by Antony Gormley — magnificent. I subsequently find this powerful video of the sculpture: Another Time.
After Margate, the scenery is more attractive, with clifftop segments linking a series of beaches. A steep set of stairs reveals tailor-made artwork.
Kingsgate Castle looks impressive. It is converted to flats now. Not a bad view to have when you wake up in the morning.
Broadstairs is charming. A lovely beach surrounded by quaint buildings. A chap with a metal detector is scanning the beach below me. I would like to chat and find out what he discovers but the wind is roaring and I doubt we would hear each other at our permitted safe distance. The wild weather is evidenced by only two hardy souls sitting on the beach enjoying a picnic.
It’s early evening when I arrive at Ramsgate Royal Harbour. I always like to walk to the end of a pier to feel surrounded by the sea and enjoy a different view of the shoreline. Dipping down an alley, “Rubber chicken house” does indeed have said chickens hanging down inside the window. Docks attract strange folk. Despite the late hour, there are a lot of fishermen on the pier. I sit watching them for a little while, enjoying the ripple of yellow lights spreading through the town, before heading back to search for the train station in the dark.
Walk distance: 21 miles.
Total distance: 100 miles.
I’m the same with piers – I try to walk to the end of each one, but unfortunately many are closed these days, especially in winter.
My Round Britain coastal walk started In Liverpool, heading north, so on my second walk, I started at Crosby and encountered Anthony Gormley’s sculptures on the beach. They are very eery when half submerged.
Nice write-up, and good luck with the rest of your walk!
Thanks Paul. I look forward to reaching Crosby. I missed one at Folkestone which was hidden. It is that balance between researching walks in advance versus the joy of finding unexpected things.
You beat me to it. I was going to mention Another Place at Crosby. Another Time wasn’t here when I walked this bit of Kent.
Hello from Ramsgate 😁😁 This is my local walking route when practicing for a long distance: Ramsgate to Margate…especially at low tide, means I can walk the whole route on the beach…although occasionally I do end up chasing the tide..or is that the tide chasing my heels?
I have a photo of that exact image on the cliffs…our local artists are quite talented.