Margate; Friday, 03 January, 2014

When I originally planned to go down to Margate after New Years it was the early summer and my major concern, based on the previous few years, was would I get down there through the inevitable snow. However, snow wasn’t going to be my issue, the foul weather that had been streaking across the British Isles for nearly a month with storm after storm wreaking havoc, especially over parts of Kent, did make me wonder if it was a wise idea to be heading so close to the coast.

Still, dodging the regular spectacular showers I headed into town to pick up the High Speed train down to Kent.

I arrived in Margate with an overcast, but dry sky and so wandered the short distance from the station to the hotel, checked in and then headed back out.

In the dying light of day the beach and sea were calm as I wandered along the wide sands of the bay.

However, almost as soon as I got over to the opposite side of the bay, by the harbour, I turned back to see a very menacing sky. I hurried up to the Turner Contemporary museum and made it inside the building with just a couple of moments to spare before the skies opened and a massive downpour fell over the town.

It was difficult to tell if the skies ever lightened, as by the time the rain stopped it was already dark. Thankfully, I’d sat out that particular arm of the latest storm in the very nice café of the gallery, and after finishing my pot of tea I wandered back through the town towards the hotel.

I did have a look for somewhere to eat, but in the end settled on the restaurant attached to the hotel.

Having finished dinner I decided I would pop back out to see Margate at night, only to have that decision immediately reversed when I looked out the window of my room to see another massive downpour emptying, this one showing no immediate sign of slowing, so I headed back to the bar with a book and settled into the warm for the rest of the evening, along with many other of my fellow Premier Inn guests.