SWC 101: Ramsgate to Margate or Vice Versa via
Broadstairs Folk Festival T=SWC.101
Distance: 9.8 Miles or 15.7 km for those more metrically minded (walk can
be shortened by ending in Broadstairs)
Difficulty: 2 out of 10
Train: Take the 10:12 AM Margate train from London St.
Pancras to either Ramsgate OR Margate, depending on preference (see
options below), arriving 11:26 in Ramsgate or 11:38 in Margate. The
more direct return trains from Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate are at 55, 01
and 07 minutes past the hour respectively. There
is also a slightly longer option from Margate at 30 mins past the hour for
anyone finishing there. Buy a day return to Margate.
I am posting
this walk with an option for the participants to go in
whichever direction they prefer, possibly crossing paths along the way… It is
an easy coastal walk along the Isle of Thanet (arguably where
the east coast meets the south coast) with a combination of chalk cliffs and
secluded coves (and excellent swimming opportunities – one of the best
being Botany Bay). Thus, for those opting to start in Margate, it
should not be too onerous to follow the instructions in reverse…. For swimming
purposes, high tide will be around 13:00 and low tide at 19:30 based on the Margate tide tables.
This posting also coincides with the festive Broadstairs Folk Festival when
the charming seaside town is bursting with song and dance. Many of the pubs
also have live free music offerings through-out the day and evening (voluntary
contributions in the collection buckets always welcome) and you can buy a
program (including the unticketed pub events) at the festival headquarters
along the High Street. The music offerings are generally quite varied from
traditional folk sing-alongs to more modern rock offerings.
Also, for the more cultured among us, there is the Turner Contemporary Gallery in
Margate (admission free -- but you must book a slot). The gallery is dramatically located on the seafront
where JMW Turner stayed when visiting the area. It has a series of rotating
contemporary exhibitions.
In terms of deciding which way to go…for those interested in visiting
the Turner Gallery in Margate and swimming in Botany Bay, I would suggest
starting in Margate and finishing in Broadstairs or Ramsgate and for those more
interested in the Broadstairs festival, I would suggest starting in Ramsgate
and possibly finishing in Broadstairs (involving a very short walk). You can find more information about the
walk and download the walk instructions here.
The information page for the walk lists a host of refreshment points almost every few
kilometers…..so you should not perish from lack of food or drink….
Enjoy the walk, swims and music!
8 comments:
What is best ending place. Margate has some good micro pubs to sit overlooking the beach at the end!
Planning to see as much folk as I can. I've seen Tobias Ben Jacob before, very good and I have one of his cds.
I plan to walk from Margate to broadstairs to catch the festival. May or may not see some of you
Hayley
To answer Gavin, the best place to end really depends on your preferences for the day....if you are keen to spend time at the festival, Broadstairs is probably the best ending point and you could either have a longer walk from Margate which would get you there early/mid afternoon depending on whether you take a swimming break on route or a very short walk from Ramsgate which only takes about an hour...
See you all on train. Looking forward to some folk. Prob start from Ramsgate and end in Broadstairs.
Gave up with the weather. Enjoy if u get there
We are on our way. Its the folk what matters, and the cider.
5 started at Margate at the designated time and 2 at Ramsgate which makes n=7 walkers. (Feel free to up the total. There were at least 5 others at the festival but the only walking I saw them do was between pubs. Though one, in full morris attire, did leap about a bit). Weather was W=cloudy-then-rainy-then-sunny Broadstairs was heaving with Morris sides banging their sticks and waving their hankies. But that didn't stop me finding the cider tent. No siree. The highlight of my day was a ska band, Beggars Belief, in the Wrotham Arms. Did I really see people pogo-ing or had I conshrumed too much aclohoo by then? After then, some went for a meal. I went home.
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