TheWeekender www.the-weekender.net
ISSUE ONE / AUTUMN 2011 / FREE
Rockabilly Ravers
Autumn 2011
Rockabilly Ravers
www.the-weekender.net
‘EAST KENT LIFE AT ITS BEST’
The Weekender
Issue One
Mama Mia! Little Italy in Broadstairs PLUS 4 Great Country Walks Wind Farms: Icons or Eyesores? Upgrade Your Period Home In Style Peter Cushing’s Whitstable front cov spine.indd 1
Polly Evans from the News: “I Love Margate” The Man Who Survived the Beat Hotel 16/09/2011 13:21
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TheWeekender CONTRIBUTORS This issue’s contributors reveal their secrets for a perfect autumn weekend
George Ramsay is a freelance photographer and is currently putting together a photo-essay on war memorials and their role in the 21st century. He travelled to Broadstairs to shoot East Kent’s own Little Italy (page 26). What’s your perfect weekend? Sitting on a hill overlooking a vast expanse of green. Good food and company compliment the experience rather nicely. What’s in your weekender bag? Sun cream, bottle of water, mints, War and Peace and my camera of course. What’s the best thing about autumn? It’s not so hot, and the falling leaves provide the most extraordinary backdrop. Ben Dickson is a linocut artist and graphic designer living in Whitstable. He likes to cut portraits of his favourite modern icons and local heroes, such as Peter Cushing (page 16). What’s your perfect weekend? On Saturday it would be a barbecue on the beach with friends and family. On Sunday I would go for a cycle ride or a walk in the woods with a long lunch to follow. What’s in your weekender bag? We’ve got three young kids so it’ll be jammed full of games, toys and Lord knows what! What’s the best thing about autumn? The musty smell at dusk. Nikki Osman is a freelance feature writer for women’s magazines and has been dipping her toes into the big wide world of travel writing. She has recently visited Morocco, Malaysia and Singapore. “None of these places come close to the beauty I found in Kent!” she says. Nikki asked Polly Evans from BBC South East Today about her favourite East Kent haunts (page 50). What’s your perfect weekend? Wandering round vintage clothes markets followed by a feast with friends. What’s in your weekender bag? You’ll always find a good book and a brolly. What’s the best thing about autumn? When autumn arrives, I love taking long walks in the countryside and watching the leaves change colour. On the cover: Singer/guitarist Lucky Marcel photographed at the annual Rockabilly Rave in Camber Sands by Andrew Shaylor
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EDITOR’S LETTER
F
irstly, a very warm welcome to the launch issue of The Weekender. These are exciting times indeed down in East Kent, and what with all the buzz about the area’s ongoing reinvention – from our spanking new arts centres to an ever growing number of gastro havens, boutique shops and hip hotels – we thought that it was about time there was a quality quarterly which reflected such positive and dynamic developments. Of course, amongst all the ideas, hype and innovation, there remains a more traditional local outlook, and we at The Weekender are as captivated by a remote rustic path (page 40) or a fine period house (page 34) as say the opening of a new Michelin-starred restaurant or top-of-the-range bespoke road racer. We also believe that being ‘a weekender’ is an attitude more than a defined lifestyle choice, and that you can be one whether you live in the CT postcode area or are a visitor from elsewhere. Or to put it another way; you don’t need the Mulberry holdall or the keys to a cool seaside pad to know that this corner of south east England offers a unique and stunning backdrop to our lives. All you’ve got to do is experience it. With this idea clearly in our minds, and with a remit to simultaneously inspire, stimulate and entertain, this launch issue lets loose a range of local characters and their passions. Our cover story examines the current (yes kids, that another!) rockabilly revival through the eyes of photographer Andrew Shaylor (page 8), while another experienced lensman, Deal’s own Harold Chapman, recalls his strange days with leading Beat artist and writers in 1950s Paris (page 18). On a rather more topical note, we explore the merits of Thanet’s giant new wind farm (page 22), and whilst in the locale, we enjoy the timeless taste sensation that is an authentic southern Italian meal (page 26). And, if it’s controversy you are after, our opinion columnist and Broadstairs denizen Jane Wenham-Jones comes to the defence of DFL’s (page 15). In case you are still in the dark on this somewhat unflattering acronym, this refers to someone who is ‘Down from London’. You would have thought that a county that can survive previous incursions by Romans, Danes, Normans, and more recently the German Luftwaffe, would have no problem with a few well-heeled urbanites.
