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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