Winter walks by the sea hold a special charm – the crisp air, the solitude, and the stunning coastal views. I love my daytrips to the seaside, but – unlike most people – I prefer them in colder months, away from sunbathing crowds. Recently, I embarked on a walk from Ramsgate to Margate, on the southeast coast of England, encountering unexpected delights along the way. Join me as I recount the highlights of this memorable seaside escapade.

Getting from London to Ramsgate

It was a January Saturday morning and I hopped on a Southeastern train from London Stratford to Ramsgate. The journey took around an hour and a half, with one change at Ashford International. Keep in mind that high speed Southeastern trains are quite pricey – it’s best to book your tickets in advance.

Ramsgate to Broadstairs walk

Once I got off in Ramsgate, I went towards the seafront. The Port of Ramsgate is a rather industrial looking area, but just a short walk away is a marina filled with boats and yachts. It made me feel like I was on holiday, resembling marinas in my beloved Croatia.

From Ramsgate, I headed north towards Broadstairs. It was a lovely walk along the cliffs, with beautiful views. The path led along the beach at sea level at times, and sometimes led me to the top of the cliffs, and then back down – that continued to be a repeating pattern for the rest of my journey too. If you’re ever walking the English Coast Path, keep an eye on the signs – on one occasion, I kept walking down a path at sea level at the foot of the cliffs, blinded by a stunning view. It turned out I had missed a turn and the path was a dead end – I had to backtrack some 15 minutes back. Nevertheless, it was worth it!

Wildlife encounter

Just before I reached Broadstairs, an unexpected event took place. I saw a bird a few metres above the ground, just a few steps in front of me. It instantly drew my attention, as the bird was hovering in one place, not flying. A few moments later, the creature landed on a nearby tree and I had a chance to have a better look. I managed to identify it as a common kestrel; a bird of prey native to the area. I had never seen a bird of prey in the wild this close, and that encounter made my day. I’m still buzzing when I think about it!

Broadstairs to Kingsgate walk

From Broadstairs, I headed towards Stone Bay, where I found a new dream place to live. A quiet road on top of the cliff, with detached houses with the most incredible view of the sea. It was one of my favourite parts of the whole walk.

From Stone Bay I walked to Kingsgate, where I saw a stunning stone arch in the sea – a cliff with a hole shaped like an arch. A truly postcard worthy place! I’m pretty sure it’s possible to walk up closer to that arch at low tide. Unfortunately, I happened to be there at a time when the sea level was near the maximum so only had a chance to take a photo from afar, but it was still stunning.

Botany Bay Beach

From Kingsgate I walked towards Botany Bay. There’s a walking trail at the Botany Bay beach, with detached pieces of cliffs standing in the sea. Another postcard location!

Botany Bay Beach to Margate walk

From Botany Bay I walked to Palm Bay Beach, which is a lovely, peaceful place for a walk by the sea.

Finally, from Palm Bay Beach, I walked to Margate. It took me around 4 hours to reach Margate from when I set off in Ramsgate. I had already been to Margate, so didn’t spend much time exploring the town. Instead, I continued my walk along the coastline and reached the Sunken Garden in Westbrook before heading back to Margate.

If you want to read more about the time when I spent a day in Margate, check out this blog post.

Seashell hunting on the beach in Margate

At that time, I was around an hour and a half away from the sunset, so I decided to stay around for that. I spent the time doing one of my favourite and most relaxing things to do by the sea – I searched for seashells and marine creatures hiding in the sand. The sea level was decreasing at that time, which was a perfect moment for a little bit of treasure hunting.

Sunset flop

Finally, it was time for sunset… and a bit of a disappointment! I was hoping for the sun to set over the sea, but that wasn’t the case. Instead, it set on the opposite side, behind the roofs of Margate buildings! I’m yet to find a town near London with a proper sunset and would love to hear any suggestions.

Time to go back home

Disappointed by the sunset but fully satisfied with my trip overall, I caught a train from Margate back to London. The journey on a direct Southeastern train took about 1 hour and 20 minutes. And on my train back home, I was already planning the next daytrip – stay tuned for that!

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