For Sue’s birthday, this year we rented a cottage in the
small seaside town of Whitstable on the north Kent coast looking out across the
Thames estuary. It is a fishing town with a thriving oyster industry, famous
since Roman times for the Native Oyster beds.
The town was also known for one of the earliest passenger
railway services, nicknamed the Crab & Winkle line. The old steam engine,
Invicta, has been restored and returned to the town museum.
The diving helmet was an invention of the area that was used
in salvage work in deep waters.
Out in the estuary are several sea forts (also known as
Maunsell forts), large military installations that served as protection against
ships and planes during WWII. Now they share the waters with a large wind
turbine array that provides power to the country. We took a stimulating boat
trip out to the Red Sands installation (once later used as a pirate radio
station) that took us right through the edge of the wind farm. Further up the
coast is another installation that has declared itself the independent Principality of Sealand.
Naturally we enjoyed many various seafood dishes, eating at
the Whitstable Oyster Company restaurant, the oldest restaurant in town –
Wheelers, and picking up bits in the market next to the harbour. We did mix it
up with Mexican inspired street food at the fun Dirties bar and restaurant in
town. As is our way the food was washed down with liberal application of
alcoholic beverages.
The weather was unusually hot, reaching well into the 30’s
on Saturday, and we were out early wandering around town, up to the ‘castle’,
down along Tankerton beach (ice cream in hand), back to the harbour (a
fortifying drink in The Harbour Garden Café) before venturing out onto the water to visit the forts and windfarm (at least it was cooler out on the water).
When we returned, we had lunch and further explored the town. Watching the
sunset whilst sitting on the beach was very memorable.
On Sunday, we had a leisurely breakfast and then drove off
to visit the lovely Ightham Mote historical house and gardens as they were
having a display from a local sculpture group and we had not been back here for
a while.
We picked up some provisions and returned home to relax in the sunshine some more. A very good weekend away.
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