The last few months have been a blur, with a weekend away, a bought of covid, and a second lockdown, all vying for attention in amongst the grayness of autumn.
Starting in early October, a friend and I decided that a weekend away was needed to soothe our souls, and a trip to Kent was booked. It was a wonderful, grey, wet weekend, exploring the shops in Whitstable, Margate, and Canterbury, buying far too many book, and eating amazing food. We topped it off with a walk along the cliffs of Dover, admiring the ships, the people, and the wild landscape. It was pure bliss, and exactly what was needed as the summer retreated and another lockdown loomed over the UK.
Exploring the seaside towns of Whitstable and Margate, it was easy to too how these places could become tourist havens in the hot summer months, with artistic and eclectic stores, lovely pebble beaches, and coffee shops every few yards. But this was October. Storm Alex was hitting, and Saturday was to rate as the wettest day in the UK since records began in 1891. Somehow we missed the worst of it, and spent much of the day buying books and exploring the Shell Grotto in Margate, a subterranean passageway covered in 4.6 million shells, completely covering the walls in beautiful and intricate mosaic’s. Originally discovered in 1835, it has had its share of wear and tear, most notably a wall missing due to a war-time bombing (in which war, I forget I’m afraid), and is currently preserved as a historical monument.
We finished off a full day of exploring with an hour or so walk along the cliffs of Dover, a clear view of France in the distance, before stopping for a well earned hot chocolate at South Foreland Lighthouse and walking back in the icy wind to the warmth of the car, and the promise of fish and chips at the airbnb.
Finding my own way 