Today, I’m taking you on another day trip to the English seaside. I wasn’t planning to post about this trip, to be honest. I’ve been to Folkestone many times and already posted about my hikes from Folkestone to Dover and the Christmas market in Folkestone. This time, I thought I was going to Folkestone to have a relaxing time on the beach… whom was I fooling? A relaxing day on the beach? Me? I ended up walking over 30 kilometres, completing another section of the English Coast Path, visited a fascinating landmark, and dipped my toes in the sea… for the first time since I moved to the UK seven years ago! It was a memorable day, and here is how it went.
Getting to Folkestone from London
I took a direct train from London Stratford International to Folkestone Central. The journey time was just 48 minutes. I wish those trains were cheaper, though!
Leisurely stroll around Folkestone
I started my trip without a plan, so I wasn’t in any rush. Folkestone is one of my favourite seaside towns near London – I’ve visited it many times. From the station, I walked through Kingsnorth Gardens and headed towards the Zig Zag Path – a place with a wonderful view of the sea from the top of the cliff. The park at the bottom of the path looked yellow… like everything in the UK in the past couple of months.
I walked along the beach towards Folkestone Harbour, where I got a coffee from a small cafe located in the old signal box. Armed with my cappuccino, I walked to the sandy beach to the east of Folkestone Harbour. I love searching for shells and other treasure there at low tide. There’s a group of rocks at the end of the beach which I’m sure are home to a lot of life. In case you don’t know, the water level can go up and down by up to 7 metres every 6 hours! Those rocks are fully submerged in water most of the day.
From the beach, I headed towards the Creative Quarter and the Old High Street. There are many independent shops there, selling unique, crafted items. It’s only August, but I’ve already started my Christmas shopping. I did get a couple of items! Next, I walked back to Folkestone Harbour, where the craft fair was now open. It’s another good place for gift shopping, though I didn’t get anything there this time.
From Folkestone to Hythe – England Coast Path walk
Once I finished my gift shopping, it was only around 12:30. The day was still young! I didn’t feel like spending the rest of it on the beach, so – even though I planned a chilled day – I decided to walk along the England Coast Path trail to the west. I had never walked that section of the trail before. I didn’t set myself a specific target, but – having looked at Google Maps – I thought that Hythe would be a good destination. And that’s exactly where I got to! It took me less than two hours to get there.
The path wasn’t too exciting. Initially, I was able to admire the colourful beach huts in Folkestone. Then, the landscape was essentially unchanged for the rest of the walk: the sea, pebble beach, concrete path, and rows of houses.
Near the village of Sandgate, I saw Sandgate Castle. The well-preserved fortress appears to be private property – there was no public access. I always wonder how and why does one come into possession of a castle?!
Exploring Hythe
Once I got to Hythe, I decided to explore the High Street – my favourite place in small towns. There were a few charity shops, and I had one goal: I desperately needed a hat. At that point, since getting off the train in Folkestone, I had been walking for over 20 kilometres. I could feel the sun burning the top of my head! Luckily, I found the perfect hat in the last charity shop.
Whilst walking around the High Street in Hythe, I saw signs for an 11th century church and crypt. I love an unexpected sightseeing opportunity! A few minutes later, I got to St Leonard’s Church. I paid £5 to enter the crypt, which – supposedly – is home to the largest collection of skulls in the country. There were a few walls with shelves filled with skulls, and a wall of bones in the middle. Such a fascinating place! Apparently, no one knows why a few thousand (!) medieval people were buried in that area.
Back to the beach
I left the church and headed back to the beach in Hythe. Now, it was time to relax on the beach!
I have a confession to make. I’ve lived in London since 2019 and have been to the seaside many, many times. But in those seven years, I’ve never stepped into the sea, let alone swum in it.
Why? I’m not sure, actually! I guess I always assumed the water would be too cold for my liking. But this year, after what felt like 3 months of never-ending heatwaves, I started craving some cold water.
Swimming was not an option, mainly for logistical reasons. Travelling solo, I wouldn’t have anywhere to leave my belongings. And I would never leave my stuff unattended. But, I had my water shoes with me, so I put them on and stepped into the sea. It was refreshing, but the water wasn’t anywhere near as cold as I expected!
I decided to walk back towards Folkestone, but this time, I walked on the edge of the water, with waves washing through my feet. It was lovely! Walking on the loose pebbles is a proper workout in itself, and it certainly isn’t as fast as walking on the concrete path along the beach. I didn’t know how far I would manage to walk that way, but I decided to just enjoy the stroll. At any time I could just put normal shoes on, or even catch a bus back to Folkestone.
I enjoyed the stroll so much, I didn’t even realise that my old water shoes started to fall apart. Oops! I left the water and continued my walk on the flatter part of the beach further from the water. I wasn’t in any rush, but I enjoyed the walk. Eventually, I reached the colourful beach huts in Folkestone.
Back to Folkestone
I put my regular shoes on and walked to Folkestone Harbour again. I walked around the harbour arm and enjoyed some delicious gelato.
I also walked to the sandy beach again, but didn’t find any seashells. It was starting to get late (and cold and dark!), so I decided to go back to Folkestone Central station, from where I took a direct train back to London Stratford International.
Summary of the walk
All in all, what I thought would be a relaxing day, ended up being a 32 kilometre walk (which included a short section of the English Coast Path that I hadn’t done before) combined with sightseeing and dipping my feet in the sea. The distance was the total for the day, from when I left Folkestone Central station in the morning to when I got back to the platform in the evening.
Once again, I proved to myself that I have a special talent for day trips. Even when I start without a plan, I end up having a fantastic time! I found an incredible hidden gem in Hythe – the crypt of St Leonard’s Church – and cooled down in the sea. I can’t believe it took me nearly seven years to enjoy the water! The never-ending heatwave has now… ended, and I may need to wait until next year to walk in the sea again. Enough time to buy new water shoes!
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