nature

Tuesday 9th June 2026 – Herne Bay and then a walk from Tankerton to Whitstable….

/ freedombird / 1 Comment

Wet overnight and several hefty showers during the day but fortunately we managed to dodge the worst and have a good day.

After sitting out an heavy rain shower, we started our day with a walk along the promenade at Herne Bay, the beach here is shingle with some low tide sand just becoming visible so we were glad to be walking along the promenade….

The pier was a delight with lots of little artisan cabins (many of them still closed or probably just opening at weekends) selling lots of crafty bits, speciality coffees and homemade cakes with a small funfair at the end – not an amusement arcade to be seen which is quite refreshing and offering lovely views along the beach….

At the far end (east) of the town a pretty clocktower and just visible on the horizon out at sea the 6 remaining Maunsell Forts (one of the original seven was destroyed when hit by a ship in 1963), abandoned military anti-aircraft installations from WWII….

Retracing our steps and continuing further west we arrived in Hampton and enjoyed far reaching views of Hampton Beach where the sand was more exposed and more rain was on it’s way….

Moving a little further west we found parking along the sea front at Tankerton and after the shower had passed we made our way down onto the promenade above Tankerton beach….

From here we walked in a westerly direction to the small but lively village of Whitstable and it’s shingle working beach – oysters just about everywhere along the sea front being sold from cabins or in sheds – shucked or not, but with a pretty little high street running behind with lots of individual shops and cafes ….

Here the heavens really opened but fortunately we were able to take shelter under a shop awning until it had passed and strolled back to the van in brilliant sunshine!

Today’s stats:

  • Miles driven – 43
  • Miles walked – 6
  • Beaches – 4
  • O/N – £9.50

Sunday 7th June 2026 – our last day in Europe until September doing our favourite thing – beach walking….

/ freedombird / Leave a comment

After a very windy night the rain seems to have moved on through, though still blustery and cloudy it was ideal for a walk along the expansive beach that is Plage de Calais and then runs on into Plage de Beriot and finally Plage de Sangatte before being punctuated by Cap Blanc Nez.

We join the beach at the beach hut lined start of Calais North – Plage de Bleriot…..

With Tilly keen to go off lead and enjoy some freedom….

To our right is Plage de Calais – the dog ban doesn’t actually come into effect until 15th June…

We enjoy a lovely walk, bracing as we are walking into the wind, for a mile or so until we stop for a while to enjoy life before heading back….

In the distance along the promenade we can see that the Dragon of Calais looks to be coming to life so we take a small detour to watch as it impressively trundles very slowly along the promenade towards us – wow….

Today’s stats:

  • Mikes walked – 5
  • Beaches – 2
  • Dragons – 1
  • O/N – £15.00

Saturday 6th June 2026 – a walk into Calais…..

/ freedombird / Leave a comment

A pretty wet and wild start to the day so we hung on until after lunch and were lucky to stay dry and even see some blue sky and sunshine in the couple of hours we were out and about.

Starting our walk with a stroll along the river to the vast and busy sea port….

With huge ferries seemingly leaving and arriving every few minutes and in between all the smaller craft rushing to get through the port and out of their way, if it wasn’t so windy you could easily while away the hours. Instead we turned our attention to the rather spectacular sandy beach – Plage de Calais which butts up to the Port on the west side…..

We spent a while watching this beauty of a smallish tall ship approach and enter the harbour….

Before skirting around the beach (dog ban) and wandering along the promenade to meet the Calais Dragon….

An incredible feat of engineering this 12m high and 25m long – 72 tonnes of mechanical structure offers rides along the promenade whilst breathing fire and smoke. We didn’t see it in action today as it was just too windy to hang around but maybe tomorrow?

From here we crossed the bridge to the town centre – not the most exciting, in fact without the colourful and very noisy in the wind bunting (Pride?) it was rather disappointing….

Though the Tour de Guet (13th C Watchtower) was pretty impressive and the church of Notre Dame likewise…..

Today’s stats:

  • Miles walked – 6
  • Beaches – 1
  • O/N – £15.00

Tuesday 26th May 2026 – at last we make it to the beach at Brighton Les Pins….

/ freedombird / Leave a comment

Fortunately not a long drive today as it is still incredibly hot and even with a stop for food and fuel we are at our Aire in the small mostly second home resort of Brighton Les Pins by midday.

Finding a pitch under the partial shade of a tree, we open all the windows but chose to linger outside under the shade of the tree where a tiny whisper of slightly cooler air is oh so welcome.

Even at half five the temperature really hasn’t dropped very much but we are getting hungry so decide to hug the shade of the trees as we walk the short distance down to the beach.

The beach stretching into the distance in either direction is at high tide just a wide bank if rounded pebbles, but at low tide, as it is now, a huge expanse of wet sands lead down to the sea….

The sea, though not the crystal clear waters we have become accustomed to is a rather sandy brown but actually pleasantly warm and I enjoy the refreshing paddle along the edge whilst Tilly scampers along just out of the seas reach….

Though I do manage to get her to scamper through the puddles and get a little damp and more importantly cool down a bit, that way….

Time to call it a day and head back to eat and sit in our shady spot until it cools down enough for us to sleep.

Today’s stats:

  • Miles driven – 46
  • Miles walked- 4
  • Food – £39.63
  • Ad Blue – £10
  • Fuel – £103.88 (ouch)
  • O/N – £13.54

Sunday and Monday 24th & 25th May 2026 – two more very hot days spent travelling through chunks of the day to get to the coast….

/ freedombird / Leave a comment

As this current heatwave continues, so does our journey north and then westwards. We are trying to get reasonably early starts to avoid driving in the worst of the afternoon sun and still we are benefitting slightly from the sun being behind us instead of full on the windscreen.

By early Sunday afternoon we have made it as far north and West to O-de-Selle, a small sleepy hollow village a little south of Amiens and well on our way to the Normandy coast. Here we found a lovely shaded pitch backing onto a stream, giving us the chance to sit out and cool down whilst watching the ducks lazily making their way up and down stream….

Later, we did venture down into the village and for a wander along the river, though not another sole stirred on this warm Sunday evening….

Away early in the morning we were soon arriving at the coast, however we quickly realised that it is also a Bank Holiday in France and being such a fine day, everybody was heading to the coast as well! Our planned stops at firstly St Jouin-Bruneval and then Etretat were so not going to happen, both resorts being absolutely overflowing with parked cars and certainly the beach at St Jouin-Bruneval was jam packed with no opportunity to even hop out to take a photo.

Time to find somewhere quiet and preferably shady to stop and come up with a Plan B. Fortunately I hadn’t booked anywhere for an overnight stop and the chances of getting onto the ones that I had earmarked near the sea are slim to nonexistent so a real Plan B was to head further north and inland to Luneray, where I was able to book a space on an Aire for the night.

Arriving much later and much hotter than we planned, we waited until early evening before venturing out for a brief cooling walk along the handy, leafy cycle path and called it a night.

Tomorrow is a another day….

Sunday’s stats:

  • Miles driven – 192
  • Miles walked – 3
  • O/N – £12.50

Monday’s stats:

  • Miles driven – 179
  • Miles walked – 3
  • O/N – £13.70