Your weekend starts right here. Enjoy! Editor
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TheWeekender contents Issue One, Autumn 2011
26 34
OUT AND ABOUT 7-12 Pucker up; Rodin’s Kiss comes to Margate Photo Story: The Camber Sands Rockabilly Rave Christmas gifts from the RNLI The Marlowe Theatre opens with Bennett play It’s a Numbers Game: Dogs Lush winter lights If you are going to do 5 things this autumn OPINION 15 Local writer Jane Wenham-Jones on the truth about DFLs LOCAL HERO 16 The late great Peter Cushing’s life in Whitstable by his secretary of 35 years
PEOPLE 18-20 Photographer Harold Chapman talks about pre-war Deal and living alongside the Beat Generation’s leading lights in 1950s Paris TALE 22-25 An army of nearly 150 giant wind turbines lies off the north Kent coast. Are they an unwanted eyesore or a step in the right direction for Britain’s energy policy? FOOD & DRINK 26-33 The Weekender visits Broadstairs’s own Little Italy and finds that there’s a whole lot more to the town than Dickens and candy floss
22
04 The Weekender
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7 The List: an essential visitor’s guide to Broadstairs SPACE 34-38 A Georgian cottage in a Walmer backstreet gets a modern makeover and keeps its charm ACTIVITY 40-47 From the White Cliffs of Dover to Faversham’s marshlands: four
great East Kent walks for autumn and how to stay on the right track in the great outdoors Let’s Go: Walking JUST THE JOB 48 Dr David Flood, Canterbury Cathedral’s choirmaster MY EAST KENT LIFE 50 Polly Evans, BBC South East Today newsreader
50
18 www.the-weekender.net Publisher and editor Dan Synge dan@the-weekender.net Design Malvin Van Gelderen www.idesigntraining.co.uk www.dtponsite.co.uk 02089895208 07957322671
Contributors Ben Dickson, George Ramsay, Andrew Shaylor, Nikki Osman, Jane Wenham-Jones www.facebook.com/theweekendermag For advertising or editorial enquires please contact: info@the-weekender.net
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STEPHEN MULHERN
JOHN PARTRIDGE
Dave Lee
Sue Devaney
Ben Roddy
2 DEC 2011 - 22 JAN 2012 marlowetheatre.com
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MEDIA PARTNERS:
01227 787787
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OUT AND ABOUT
News, views and must-do events Kiss Me Quick Perhaps the most iconic clinch of all time reaches Margate in October, when Auguste Rodin’s The Kiss is installed at the Tate’s Turner Contemporary. Over the years, many artists have paid tribute to this famous marble sculpture, notably Marcel Duchamp and Cornelia
Parker, yet the original version has its own fascinating tale to tell. Designed to be part of a monumental entrance in Paris, the two lovers are Paolo Malatesta and Francesca da Rimini from Dante’s Inferno. In the classic tale, both were murdered by Francesca’s jealous husband, and if you look carefully you can see the book they were in the middle of reading; the überromantic story of Lancelot and Guinevere.
