After leaving Walton on the Hill we headed south to Folkestone where Andrew was born, to catch up with family before leaving for the continent. Unfortunately, Andrew’s cousin Steve is terminally ill so it was a visit tinged with sadness as we said a final goodbye to him.
However, despite the situation it was great to catch up with family and revisit old haunts.
Folkestone was once a grand holiday destination for the wealthy. But since air travel made more attractive destinations easier to access, this once popular seaside town lost its appeal and over the years has become very run down. However, recently a local businessman has generously invested in the area and finally Folkestone is getting some much needed revitalisation, particularly to the beautiful waterfront area. The old historic pier is being restored to its former glory with eateries and bars opening, and areas for outdoor performances being created. There is still a lot of work to be done but the vision is there, and will certainly make this part of England more appealing to live in, especially given that with the new fast rail connection it is now just a 55-minute commute from London.
We made the most of the weather cycling along the waterfront from Folkestone, through Sandgate to the picturesque town of Hythe, one of a series of historic towns along the Kent coast known as Cinque Ports that were strategic defence points for England.
After two nights in Folkestone we boarded the ferry to Calais and finally felt like our European adventure was underway. First stop – Brugge.
Andrew had a mild moment of panic when we arrived at the campsite in Brugge as he had forgotten what camping grounds were like, with vans and tents close by and, god forbid, other people around. You would think that having made the decision to spend a year in a campervan you would have considered whether you liked camping or not. However, once we were set up and he’d had a cold beer he started to relax, and was soon befriending the neighbours.
The next morning, we cycled into the historic centre of Brugge, exploring the canals, cobbled streets and narrow lanes, and dodging the hordes of tourists that inundate this prominent UNESCO World Heritage Site to admire the architecture and absorb the history. A stop at the boulangerie for a baguette and it was home to the campsite for lunch before heading out again to further explore the canals by bike, and stop for well-earned Belgian beer.
Tomorrow we head to Amsterdam.
