A Winter Walk in Whitstable

Winter is arguably Whitstable's best-kept secret. The beaches are quieter, the skies feel wider, and there is something special about wrapping up warm and walking the shoreline with nothing but the sound of the waves and seabirds for company. Along the way you'll find cosy cafés, historic pubs with roaring fires and plenty of opportunities to pause and enjoy the view.

Whitstable Coastal Winter Walk: West Beach to Tankerton or Long Rock

• Distance: 2.0 miles (West Beach to Tankerton Slopes) or 3.1 miles (to Long Rock) linear
• Duration: 45 minutes to Tankerton, 1 hour 10 minutes to Long Rock (plus refreshment stops)
• Difficulty: Easy to moderate
• Terrain: Beach paths, promenade, harbour walk and some steps
• Step-free option: Start from Shaftesbury Road car park
• Best for: Coastal views, wildlife, history, cafés and seafood
• Dog friendly: Yes
• Public toilets: Harbour and Tankerton

Stop 1: West Beach & Prospect Fields Nature Reserve

Highlights:

• Panoramic coastal views
• Beach huts
• Sloe and blackberry hedgerows in autumn

Option 1: Joy Lane (with steps)

Start by parking on Joy Lane and make your way to Prospect Fields Nature Reserve via the footpath between house numbers 25 and 27. Follow the path across the reserve and turn left at the end to enjoy some of the finest views on this stretch of coast. Carved benches and seats provide the perfect spot to pause and take in the scenery.

In September and October, the trees and hedgerows are laden with sloes and blackberries, creating a beautiful natural frame for the sea beyond.

Continue until you reach the steps and head down towards the beach. At the bottom, cross the pedestrian bridge over the railway line, where you'll be rewarded with another impressive viewpoint before descending through the colourful beach huts to the shoreline.

Option 2: Shaftesbury Road Car Park (step free)

If you would prefer to avoid the steps, park at Shaftesbury Road Car Park and follow Nelson Road towards the seafront. You'll also pass Windy Corner Stores, a popular café that makes an excellent refreshment stop later in the walk.

Once you reach the beach, the sheer breadth, peace and wildness of West Beach can be almost overwhelming. If you've visited Whitstable's more familiar town beaches, this feels like a completely different coastline. It's the sort of place that tempts you to stop, open a book and while away a few hours, but for now, let's keep walking.

Turn right and follow the shoreline. Along the way you'll pass abandoned boats, beach huts and plenty of benches where you can stop and enjoy the view. Near the end of the beach you'll find the West Beach Bar and Tearooms within West Beach Holiday Park. Opening hours vary, so it's worth checking ahead.

Rounding the headland, you'll catch sight of the Old Neptune, one of Whitstable's most iconic landmarks. Originally built in 1850, the pub was twice destroyed by storms and rebuilt using salvaged timber, surviving to become one of the town's best-loved seafront venues.

Continue along the beach and take a moment to admire the charming seafront houses that line the shore. If you're ready for a coffee or brunch before sampling the Neptune's famous fish and chips, turn right at the tennis courts onto Nelson Road. On the corner you'll find Windy Corner Stores, a welcoming café known for its homemade food and friendly atmosphere.

Back on the beach, keep an eye out for Whitstable's famous oyster beds. At low tide, you may even see oysters being harvested before they are taken to the filtration tanks at South Quay and prepared for restaurants near and far. If you're tempted to try some for yourself, your first opportunity comes at The Forge along the seafront.

As you come to the Yacht club with the Royal Native Oyster Store restaurant in front of you, take a look at the slipway, this is the Horsebridge where Horses pulled the oysters ashore at low tide from the Oyster dredgers known as a Yawl, hence the Horse Bridge. At this point you can take a right and visit the Horsebridge Arts Centre which virtually always has an exhibition, or pop into the Pearsons Arms for a local pint.

Back on the boardwalk and opposite the restaurant you will see a pile of Oyster shells which are kept to be returned to the sea for young free baby oysters to attach themselves to, as well as returning them to naturally recycled in their own environment. Do not be tempted to remove any, but you can of course keep any of your own oyster shells.

Continue along and you will see a diversity of modern and old buildings, the old green storage sheds converted to holiday apartments and modern apartments some of which are also available for a sea view hire.

After a short walk you will come to the RNLI shed and I highly recommend a visit to the shop and a chat with the volunteers. They are always happy to talk about their work and are often looking for new recruits.

You are now in the South Quay harbour, which remains a busy working harbour. Aggregates are shipped from here by Bretts, while local boats continue to fish for cockles and whelks alongside a small fleet of net fishing vessels.

The harbour is home to three historic vessels: the sailing barge Greta and vintage RNLI lifeboat The Chieftain, both lovingly restored and usually based in the harbour during the summer season, and Gamecock, an original oyster yawl currently being restored at Deadman's Corner. Named after a seafarer who was washed ashore there, Deadman's Corner is one of the harbour's most intriguing landmarks, and Gamecock can be seen throughout the year.

Along the quay, West Whelks remains in the hands of the West family, with Graham West representing the sixth generation of shellfish merchants since 1947. At weekends, the business operates a popular seafood stall alongside its wet fish counter and continues to manage the filtration of Whitstable's native and rock oysters. One of the family's historic boats is displayed at Whitstable Museum, while the South Quay Shed houses a permanent exhibition featuring photographs of the harbour in 1923 and a model of Emma Ernest, the last sailing vessel to deliver coal to the harbour.

You can pick up some hot food or a picnic from the Picnic Box to enjoy as you continue your adventure.

Looking out to sea, you may be able to spot the Maunsell anti-aircraft forts, built as part of Britain's coastal defences during the Second World War, as well as the expansive offshore wind farms. Both can be explored more closely on boat trips during the summer months.

As you leave the harbour, follow the road before taking the path signposted to the East Quay. Once past the bowls club car park, you can turn left for more fresh seafood or right to continue your walk towards Tankerton.

On the stretch before you reach the Hotel Continental, you'll pass the Coastguard hut, which monitors a vast stretch of coastline and is staffed entirely by trained volunteers. They are always happy to explain their work, so do stop for a chat if they're available.

From here, simply follow the path alongside the beach. Public toilets are available nearby and, overlooking the sea above, you'll find The Bubble, a popular restaurant with spectacular coastal views.

As you continue, you'll pass a row of beautiful Victorian beach houses. When the tide is out, you can also spot The Street, a unique shingle spit formed centuries ago by tidal currents and largely untouched by longshore drift. It can be reached on foot at low tide, but be sure to check tide times before setting out.

You are now at the bottom of the Tankerton Slopes, not a built sea defence but an ancient landform here long before the sea came inland to meet it. You can continue along the beach or walk up the path to the top of the slopes for a great view over to the Isle of Sheppey.

If you're ready for a well-earned refreshment stop, the Marine Hotel is just a short walk away. Alternatively, follow the road beside the tennis courts and turn left onto Tankerton High Street, where you'll find a fantastic selection of independent cafés, bars and restaurants, including the Tankerton Arms and Ales & Blooms.

If you wish to go further drop down to the beach and walk past the Tankerton Sailing Club and you will come to Long Rock, a spit formed by a longshore drift creating ridges with marsh and freshwater, it is home to rare plants and creatures including the Water Vole and Estuarine Moth, fossils from the area indicate the Rock was once home to Woolly Mammoths so take a moment and imagine that scene. You can

Congratulations on reaching the end of your coastal walk however far you went, we hope this has shown you how diverse our Coast is, and how beautiful.