Day 44 – Saturday 11 August 2001 - Margate to Sandwich

15 miles walked today

550 miles walked in total (average 12.5)

I awoke this morning at six o’clock and was surprised to note how enthusiastic I was.  Considering I haven’t walked for two months, except for a week’s trekking in the French Alps, I’ve been looking forward to starting up again with some trepidation.  On checking the weather forecast before I left, it would appear that Margate was the wettest place in Britain yesterday – marvellous!

I  left Portsmouth at six thirty and was striding out along the sea front at Margate just before nine.  Before too long, I’d left the amusement arcades and sound stage of Invicta Radio behind me and headed out to quieter beaches and the Thanet Way Coastal Path, a very well signposted path with lots of information boards.

My first sit down was at Botany Bay on the cliff overlooking the chalk stacks on the beach, which had become separated from the cliffs.  There weren’t too many people around this early and the peace and quiet reminded me a lot of family holidays from years ago – sunshine, sand, seaweed and seagulls.

From Botany Bay, I was on roads, footpaths and prom to Broadstairs, a really pretty little town with many Dickens references.  In fact he lived at Bleak House, a fort like building overlooking the town, where he wrote David Copperfield.  I had a pit stop at the Pavilion, a café/ pub with seating outside on the beach.  I’d arrived slap bang in the middle of the Folk Festival!  I couldn’t miss out on an ideal opportunity like this, so I listened to a couple of bands, watched some Morris dancers and a hundred tiny tots doing the hokey-cokey, had a mooch around the folk inspired craft fair and just sat and soaked up the sun.

Ramsgate was bustling and, after a quick drink in the Royal in the harbour, I cracked on again – on proms, roads, old toll roads, through a nature reserve and through an industrial estate to Sandwich, where I stopped at the Fisherman’s Wharf for a cream tea.  Sandwich is another pretty town and obviously caters for a lot of tourists – I asked four lots of holiday makers the way to the station before finding a local who knew the way!

I really enjoyed this morning, but, from Ramsgate onwards, it was a real slog and I found it quite difficult.  That’ll teach me for sitting around and doing nothing for ages!