It was was brought over to England by an American collector before the First World War, and for a while it was housed in a hall in Lewes, Sussex. Back then the authorities deemed its
subject matter so provocative that it had be covered in a tarpaulin sheet. The Tate bought it, on behalf of the nation, for just £7,500 in the 1950s and it has since been exhibited in London and Liverpool. Now it’s East Kent’s turn to soak up the passion in all its white marbled glory. www.turnercontemporary.org
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OUT AND ABOUT
H
aving previously published a book on British Hell’s Angels gangs, photographer Andrew Shaylor was arguably on safer ground capturing the six-decade-long rockabilly scene. To its hardcore devotees rockabilly isn’t simply a genre of music, it’s a way of life, and the faithful meet every summer at the annual Rockabilly Rave in Pontin’s Camber Sands on the Kent/Sussex border. Shaylor’s photos capture both the raw energy of the music and the commitment of the rockabilly crowd to authenticity. “It’s quite a scene with 2,000 people spending up to four nights in the holiday camp,” recalls Shaylor. “Pontin’s has done little to the place since it was built which adds to the atmosphere, and given the clothes they wear and the cars they drive, you’d be forgiven for thinking time travel is possible.” As a photographer who is primarily interested in social subcultures (it took him two years to earn the trust of the Hell’s Angels), Shaylor found that the UK rockabilly scene presented him with a ready made and highly colourful canvas. He says: “The 1950’s look is fashionable at the moment, but those who visit the Rave are not fashionistas. Although there is hardly any
Seaside R
rockabilly music played on the radio, there’s a growing live circuit, which is the best way to experience rockabilly.” By following the scene closely, Shaylor also discovered that its devotees have different ideas on how to live the 21st century rockin’ lifestyle. He explains: “Like all subcultures, some people are totally purist whilst others are more forgiving. Some will wear only original 1950’s gear, whilst others are happy with a pair of turned-up Levis, white t-shirt and slick hair. However, nobody is trying to live in the 1950’s and most have a pretty good grasp of reality. Many are just lovers of good music and good clothes. There is a sense of elegance to the scene.” Rockin’: The Rockabilly Scene, by Andrew Shaylor, www.merrellpublishers.com For details of next year’s Rockabilly Rave, visit www.rockabillyrave.co.uk
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e Rock
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OUT AND ABOUT
Sock It To ’Em Short of some inspiration for that all-important festive shopping list? The RNLI not only runs a 24-hour lifeboat search and rescue service manned by over 4,000 volunteers nationwide, but has a really useful online shop that sells anything from children’s toys to festive tea pots. We liked this ladies’ organic cotton T-shirt (£18) and men’s port and starboard socks (£3.99) – perfect for everyone’s inner lifeguard. www.rnlishop.org.uk
Marlowe Mad for Royal Drama Following the eagerly anticipated re-opening of the Marlowe Theatre in September, Alan Bennett’s classic royal drama The Madness of King George III, comes to Canterbury. Starring David Haig, star of Four Weddings and a Funeral and The Thick of It, the play explores the eccentric behaviour and subsequent treatment of the British monarch who once addressed an oak tree as the King of Prussia. Expect a tragic story to unfold with trademark Alan Bennett humour to match. The Madness of King George III, Marlowe Theatre, 17-22 October www.canterburyfestival.co.uk
It’s a Numbers Game: Dogs
8 million 96,892
the number of stray dogs taken in by councils each year
pet dogs in the UK
22%
of pet owning households have a dog
60%
of owners say their dog makes them happier
600,000
£66,236
the estimated annual cost of keeping a whippet
27 years the oldest recorded dog
Labradors in the UK – the most popular breed
20%
them for security
of owners say they keep
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77100 PL HOWLETTS
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100 PL HOWLETTS OBC KM _AUG1.indd 1
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OUT AND ABOUT
Wild At Heart With the evenings drawing in fast, it’s time to reconsider those tired old home furnishings. This foxy-looking lampshade will add colour and character to any sitting room and comes from the fevered imaginations of Lush Designs, a partnership of two ex-Maidstone Art College graduates. More beastly Lush creations can be found on cushions, bags, tea towels and aprons. Whoever said baking was boring? Lush Designs are available at TLC, 152 High St, Deal or from www.lushlampshades.co.uk
