VISITKENT
The Beaches & Bays of Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate
Thanet has many assets, from impressive art galleries to beautiful towns, but it is perhaps the stunning coastline that this area of Kent is most well known for. With more awards for their beaches than any other UK coastal district, missing out on Thanet this summer is not something you will want to do.
Botany Bay Minnis Bay
The Isle of Thanet has been the holiday haven of Londoners looking to escape the confines of the city for over 200 years, so there must be something to this gorgeous, yet oft forgotten, slice of Kent. It could be the laid back seaside vibe; maybe the stunning beaches( which are sandy, at that); perhaps the fresh sea air that is said to cure what ails you; or could it be those famously romantic Turner skies?
Whether it’ s one or all of the above, in Thanet – at the very edge of our wonderful Garden of England – you can have it all. There are three Georgian and Victorian resorts to enjoy( Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate) and each one is unique. Each one has its own character. The 18th- and 19th-century architecture of the towns combined with their classic seaside heritage gives the place a retro feel; and vintage is in. But Thanet is also independent; it really is its own place, and the independent shops, the kitsch, the eclectic attractions and the live arts and music venues are testament to that.
Visitors love the miles of low chalk cliffs that edge the Peninsula. These cliffs shelter a string of unspoiled, secluded, sandy bays that teem with chalk rockpools, chalk stacks and rare chalk reefs. And Thanet’ s beaches are the closest surfing beaches to the capital, making them a highlight for the South East’ s visitors.
There is something about Thanet that gives inspiration. This almost-island draws artists, musicians and writers to it, and it always has done. Turner declared that Thanet had“ the loveliest skies in all Europe”, and Dickens loved Broadstairs enough to say that it was“ the freshest, freest place”. Tracey Emin adores her hometown of Margate so much that she has shown it in neon on the seafront. Her simple note says,“ I never stopped loving you”.
There is history here too. Thanet is a historic landing place that is steeped in symbolism in the story of Britain. This is where the first Saxons – Hengist and Horsa – arrived. And they settled here. Then there was St Augustine who first stepped onto these shores en route to Canterbury.
Of course this is where the settlers came. Logistically, it made sense; Thanet is the furthest south east point in the UK – mainland Europe is( almost) within touching distance – and yet travel for 75 minutes in the other direction and you find yourself in central London.
So the area was important to the first settlers, but it is just as important to the new generations of people who love Thanet and all it has to offer. With Turner Contemporary, Dreamland in Margate, high-speed trains from London, and a cool, chic air about it, Thanet is the place to be.
THANET FACTS
These fascinating facts about Thanet just make it even more endearing …
• Thanet is one of the most eastern outcrops of chalk in Europe( and it is the most eastern in Britain)
• The chalk caves in Thanet are considered some of the best in Britain
• The Thanet coastline is the longest continuous
stretch of coastal chalk in Britain( it adds up to 20 % of all the coastal chalk in the country. In fact, it adds up to 12 % of all the coastal chalk in Europe)
• The species found in the chalk cliff and cave habitats are rare, and therefore considered important
• There are 15 separate beaches and bays in Thanet. Seven of those beaches have been awarded blue flags( they are Minnis Bay in Birchington; West Bay and St. Mildred’ s Bay in Westgate; Botany Bay, Joss Bay and Stone Bay in Broadstairs and Ramsgate Main Sands)
• Three more of those wonderful beaches have Seaside Awards( they are Westbrook Bay and Margate Main Sands in Margate and Viking Bay in Broadstairs)
• The three main resort bays of Margate Main Sands, Broadstairs’ Viking Bay and Ramsgate Main Sands all have sand on them even when the tide is in
• If you want to see the sunrise and set, Thanet is the place to be. The best views of the sunrise are from Ramsgate and Broadstairs, and for the sunset you should go to Minnis Bay or Margate Main Sands
• The sea caves at Kingsgate Bay are known as the best in the country
• Joss Bay is the place for surfers. It even has its own surf school( as does Viking Bay)
COASTAL ACTIVITIES
Surfing / learning to surf One of the best places to learn to surf( or to continue surfing if you already know how) is Joss Bay. Joss Bay Surf School( www. jossbay. co. uk)
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