Beach near Folkestone
Discussion
Heading to the UK in a couple of weeks for a family event and have a late crossing booked on the way back to France. My wife wants to go to the beach. Anyone any suggestions for somewhere near Folkestone as we've been there a couple of times before. Happy to go 30 minutes either way.
croyde said:
Sandgate is lovely in nice weather. Not that I know the names of them but seen some nice places walking north of Dover.
The walk from the port to Sandgate is nice. I've done it often when in a hotel in Folkestone.
You just need the weather.
It is nice but we too have done some of this in the past. Maybe we'll try a bit further West along it this timeThe walk from the port to Sandgate is nice. I've done it often when in a hotel in Folkestone.
You just need the weather.
Better imo to avoid Folkestone if you want some solitude on the beaches and go either side towards Deal or Dungeness instead, there's far too many people on the beaches by Folkestone when the sun's out and loads of people wild camping (travelled to Folkestone last weekend and went to Deal instead).
Not sure exactly what you / your wife want from being at the beach, but Folkestone itself is pretty nice. The Harbour Arm, the goods yard and the old station have all be re-vamped in a tasteful way, and it's a nice place to spend a day. Just don't bother walking over to the other side of the harbour - it's still pretty skanky.
untakenname said:
Better imo to avoid Folkestone if you want some solitude on the beaches and go either side towards Deal or Dungeness instead, there's far too many people on the beaches by Folkestone when the sun's out and loads of people wild camping (travelled to Folkestone last weekend and went to Deal instead).
Could be a winner. I've always fancied Dungeness and hadn't realised it was quite so close. We might do some shopping around Ashford and then it looks like a good drive down through Kent.zbc said:
Could be a winner. I've always fancied Dungeness and hadn't realised it was quite so close. We might do some shopping around Ashford and then it looks like a good drive down through Kent.
It's a generally quiet beach, right up to St Mary's Bay. Nowhere much to eat though, other than The Pilot. If you're looking around the area, Rye's worth a visit for its history, art and shopping, and has a great nature reserve - or Winchelsea beach nearby. Winchelsea town is spookily quiet, nice for a stroll.
My default beach is Bexhill, which might be a bit far from Folkestone. Generally older population it has a relaxed feel to it, long walks along seafront, enough places to eat, and the De La Warr Pavilion, particularly if the weather's not great. https://goo.gl/maps/2ewgxfACL1XiH2e17
AFAIK, beaches west of Dungeness are shingle, East, sand.
Folkestone warren country park is worth a look- it's just north east of folkestone and you can only get down there on foot but there's lots of walking paths on the slopes with great views and the beach itself is a good place for finding fossils. It's much quieter than the main beach at Folkestone as it's more effort to get to.
Lots of good eating on the Harbour arm and the Goods Yard. One of my friends owns a Greek takeaway down there and does lovely food but we've had curry and seafood too and not been disappointed.
Lots of good eating on the Harbour arm and the Goods Yard. One of my friends owns a Greek takeaway down there and does lovely food but we've had curry and seafood too and not been disappointed.
Edited by lufbramatt on Monday 11th September 13:47
Sunny sands beach is my front lawn. View with morning coffee.
My choice in that area would be Pett Level beach just along from Winchelsea. Free parking and very quiet, there's lovely Cafe just outside Winchelsea Beach and heading in that direction or a Kiosk serving drinks and Paninis on the Sea defence wall in Pett Level itself (used to be the Smugglers Pub which they moved in the 50s.) David Bowie filmed the video to Ashes to Ashes there in 1980, whilst I was holiday in a House along the front and used one of the Bulldozers that was part of the Sea defences being shored up.
The old lighthouse at Dungeness is worth the couple of quid so you can climb to the top. Take binoculars! You can see loads of ships passing through the channel, interesting to compare to one of the marine tracking apps.
Lots of the old wooden shacks/houses at Dungeness were built using the bodies of old railway carriages. You can spot them by looking for the distinctive curve to the roof, even though they have all had various extensions and extra bits added over the years.
Lots of the old wooden shacks/houses at Dungeness were built using the bodies of old railway carriages. You can spot them by looking for the distinctive curve to the roof, even though they have all had various extensions and extra bits added over the years.
Edited by lufbramatt on Tuesday 12th September 09:17
Great picture.
A word of warning for those that haven't been there is that he beaches west of Sandgate can be really tough work to walk on because of the stones. Great places to visit but tricky for walking. Plus there are the firing ranges. But part from being hard to walk on and you might get shot they are great. Plus there's the hazard of nuclear waste at Dungeness.
I am joking of course. I have walked the whole of the Kent coast and love it down there.
A word of warning for those that haven't been there is that he beaches west of Sandgate can be really tough work to walk on because of the stones. Great places to visit but tricky for walking. Plus there are the firing ranges. But part from being hard to walk on and you might get shot they are great. Plus there's the hazard of nuclear waste at Dungeness.
I am joking of course. I have walked the whole of the Kent coast and love it down there.
Ah it's a shame I've only just seen this thread, i spent the first 25 years of my life in that area so I know it well.
Next time you're there I'd highly recommend* parking in Hythe which is a very agreeable small town (Paul O'Grady had a flat there I believe) and get the light railway the 14 miles to dungeness.
That entire part of Kent is heaving with history, from fossils to Roman ruins to medieval towns to Napoleonic stuff to world war I and II history and probably lots more besides.
* that is if you are a bit sad like me and enjoy steam trains, especially narrow gauge ones
Next time you're there I'd highly recommend* parking in Hythe which is a very agreeable small town (Paul O'Grady had a flat there I believe) and get the light railway the 14 miles to dungeness.
That entire part of Kent is heaving with history, from fossils to Roman ruins to medieval towns to Napoleonic stuff to world war I and II history and probably lots more besides.
* that is if you are a bit sad like me and enjoy steam trains, especially narrow gauge ones
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