If you are going to do 5 things this Autumn… 1
Book tickets for the Private Widdle Social Club’s Christmas Special Expect the usual variety-style mayhem from the popular comedy/cabaret night named after the Carry On star and notorious former Deal resident, Charles Hawtrey. The Astor Theatre, Deal, Saturday 26 November, Tickets £12 www.theastor.org
2
Experience the thrill of National Hunt racing Get down to Folkestone Racecourse and gee-gee yourself up for the jump season. Folkestone Racecourse, Westenhanger, November 15, 28 and December 13 www.folkestone-racecourse.co.uk
3
Attend the annual Apple Festival Celebrate Kent’s premier fruit at the home of the National Fruit Collection. A tasty day out for all the family with activities, demonstrations and a tour of the orchards. Brogdale Farm, Faversham, October 22/23 www.brogdalecollections.co.uk
4
Sign up for a Signature Spa Break at Wallett’s Court in St Margaret’s. Enjoy a series of massages and pedicures designed to relax away the winter blues. From £260 per person for a two-night stay. Wallett’s Court Hotel, St. Margaret’s-at-Cliffe www.wallettscourthotelspa.com
5
Go wild at Howlett’s during the half term break See the big cats prowl, take a Treetop Challenge or follow the UK’s biggest herd of elephants. Howlett’s Wild Animal Park, Bekesbourne www.aspinallfoundation.org
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Jane WenhamJones
OPINION
Danger! Down From London
I
f it weren’t for the DFLs like me, who bought a cheap little house that had been on the market for nearly a year and nobody local wanted, this would be just another downtrodden British seaside town that smelled of wee. So wrote the journalist and food critic, Marina O’Loughlin, on an online forum about Whitstable. I had to laugh out loud when she told me. But the good natives of that thennewly-golden postcode were not amused. “The wrath of the internet heavens opened over my head and I was called things that even the Urban Dictionary couldn’t translate,” she recalls. Oh dear. How the truth hurts. Marina now lives here in Thanet, near me, where, I recognise, with a sigh, that a ‘them and us’ mentality stills prevails. The isle has spawned an eccentric variety of blogs – always a rich breeding ground for the bonkers brigade – where even quips about burning down weekender’s cottages are considered entertainment. Dark mutterings about those who are ‘Down from London’ typically include the criticism that “they” want to “come ’ere and change things” yet how well were certain corners of East Kent doing before? Let’s take Margate. Do we really want to return to the days when it was dubbed Dole-on-Sea? Look now at the flourishing Harbour Arm, the cluster of art galleries in the old town, the much-admired Reading Rooms boutique B&B and the Michelin-listed Ambrette. Admittedly, the town’s still got its problems but there are also corners of real hope. Move down the coast to nearby Ramsgate and see who started the
acclaimed Age & Sons restaurant and the marvellous Eddie Gilbert’s fish shop/ eaterie. Whether you like it or not, the brightest ideas and freshest talent are down to the recent influx of new blood. And I for one, brought up in the area that always boasted so much potential but so much more apathy, applaud their energy and vision. Hurrah! I say, for Stewart Turner, who thought up Discover Thanet the delightful pocket guide – such a simple idea, so beautifully executed – and guess where he hails from? It wasn’t East Kent. Three
Weekenders want a decent wine list with their fish and chips and the chance to pick up an appliquéd handbag from that marvellous little find on the corner cheers again for Anne-Marie Nixey of the oriental store Qing Art who has done so much to support regeneration. Also for Jilly Sharpe whose gorgeously-restored Belvidere Place in Broadstairs is Trip Advisor’s top choice of B&B, and the artistic Graham Ward, owner of the fabulous Oscar’s Festival Café, featured in glossy mags the length of the country. The newbies have ‘done good’ and
sniping about them like a lot of blinkered in-breds whose village has only just got electricity, is plain short-sighted. The reality is that a lot of towns along the south-east coast can do with all the help they can get. House prices are down, unemployment is up, shops are empty and sitting around on one’s lardy backside, moaning about outsiders ain’t gonna change much. What will, is the beautiful folk turning up. And it’s to the establishments like those I’ve listed above, that they’ll be heading for first. No-one in their right mind is going to take a day trip to look at boarded up windows and a benefits queue, but throw in a few quaint antiques stalls, funky boutiques, cupcakes and shellfish bars and word will go round. Suddenly they’re making an overnight break of it and inviting their smart London friends. Weekenders want a decent wine list with their fish and chips, Egyptian cotton sheets and the chance to pick up an appliquéd handbag from that marvellous little find on the corner. The dyed-in-the-wool locals may sneer, but right now, if we want jobs, facilities and any hope of prosperity, appealing to the DFL crowd is the best chance we’ve got. No smell of wee here – thank you! www.janewenham-jones.com The Weekender 15
