The Plan ....

It is impossible to undertake a task of this magnitude without some kind of plan. However, this journey is not intended to take on the fine men and women of the long distance walking world. We would like to try and complete the journey - but if we do so, we will enjoy every minute of it. If it starts to become an obsession or ceases to be enjoyable then I suspect we'll simply stop.

Whilst it will no doubt be a physical endurance it is not going to be a chore. We want to walk around this marvelous country because we want to enjoy its sights, its sounds and its smells.

And that is all.

However, we do acknowledge that there has to be some kind of plan - so, this is what we will be looking to do:

1. We will start and (hopefully) finish in Rye, East Sussex.
2. We will travel in an anti-clockwise direction
3. We will walk along the coastline of mainland Britain, but will also incorporate any island that is connected to the mainland by a bridge. So, we would hope to include Anglesey but not the Isle of Wight.
4. Estuaries will be crossed by bridge or by ferry - and we'll decide which is most appropriate.
5. We have no time limit for completing or ending the journey.

Thursday, 27 December 2012

Walk 9 Ramsgate to Margate 31st December 2011



So, Ramsgate for New Year eh?

Well, hold the laughter because, despite our initial wariness, we found an absolute diamond of a hotel and an even bigger diamond of a restaurant. All we needed to do was to close our eyes and just dream … and, who knows, we could have been anywhere on the Med! We had booked into the Royal Harbour Hotel (www.royalharbourhotel.co.uk) after reading reviews and we were not disappointed – one of the nicest stays we’ve ever enjoyed in a UK hotel. And our first evening was topped by a superb meal at The Ambrette (www.ambrette.co.uk) in Margate – Indian food but not as we know it Jim. The Harbour area in the evening had been balmy and unseasonably warm and, you know what? It could – just could – have been the Med!


We woke to a bright and sunny New Year’s Eve day which was in sharp contrast to yesterdays gloomy winter day. Time to have a little explore of Ramsgate!



Ramsgate was once one of the great English seaside towns of the 19th century and, like just about each town we’ve passed through on this journey, the depressing signs of decay are all too evident. The seaside part of the town is dominated by the Harbour and a valiant attempt to establish and nurture a cafĂ© culture is under way – but take a look just a few metres inland and the town is just so depressing. There is little evidence of the much hyped regeneration and for a town that still maintains membership of the ancient confederation of Cinque Ports it’s a sad sight – but one that is a depressingly familiar one along Britain’s coastline.


The town’s main attraction remains its coastline and it is still the focus for Ramsgate’s main industries of tourism and fishing. The town has one of the largest marinas on the English south coast with the Port being the home of channel crossings for many years.

The harbour has the unique distinction of being the only Royal Harbour in the United Kingdom. Because of its proximity to mainland Europe, Ramsgate acted as a main port for the rescue of troops from Dunkirk during World War II. As the conflict continued, the harbour played a significant naval role in the protection of Channel shipping and rescue. Today it is given over to small fishing vessels and yachting marinas in both the inner and outer harbours whilst a new port, constructed outside and to the west of the old Royal Harbour, handles ferries operating daily sailings to Ostend in Belgium.












Before leaving the Harbour we took a look at the Maritime Museum on the Quayside. Inside the museum, which was closed to the public due to some spat between the museum trustees and the local council, is a brass Meridian Line which marks the fact that Ramsgate has the unique distinction of being the only town in the country that has its own Mean Time officially recognised by Greenwich, home of the world standard Greenwich Mean Time. Ramsgate Mean Time is 5 minutes 41 seconds ahead of GMT.

Outside the museum we noticed a small monument commemorating Operation Fuller but the simple monument barely does justice to a remarkable act of heroism – the following is taken from the Fleet Air Arm website:

