Day 180: Margate to Whitstable

Best bits: fun impromptu TV interview about dogs on beaches!

Worst bits: similar scenery all day

Distance: 17.8 miles

It was absolutely gorgeous this morning, a clear blue sky, no wind and a perfect temperature for walking. Despite setting the alarm for the usual time we took a slightly leisurely approach to getting ready. Eventually we got off and travelled to Whitstable Station and then back to Margate.

I took a final look at Margate before it disappeared into the distance.

It was relatively easy walking along the promenade until I came to the small cliffs at which point I had to turn round as the promenade stopped abruptly and there was no way up to the road.

The route then took me through a residential area where I met Melissa and Bev. Bev is no stranger to coastal walkers as she had previously walked with Chris Lewis and had also taken receipt of a tent for another coaster.

Back to the shingle beaches again but the water here today was absolutely beautiful in various shades of turquoise and blues.

Much of the day was walking on a long sea wall which is extremely flat, but quite hard on the feet.

The sky was huge today with the sea on one side of me, there’s no cliffs, everywhere is flat and inland is also completely flat so there’s a 360° blue sky above the horizon.

The waves were gently lapping against the shore. It sounded like one of those meditation tracks. Fortunately it didn’t send me to sleep!

I spent quite awhile on the phone today as there have been several media requests for my halfway point. Which is on Thursday.

I had just about reached this Medieval church and remains of an early Roman fort at Reculver when along came Zoe in the other direction walking towards me. Zoe joined me then for the rest of the day. Fortunately, there was a café almost immediately as I was feeling hungry.

The scenery didn’t change much at all this afternoon and neither did the weather which was great.

Zoe and I decided to stop for a drink in a beachside café for a cuppa. However, we decided it would be rude not to have a proper drink in the sunshine.

I also took the opportunity to rest my legs.

We had just started walking again when a man approached us asking if we were dog owners and what did we think about the beach ban at Herne Bay? He was from Kent TV and wanted to do an interview as part of a news item. Of course I had to do it! I also told him about my trek and he was really interested in that and took my number saying he will probably get back in touch with me later in the week.

We took a final look at the pier and the beautiful beach houses. Apparently there was a large pier here which was over 1100 m long which unfortunately burnt down in the late 1970s the stub of this can still be seen out to sea.