The best hikes from bus stations around Thanet

When the later Queen Victoria visited Broadstairs, Snelling was so notorious that he was introduced to her as “The Famous Smuggler”! The cave entrance is easily accessible in the rear curve of the rock face and goes slightly uphill. There are a total of 3 smaller caves, lined up like a string of pearls. There used to be an upper exit that no longer exists. The way there is also the way back. Between the individual caves are low passages. If you don’t mind a bit of dust and lime, it’s fun to go on a discovery tour.

A Notorious Smuggler's Favorite Spot Due to its proximity to mainland Europe and its remote, cave-riddled bays, smuggling was a livelihood and a vital economic activity for many people along the Kent coast throughout much of the 18th and 19th centuries. Thanet's smugglers openly carried weapons, defied the authorities, and forced locals to supply them with fodder and fresh horses. During the Battle of Botany Bay, informed tax collectors clashed with the notorious smuggler Joss Snelling and his gang. Machetes, knives, and boat hooks were used in the bloody battle, in which Snelling lost 15 of his men. The danger (or the contraband) must have suited Snelling well. He reached the ripe old age of 96 and in 1830 – at the age of 89 – was fined 100 pounds for smuggling – an enormous sum!

The Botany Bay Restaurant and Bar is perched atop the beautiful cliffs of Kingsgate, offering breathtaking views across the English Channel and the stunning surrounding beaches, with spectacular panoramic vistas. Opening Hours Opening hours: Monday to Thursday and Sunday 9:00 AM–10:00 PM, Friday and Saturday 9:00 AM–11:00 PM. Food service: Monday to Friday 12:00 PM–3:00 PM and 5:00 PM–9:00 PM, weekends 12:00 PM–9:00 PM. https://www.botanybayhotel.co.uk/ We've eaten there a few times and it's always been good, although the service could be a bit more efficient 😉

Botany Bay, one of Thanet's most photographed bays, is famous. This hidden gem offers breathtaking views of white cliffs and beautiful chalk formations. At low tide, Botany Bay is an ideal spot for fossil hunting and exploring the tide pools. At high tide, there's plenty of exposed sand to discover, but due to the bay's shape, the ends are cut off at high tide. Helpful tide chart website: https://www.tideschart.com/United-Kingdom/England/Southend--on--Sea/Botany-Bay-Beach/

Here you can admire some cool graffiti.

A very nice restaurant and pub with a lovely outdoor area and a wonderful view. The food and service are excellent. https://www.captaindigby.co.uk/

The Shrine of Our Lady of the Star of the Sea was an ancient chapel on the cliffs of Broadstairs (formerly Bradstowe). The chapel's twin towers, whose origins date back to at least the 1350s, served as an important landmark for local sailors. Due to the veneration shown to the shrine, a custom developed for ships to lower their sails as they passed, in salute to the shrine. The structural remains of St. Mary's Chapel, incorporated into the modern facade, stand on the site of what is believed to be the oldest surviving building in present-day Broadstairs. Within its modern interior are the remains of the medieval shrine of Our Lady of Bradstowe. (Wikipedia) The historic St. Mary's Chapel has been repurposed and now houses the Chapel Bar & Bookshop, serving local beers and snacks, as well as an antiquarian bookshop with over 30,000 titles.

Broadstairs has had a clock tower since 1897, originally built to commemorate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee (60 years on the throne). The original clock tower was destroyed by fire, and the current one was built in 1970 to mark Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee (25 years on the throne). The clock tower is located next to the bandstand in Broadstairs and is a pleasant spot to enjoy the view across the sea.