travel

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

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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 – ÂŁ9.50

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

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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 – ÂŁ15.00

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

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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 – ÂŁ15.00

Friday 5th June 2026 – Wissant and Sangatte…

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A little less windy today with plenty of sun around so knowing we are not in any hurry to move on and the tide is out. we take a leisurely stroll down to Wissant.

This morning with all that amazing exposed firm sand it is the turn of the Wind Karts racing along the combined length of Strouanne and Wissant Beaches….

Crikey they can pretty much fly along the beach in this wind, there was of course the odd kite surfer out on the sea but they are either not as keen to carry all their kit down the beach or in reality as I suspect mostly at work.

Today it is clear enough for us to see the White Cliffs of Dover along the horizon – amazing at 21 miles away….

We could also see that Plage de Wissant does indeed extend to Plage de Cap Gris Nez that we visited at high tide yesterday….

How magical are these tree trunks for retaining the beach (I think?)…

Time to move on and on our way we attempted to call in on Cap Blanc Nez and the iconic Dover Patrol Monument a 23m high granite obelisk commemorating the French / English troops who patrolled these cliffs guarding the English Channel during WWI. However unlike its sister Cap Gris Nez where there was ample parking for all, here the parking was restricted to 2.1m in height – so not us!

Instead we continued and dropped down into the small coastal village of Sangatte where there was motorhome specific parking on the outskirts and took a lovely long walk along the raised promenade and back along the vast expanse of firm sand – just perfect…

It was then just a short hop to our Aire in Calais and time for us to walk into town for Tilly’s appointment at the vets for her tapeworm tablet a requirement of our return to the UK on Monday. The vet was a lovely Romanian chap with excellent English who happily got down on his hands and knees and hand fed Tilly from a tin of wet dog food whilst hiding the tablets within. I think that is the first time she has ever left a vets smiling!!

Today’s stats:

  • Miles driven – 16
  • Miles walked – 8
  • Beaches – 3
  • Vet – ÂŁ40.87
  • O/N – ÂŁ15.42

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

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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 – ÂŁ39.63
  • Ad Blue – ÂŁ10
  • Fuel – ÂŁ103.88 (ouch)
  • O/N – ÂŁ13.54