Broadstairs and the South-Eastern Coast of England

Over the years I have read a number of articles listing the best summer daytrips out of London England, particularly for a beach getaway. One place that often appeared in many of these articles is a place called Broadstairs. Located on the South Eastern Coast of England between Margate to the north, and Ramsgate to the south, and many small bays in between is Broadstairs. Many people flock to Broadstairs in the summer season for a seaside weekend. Broadstairs has become a popular spot for influencers on social media for its picturesque views of the ocean, sandy beaches and chalky white cliffs. Naturally, I added it to my bucket list of places to see when in England. My last trip to London was in October of 2023 and I decided that I wanted to take a daytrip to Broadstairs to see it for myself.

A train ride out of London to Broadstairs is an hour and a half to two hour journey. I arrived on a warm, sunny, but windy fall day – which was outside of the summer tourist season. This meant it was only inhabited by locals and was a lot less busy than in its peak season. Upon my arrival, I immediately sensed that life here moved at a much slower pace than in the busy city of London. I smelled the salt from the ocean in the air, heard the seagulls calling out to be fed along with the rhythmic sound of the waves washing into shore as I walked down the main street towards the beach. Once I made it down to the bay I could see the wind was producing a very wavy ocean, causing the water to splash up against cliffs, retaining walls, and pushing way up onto the shore. The plan for the day was a hike along the coast from Broadstairs moving north up towards Margate. Travelling in this direction along the Viking Coastal Trail, the journey would start at Viking Bay and up through Stone Bay, Joss Bay, Kingsgate Bay, Botany Bay, Palm Bay, Walpole Bay, and into Margate, to catch a train back into London.

After a quick look around Broadstairs, a bite to eat, and a bathroom break, I started the journey north walking up on top of the cliffs for safety reasons and better views. It was too dangerous to walk down along the beaches that day due to strong winds and the rough water conditions. I should also mention that I wasn’t travelling alone. Trips like this are much safer and often much more enjoyable with a bit of company.

It was a long but rewarding journey that took the entire day to walk the distance, but well worth the effort. We were treated to picturesque views of the ocean, sandy beaches, and lots of wide open areas of green space on top of the white cliffs. Aside from the wind, the weather was sunny and pleasant that made it a beautiful fall day, especially for hiking.

Each of the bays are unique in their own way despite the fact that they all are sandy beaches with white cliffs and wonderful ocean views. First up was Stone Bay, a popular area for dog walkers with a path above and below the cliffs along the shoreline. Joss Bay is apparently a popular spot for surfing during the summer season and has a much wider stretch of sandy beach to accommodate more beach goers.

Kingsgate Bay was a wonderful surprise, with a long stretch of white chalky cliffs that extend out into the ocean, and the 17^th Century Kingsgate castle - built on top of another nearby cliff that looks out over the ocean. This part of the journey made for some excellent opportunities, for not only photography, but also to take a much needed break. It was about the midway point in our hike and was the perfect place to stop for a rest. It also happened to be the ONLY spot along the hike where we passed a local pub where we could use the bathroom, rest and relax, enjoy a refreshing cold drink and snack on some delicious food – the French fries were to die for!!! And I should also mention the friendly staff were very informative and welcoming. It was nice to get a bit of shelter here from the wind once you got to the top of the cliffs at this point.

From here we continue moving north towards Botany Bay, which is another popular spot for photography and is surrounded by lots of open green fields on top of the cliffs. Palm Bay was very quiet and I’m not sure if that was because it was getting later in the day by the time we arrived at this location, or if it is because it is a much smaller and private area. Finally, Walpole Bay was the last point before we arrived at Margate, our final destination. This bay was nothing to write home about, but is a popular spot for swimming as it has a tidal pool built right into the ocean. It was late afternoon, early evening by the time we arrived in Margate and we boarded the train back to London.

Margate was a much bigger place compared to the small villages that surrounded each of the bays that we passed through. Also, it was clear that Margate caters to summer tourism with its amusement park, large beach area, casino, and much more. However, it seemed like a forgotten seaside town when visiting in the fall, outside of its peak tourist season. I talk more about Margate in a previous blog that I have written, please feel free to read about my experience in Margate in my post about it here.

By the time we boarded the train in Margate we were absolutely exhausted and very much looking forward to resting on the train for the 2 hour trek back into London. It was a Beautiful hike, a great way to see the coast, get some exercise, shoot photography, make memories, and spend a day outside of the city. I would definitely do it again if I had the chance, although I think I would like to go south from Broadstairs and explore the coast towards Ramsgate, as I have heard many good things about that place too! That will have to wait until I am lucky enough to travel back to England again, hopefully sometime soon.