Folkestone is a beautiful seaside town on Kent seacoast. This year (2021) August Bank holiday I planned an ambitious 3 day hiking trip. Walk from Folkestone to Dover to Deal to Sandwich. Yeah it was hugely aspirational. What exactly happened after 3 days days will be in subsequent posts.
The starting point of my hiking trip was Folkestone. I really like the name. It sounds very pristine to me. And i love everything that’s retro! So I boarded a train from London Charing Cross to Ramsgate which stops at Folkestone Central. Its about 1.4 hours journey. After alighting I found my way out and followed the signs to the Town Center.
The first lovely sight when I was walking to the town center was this lovely bed of marigold flowers. It really brightened my day. The town center has High street, a library and lots of local cafes and boutiques. As I had to commence my walk soon, I decided to just take a quick tour of the place before heading out to the beachside.
I walked around the Town center for sometime. Most of the high street shops were standard brands. There was a local market as well selling household items, toys and other knick knacks.
In the center there is a shopping mall ‘The Bouviere place” with high street brands like Primark, JD etc. I visited it to find toilets but couldn’t spot any, not on their map as well. Quite a disappointment. So I continued to find my way following the signage towards the Creative Quarter and the Beach.
The best place to spend time in Folkestone other than the beach is The Creative Quarter.
Right in the center of the old town, in a cobbled street, this is where the kentish creativity flows. A den of painters, craftsmen, independent local boutiques and cafes and eateries. You will find everything from art to music to quirk to tipples.
Ensure you spend a lot of time here and also pick few local items.
And whats a seaside town without any fun at the Beach?
Once you exit The Creative Quarter, you can walk over to the Harbour for a look. There are several boats parked in a very sandy area.
I headed straight below the bridge via the Fish market towards the Sunny Sands Beach. A lovely beach of golden sands and stunning views of the English Channel. Relax and soak some sun
After a quick stroll around the beach I made by way towards the East Coast Path to commence the ambitious Folkestone to Dover walk. The entire stretch on the coastal path has gorgeous scenery. I will detail it out in my next post.
For those who are just looking to spend the day in Folkestone, there are plenty of options for food and have some beach fun.
