Whitstable

My first trip to Whitstable was a weekday outing with overcast skies and fish and chips. I’d been living in South-East England but had somehow never visited this seaside town, which surprised me too. For the visit I shared in August 2021, we were taking the train and I thought it would probably rain.

I wasn’t looking for a packed beach. We chose to go during the week because we thought it would be quieter, and once we got there it wasn’t particularly busy in town or by the sea. I would have liked a bit of sun, but the plan was mostly to wander, sit by the water and find some lunch.

Coffee first, then the beach

Before heading to the beach, we’d had flat whites and some snacky, brunchy food. There were bacon-buttie and croissant-type snacks, although I couldn’t remember the cafe’s full name when I described it. The coffee was lovely. The weather was very overcast and spitting a little, but we carried on towards the sea.

At the seaside, I was pleased that the rain hadn’t properly started. I also immediately wondered whether saying that had jinxed us. I’d come to have a first look around Whitstable, and a grey day hadn’t stopped us getting there.

A slow wander by the water

I love fish and chips and will happily eat them just about anywhere. Being at the seaside made finding some feel especially important, so I was already trying to work out where to go. In the meantime, I wanted to walk around, perhaps get an ice cream, and spend some time sitting by the sea.

There was no big schedule beyond that and getting the train home. I found it wonderfully easy to get around this part of England by train, and it was something I wanted to do more often. There were towns and villages local to me that I still hadn’t visited, and now I could finally cross Whitstable off that list.

During the wander, I noticed the little buildings right on the beach that appeared to have been converted into accommodation. I wasn’t sure what to call them, and described them as tiny huts or shacks. We were standing among boats on the beach, with those buildings in the first row behind. I thought they were interesting, but didn’t want to peer into them when there were people inside.

Waves, hunger and fish and chips

By lunchtime we’d been hanging out on a stretch of stone beach, listening to the waves. I found that really calming. I was also getting hungry, and fish and chips were still exactly what I wanted. A quiet bit of time by the water was lovely, but it was time to find food.

We ended up at The Forge, right on the beach. Unlike the quieter town and beach I’d described earlier, it was busy there, with lots of people eating around us. Talking to the camera among all those diners felt embarrassing, but I’d got my fish and chips and was ready to try them.

Battered fish and chips in a tray
My fish and chips at The Forge, right on the beach.

The food was very hot, and I thought the chips were wonderful. I’d chosen line-caught cod for the fish. The trip had been wonderful and relaxing, with time to walk around and eat a whole bunch of fish and chips.

I wanted to visit more towns and villages in the southeast after that. For the moment, though, I was getting back to eating before the food went cold. Whitstable had been a good first outing, even without the sunny seaside weather I’d have liked.

Watch my first trip to Whitstable.