ENGLAND – Margate (En)

Margate is a town on the southeast coast of England. It is known for its sandy beach where millions of shells decorate the underground passages of Shell Grotto. Near the stone pier of Harbor Arm, the modern Turner Contemporary art gallery has travelling exhibitions and in the old town, the Margate Museum hosts local history exhibitions.

Where to stay

We stayed at Hartsdown Academy (George V Avenue, Margate) which has an area for motorhomes and caravans. We became members of the UK motorhome group for £53 a year. You download the app and they send your membership card to your email, then you download the Out & About app and there you can see the places where you can stay throughout the UK, on ​​the dates and area you want. Some Scots we met in Germany told us about it and it’s great because it’s much cheaper. We paid £10 a day for showers and toilets and the loading and unloading of water. There was no electricity. The place is huge and the plots are huge. About 15 minutes walk from the centre and the beach.

What to see

We walked with Asha and the first thing we found was the All Saints Church, we couldn’t see it inside. Then we continue walking and you reach the beach, which is sandy without stones with bars and restaurants along the promenade.

We then went to the old town of fine restaurants, galleries and vintage shops mixed with traditional coastal delights. Margate Museum tells the story of bathers and ramblers, while Tudor House is believed to be the home of a wealthy farmer.

We took a walk around Harbor Arm where we saw the tourist office and the lighthouse from which there are stunning city views.

What to eat

There are many places to eat in Margate, the typical being seafood and fish, we decided on a place in a square overlooking the beach and the lighthouse which seemed very popular. We shared a delicious sandwich with shrimp and crayfish, and a mushroom and spinach fajita that was very strange but very good, although it was huge! With beer for Ben and a sex-on-the-beach cocktail for me.

Festival

We were told there was a festival on the weekend and we went downtown where the streets of the old town were full of drink bars with music and people dancing.

Beach

Since it was good weather we went swimming on the beach. The first time I bathed on a beach in England. I have to say that the water was cold at first but once you got in it was good. The beach is very shallow since it depends on the tide. Ben was a coward and only got in up to his knees! He said the water was freezing.

We left the coast and went to Henley-on-Thames on the River Thames, famous for having the world’s greatest rowing regatta which you can see in the next post!