Coastal Walks 2

Details:

The idea is to walk a stretch of the Kent/Sussex coastline 5 to 7 miles, hugging the coastline where possible.

Usually we drive to the starting point, park then walk having a refreshment stop en-route. At the end of the walk there is usually a choice of Pub/Cafe or of course you may wish to take a packed lunch, returning to our vehicles via public transport.

The intention is to car share where possible. Petrol expenses are calculated to U3A guidelines and shared between the passengers.

We traditionally walk on the second Friday of May/June/July/August and September. 

Contact: Email the group leader(s) at coastalwalks2@tonbridgeu3a.uk 

Group Leaders:  Marion and Richard Clarke

WALK SNAPSHOT Tankerton – Herne Bay – Whitstable Approx. 5 miles Start:Seaview Café, Tankerton Lunch: Quayside Inn, Whitstable Well earned stop: Morelli's Ice Cream

A breezy spring walk filled with seaside history, colourful beach huts, oysters, ice cream and excellent company. On a bright and breezy day with good

visibility, 14 of our merry group (five of whom had been on the very first walk from

here in 2018), enjoyed the obligatory cuppa at the Seaview Café in Tankerton, before we caught the bus for a 30 minute adventure around the back streets of

Herne Bay!

Herne Bay’s main claim to fame is that Amy Johnson, (the first woman to fly solo from Australia to England) crashed into the sea off Herne Bay in 1941. Neither her body nor plane were ever recovered. 

Another claim to fame - the original T-shaped pier, built in 1832, designed by Thomas Telford, was the longest pier at that time. Replaced in 1896

by an iron pier.

Walking away from Herne Bay on the promenade towards Hampton we passed many colourful beach huts. We walked through Swalecliffe to the Long Rock

Nature Reserve, crossing over the Swalecliffe Brook, onwards to Tankerton Slopes. Walking away from Herne Bay on the promenade towards Hampton we passed many colourful beach huts.

Drowned Hampton-on-Sea

Hampton on Sea grew from a tiny fishing hamlet. The area was badly damaged in the Great Storm of 1897, the village abandoned by 1916 and completely closed in 1941. All that remains today are the stub of the original pier, the Hampton Inn, and the rocky arc visible at low tide.

We walked through Swalecliffe to the Long Rock Nature Reserve, crossing over the Swalecliffe Brook, onwards to Tankerton Slopes. On arriving back at Tankerton, the lovely beaches were empty, but plenty of dog walkers and

cyclists were enjoying the Saxon Shore Way.

On reaching the outskirts of Whitstable, off the coast we could see a line of wind turbines and beyond them, the Maunsell sea forts, towers built in WWII to defend the Thames Estuary.

Whitstable is famous for oysters, gathered here since Roman times and celebrated at the annual Whitstable Oyster Festival.

Whitstable has many small alleys. Helen told us that Squeeze Gut Alley was used by scoundrels and scallywags escaping overweight policemen who

couldn't squeeze through.

We enjoyed a tasty lunch at the Quayside Inn (no, we hadn't lost Tony & Thalia – they had chosen to visit a tapas bar!)

A perfect start to our walking season.

Afterwards we caught the bus back to Tankerton, and then made our way home.

Marion & Richard Clarke