Whitstable day out

[diamondlil]

Today was blazingly hot, over 30 degrees, so I had a hankering to go to the beach. I've got some great beaches reached just a short train journey, but today I decided to ignore the bigger resorts and go to Whitstable. Famous for its oysters since Roman times, it's still got a thriving seafood industry, so before I could set out to get photos I had calamares that were out of this world for my breakfast! (a month too early for the oysters)

 

[diamondlil]

Then I set out along the shingle and sand beach.

 

[diamondlil]

I had great fun finding plants I remembered studying in biology at school, like horned poppies and viper's bugloss

 

[diamondlil]

I wanted to cool down in the sea, but the shallow water was almost lukewarm! I managed to find some shade and had a bit of a snooze. The top picture here is the Maunsell sea fort, part of the coastal defences in WW2

 

[diamondlil]

I wanted to visit the castle and gardens, but they are closed for refurbishment. So I'll just have to pay another visit!

 

[tsst]

Great pics Janine. I used to get deep fried calamari rings at a little road side shack in Wiesbaden, Germany in the late 80s. Nothing like rings at 3am after a night of drinking.

 

[ArpeggioAngel]

Looks like a wonderful place to explore!

 

[diamondlil]

Great pics Janine. I used to get deep fried calamari rings at a little road side shack in Wiesbaden, Germany in the late 80s. Nothing like rings at 3am after a night of drinking.

Thanks! The squid was fresh as can be, served with a lovely salad and a buttered roll. I could have ate it all over again! I had a lovely peaceful day, being mid-week and still term time the beach was practically empty except for some people sea fishing from the shingle.

 

[diamondlil]

Looks like a wonderful place to explore!

And even better, I now know dogs are allowed on the beach! Today would have been too hot for Rosie, but I shall take her there later in the year!

 

[whippet]

not a very soft beach.....ha. But very pretty place. Great shots!

 

[diamondlil]

not a very soft beach.....ha. But very pretty place. Great shots!

Thanks Tara! I found some of the alleys that are a feature of Whitstable, but didn't find 'Squeeze Gut Alley' this visit. The alleys were used by fishermen cutting through to the harbour.
Oh, and a very noisy baby seagull!