“In March 1941, following many successful attacks on the Atlantic Convoys that were so vital to Britain’s survival, the German battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau entered the port of Brest for repairs.  They were shortly joined by Prinz Eugen.  With the ships under constant Allied air strikes and Hitler demanding increased protection for occupied Norway, the German Naval War Command decided to bring all three vessels home to Germany by way of a heavily protected daylight dash up the English Channel and through the Dover Straits – code named Operation Cerberus. 
Aware this run for home might take place, the Royal Navy set up Operation Fuller to deal with the threat and Coastal Command flew air patrols over Brest and the English Channel both day and night to monitor the situation.  Their plans were based on the assumption the German ships would leave Brest by day and complete the most dangerous part of their journey, the narrow waters of the Dover Straits, by night.   This was the first of a catalogue of errors that would have disastrous consequences.
The German battle group of 66 ships, with continuous air cover provided by 250 day and night fighter aircraft, left Brest at night on 11 February 1942 and reached the Dover Straits, virtually undetected, at about 11.00am on 12 February.  The Fleet Air Arm’s 825 Squadron, led by Lieutenant Commander Eugene Esmonde and comprising six Swordfish aircraft and aircrews, were based at RAF Manston where they had been preparing for a night attack on the German ships.  Promised fighter cover of five squadrons of Spitfires, Esmonde agreed to lead his squadron in a daylight attack. Just one squadron, No 72 Squadron RAF led by Squadron Leader Brian Kingcombe, rendezvoused with Esmonde’s squadron and so with fighter cover of only 10 Spitfires, 825 Squadron attacked the mighty Germany battle group.  Against the guns of the big ships and the power of the Luftwaffe, the slow, out-dated Swordfish stood little chance.  All the Swordfish were shot down and only five of the eighteen men who set out survived.
Although more than 30 torpedo attacks were launched against the German battle group, not a single hit was achieved.  As a last resort, in the largest Bomber Command daylight operation of the war so far, 242 British aircraft were sent out against the German battle squadron but all to no avail.  The only damage inflicted was by mines hit by Scharnhorst and Gneisenau but even that was minimal.
All members of 825 Squadron were honoured after the Channel Dash.  Lt Cdr Esmonde was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross, gallantry awards were given to those who survived and a Mention in Despatches was given to those who died, the highest award possible as no gallantry award other than the Victoria Cross could be given posthumously.”
So many commemorations of acts of heroism and personal sacrifice are dotted around our coastline and it is a sobering experience to read the real life stories behind some seemingly modest monuments.






As we rounded the Harbour we come across yet another once-splendid building now boarded up and seemingly rotting its inevitable way to demolition. This time it’s the Pavilion and once in a while the local community would just refuse to let these structures die. Like so many of them though, today we see a mixture of local authority indifference and public acts of vandalism  combining to leave another town with yet another decaying relic of its once magnificent past.

The Pavilion was opened in 1904 and served as a Theatre, Restaurant and latterly a casino – but it was partially destroyed by fire a year or so ago. And that, conveniently allows the council to throw its ‘not my problem Guv’ hands in the air. No doubt the town will wait patiently for the site to be sold off for housing and another fine seaside building disappears.


From the Pavilion, we’re striding out away from the town and its great to be following the coastal path once again. The initial part of the walk is adjacent to a temporary art structure – with a wall of art pieces drawn and painted by locals and intended not just to brighten up the walk with some attractive artwork – but also to cover up some of the regeneration work being carried out behind the facades.




As we continued our way along the coast we passed some strange sights - art, maybe?






Our next major port of call is Broadstairs – known as the "Jewel in Thanet's crown". Which, if I were a cynic, could be likened to being voted the third tallest bass guitarist in Doncaster!

There are seven nice sandy bays in and around Broadstairs, the first of which, Dumpton Gap, we pass through before reaching Stone Bay, famous as the setting for the John Buchan book 'The 39 Steps' and then Viking Bay, the main bay in Broadstairs.


It’s a very pleasant walk along the promenade in Broadstairs, with some very fine buildings accompanied by well-kept gardens. On our visit the front was very busy with visitors, walkers and shoppers mingling to enjoy the fine weather – I think we even saw some ice creams!
 



Initially visitors to Broadstairs arrived by coach – but the long journey to and from London was transformed with the arrival of the steam packets. And, although the town was not linked by the railways until after the mid 1800’s, Broadstairs grew quickly – initially via connections from Whitstable.

The town has strong links with two famous people – in later years it became famous as the birthplace of former British Prime Minister Edward Heath. We passed a couple of references to the grumpy man whilst passing through the town, including the ubiquitous blue plaque.
 



Its most famous resident though was Charles Dickens who visited Broadstairs regularly from 1837 until 1859 and described the town as "Our English Watering Place". He wrote David Copperfield while staying at Bleak House, one of the most prominent buildings in the town. Although one would think this would be the influence behind the novel Bleak House, this is a fallacy as the one in the novel was actually located in Hertfordshire.



