KENTSTAYCATION
Long summer days never go unnoticed in the UK. After months of short afternoons and early evenings, there is something celebratory about stretching the day a little further. Pub gardens stay full, beach trips run later than planned and there is always a sense it would be a shame to head home too soon.
Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year- this year on 21 June- has been marked for centuries, tied to changing seasons, ancient traditions and the simple pleasure of light lingering well into the evening. In Kent, that extra light feels like an invitation- not just to enjoy the longer days, but to see what happens when they finally give way to night. Stay a little longer and the county begins to reveal another side of itself.
COASTAL EVENINGS: CLIFF WALKS AND SEA VIEWS
Few places in Kent reward an unhurried evening quite like the coast. The walk between St Margaret’ s and South Foreland Lighthouse follows a stretch of the White Cliffs coastal path, shaped by centuries of lookout points, shipping lanes and stories from The Channel below. It is easy to dip in and out of, but a solstice walk that leads into the evening feels more magical than at any other time of year.
As the sun drops, the cliffs hold onto the last of the light. From the path, you can look out across one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world, watching ferries move between Dover and Calais as the port below begins to light up for the night. www. insidekent. co. uk • 45