Botany Bay (13-15 miles)

A walk to arguably the best beach near London when the predicted low tide is mid-afternoon so ideal for walking along and exploring the beach with its dramatic cliff arch and sea stack scenery.

The Isle of Thanet has been the landing place of choice for many historical figures looking to make the most of a stay in Britain: Caesar; Saxons; St Augustine; and who can blame them when the sightseeing is this good 😎

Another visitor to pass this way was Louis VIII of France, who - in 1216 King John's despotism was such - with Gallic nobility he answered our cross-Channel pleas to invade. All went swimmingly and he was proclaimed roi dAngleterre - until John did everyone but Louis a favour by ceasing to be, and Louis suddenly found himself personne non grata. Sometimes it's best to stay enjoying the beach.

TRAVEL
Take the 09.40 from London Victoria arrives at BIRCHINGTON at 11.15.
Buy an off peak day return to MARGATE which is £21.30 with a Network card or Groupsave ticket.

The organizer will be standing in front of the WH Smith in the centre of Victoria from 9.15 am to act as a focal point for people arranging group tickets. Wearing either yellow; or green stripes.

WALK DETAILS:
11.15 AM from BIRCHINGTON rail station.
The walk ends at MARGATE rail station.

How to join?

• The walk is entirely free of charge;
• You only arrange for your own travel and pub expenses;
• Understand our terms and conditions below (the "IMPORTANT" part);
• Understand how to stay safe outdoors, as you will be responsible for yourself. See our quick safety tips:
  https://www.meetup.com/Free-Outdoor-Trips-From-London/about/

What to bring

• Plenty of water, 1-2 litres recommended
• Enough snacks and packed lunch to keep you energized along the walk
• Extra snacks and an extra packed lunch just in case
• Rainproof (ideally waterproof) clothing, sturdy shoes/boots you don't mind getting muddy
• Spare socks
• Walking poles and/or an umbrella :-)
• Yourself...
• ...and your camera!
• Cash for train ticket
• Cash for pub at the end of the walk?

Feel free to ask any questions in the comments section!

IMPORTANT
Please bear in mind this is a free of charge, self-guided trip with a hobby group. It is not organized by a business nor any entity with commercial purposes.
Any trip details, travel advice, route planning, instructions and other content in our group merely represent our shared personal knowledge, research and suggestions as outdoor enthusiasts. As this is no business, there is no "product", "service" or "package" and also no "tour guide", "operator" or "walk leader".
Each participant is responsible for their own safety. Even if some of us are very experienced walking outdoors, nobody assumes responsibility for any kind of injury, damage or loss that may happen.
Despite this, we take extreme precautions and all trips we plan are very safe, fun, highly educational and popular. Our experienced members volunteer their time and effort to shape a pleasant and quality adventure for everyone :-)
By participating you acknowledge and agree with this disclaimer.

Here are our tips on staying safe during outdoor trips:
https://www.meetup.com/Free-Outdoor-Trips-From-London/about/

TRAVEL, ACCOMMODATION, INSURANCE
Although we provide detailed suggestions, each participant is expected to arrange their own travel and (if required) accommodation - this gives everyone the freedom and choice to join from wherever they want and stay wherever they want. Anyone interested in travel or outdoor insurance should also arrange this on their own. As mentioned above we always take extreme precautions, but some people may still feel safer if covered.
We advise not to buy tickets until the day. People getting tickets from the same station are encouraged to meet early on the day to benefit from discounts such as GroupSave.