Broadstairs has made a fine job of retaining its seaside charm and one can see why it remains one of Kent's popular day out destinations. Its sea front is clean, well maintained and the cafes were certainly busy on the day we visited.

But behind the promenade lies a town that has not escaped the economic conditions - and the High Street had some prominent reminders that times are indeed tough at the moment.

But in the main Broadstairs is a lovely place to visit - and we nwould like to have spent a little longer exploring its buildings and landmarks - but the days are short in December and we still had some way to go before reaching our destination.









Leaving Broadstairs we joined the beach for a short distance - and it made for a pleasant change with a pleasant sea breeze at our backs helping to make our progress a little easier.




As we leave Broadstairs and head for Margate we come across the lighthouse at North Foreland. The walking here is really pleasant with well maintained paths and well manicured lawns. North Foreland, located above another bay – Joss Bay - was the last Trinity Lighthouse to be automated when it was converted to automatic operation in 1998.


North Foreland Lighthouse

The footpath eventually leads us on to the main road at Joss Bay and we passed a very fine building - Kingsgate Castle. The castle is perched on the cliffs above Kingsgate Bay and its name relates to an incidental landing of Charles II in 1683. The King was caught in a storm off the coast and was landed at what is today Kingsgate. On his way to higher ground he passed through a gap or gate in the cliffs and to celebrate his safe landing the King ordered that the gate be renamed the "King's Gate".

The castle itself was once the home of John Lubbock, 1st Baron Avebury. Who he? Well, as an MP he introduced many bills including the one that led to the establishment of Bank Holidays.




Next up is Kingsgate Bay with its caves in the chalk cliffs and the Captain Digby public house overlooking one side of the bay. The pub began its life as the stable block of Bede House and was developed into a hostelry shortly after the main house fell into the sea. A tunnel, now blocked and once used for smuggling, led from the Digby's cellar into a cave below at Kingsgate Bay.




We were now approaching familiar territory as we reached the outskirts of Margate and we follow the tarmac footpath on the cliffs heading towards the town. We pass Neptune’s Tower, a folly, located some behind the Captain Digby pub, on the edge of the golf course.








A few hundred metres later we are well and truly in Margate and, unfortunately, we enter yet another great British seaside town that has been allowed to slip into a state of decay. Dilapidated buildings – once iconic seaside landmarks - lie graffiti-ridden and boarded up. The promenade that once thronged with holidaymakers and day trippers is now deserted apart from the occasional walker, cyclist and runner.







As we approached the hub of the town, we can see in the distance what may prove to be its saviour sitting in a prominent position overlooking the harbour. The Turner Gallery was built in an attempt to encourage the regeneration of this once-great town. Turner had a great affinity with the town, both living locally and incorporating many aspects of Margate into his work. Opened in 2011 the Gallery is intended to be a catalyst to encourage a new kind of visitor to the town. After the death of the traditional day tripper, could the town be on the verge of a new dawn? 
 
Well, to be honest, standing on the harbour and looking towards the town both of us had the same thought – even if the town did receive an endless amount of regeneration money, exactly where would one start?

The properties that once housed the traditional seaside retail outlets, cafes and amusement cafes are derelict, the focal point of that golden era of day tripping – Dreamland – stands derelict. What is particularly galling though is that the town, in common with many others in similar situations, is led by elected and executive officials who are now leading the community on a costly road to regeneration. All well and good – but wasn’t it a similar team of officials and do gooders who let the place slip into decline in the first place? And whilst it may not be their fault that the economy and the changes in tastes and fashions caused this slide into derelict decay a lack of foresight on their part helped finish the job. Compare then, the neighbouring town of Herne Bay, which as we were shortly to see, had retained both its dignity and its charm. No boarded up shops to blight their sea front. And there are plenty of examples along Britain’s coastline on how local agencies can move with the times and help preserve not just the charm and persona of these towns – but, indeed, adapt them and help them retain their share of the domestic tourist market.
So, we completed our stroll into Margate by making our way along the deserted Prom and through the almost deserted coach park (there was one bus in the parking bays) to a depressing finish in front of the Barnacles pub.
It was, of course, New Years Eve – and so we made our way back to Ramsgate to prepare for a festive last night of 2011













Mileage 8.06
Time 3 hours 4 minutes

Mileage to date 72.2 miles
Time taken to date 23 hours 49 minutes