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LOCAL HERO
#1 Peter Cushing
kissed a lady’s hand when he was introduced). Once, when he was introduced to the late Princess Diana he bent to kiss her hand which was totally against protocol, but that was him. He was an excellent artist and he made model theatre sets. He loved birds, animals, plants, children, toys and cigarette cards – most things that children love. He was a little like Peter Pan. He had a love of old tea rooms, and he and I would drive all through the little villages and country lanes to have afternoon tea. I found a tea room in Faversham called Shelley’s and we used to go there often. One particular afternoon the pavement outside had just enough room for one person at a time. Being the perfect
“When he was introduced to the late Princess Diana he bent to kiss her hand which was totally against protocol, but that was him”
A
ctor, gentleman and famous Whitstable resident Peter Cushing was known by most for his high profile horror film roles. He donned a cape for Dracula, created a monster as the evil Baron Frankenstein and hammed it up as the baddie Grand Moff Tarkin in Star Wars (pictured here). In real life, he was far removed from the shadowy screen presence, and in between bouts of playing Sherlock Holmes and Dr Who, he enjoyed painting, bird watching and quiet seaside walks. When he died in 1994, aged 81, his beloved seaside town officially named his favourite beauty spot Cushing’s View, which remains an important local landmark today and a great spot to watch
the sunset. More recently, pub chain JD Wetherspoon have opened a bar in honour of the erstwhile Hammer films star. Joyce Broughton was Cushing’s secretary for 35 years, both attending to his private business and helping him through his later years, following the death of his wife Helen. This is how she remembers him in Peter Cushing - a celebration: ‘Peter was very interested in all that went on in Whitstable, and the people loved him so they left him alone to live an ordinary quiet life. He could never quite believe his fame and he was so very grateful to all his fans. He was all the things an actor shouldn’t be; terribly shy, unsure of himself, timid and very, very polite (he always stood when a lady entered a room and always
gentleman he was, he allowed a family of three to pass first. The daughter, who was last in line, said: “’Ere, don’t I know you? You’re on the telly, ain’t yer?” He said: “Yes, I am.” “I can’t think of your name,” said the young lady. He doffed his hat and said: “Sir John Gielgud.” On another occasion, he told a radio host that his secretary’s husband had nicknamed him Peter Cushing MOG. When asked what that stood for, he said ‘Miserable Old Git’. After he received his OBE he would always announce himself to his dinner guests as Peter Cushing OBE MOG. I think he would have liked to be remembered as a kind and thoughtful man who brought joy to millions.’ Extract from Peter Cushing - a celebration with kind permission from the Whitstable Museum and Gallery, Oxford Street, Whitstable. For info and opening times call 01227 276998 Illustration by Ben Dickson. Ben’s lino cuts can be purchased online at www.flyingrobert.com
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PEOPLE
In a long and eventful lifetime, Kent born photographer Harold Chapman has chronicled some key cultural moments of the last century
The Beat A Goes On and On and On
rmed with a simple 1933 Contax camera, Chapman witnessed the emerging post-war beatnik scene in London and Paris, staying and surviving seven years at the notorious ‘Beat Hotel’ on 9 Rue Git-le-Coeur on the city’s left bank. After periods living and working in France and the USA, where among other assignments, he covered fashion for the New York Times, Chapman eventually returned to his home town. The Weekender caught up with the 84-year-old photographer and discovered that his passion for image-making, and the finer details of everyday life, remains as strong as it was when he was a youngster growing up in pre-war Deal.
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Left: William Burroughs and his shuffler tray, famously used on The Naked Lunch Below: Model Diane Barker in the hotel’s only room with a view Copyright Harold Chapman/ TopFoto
How did the local area inspire your interest in photography? Deal is a paradise for photographers. It’s a really inspiring place surrounded by all sorts of interesting things. I originally tried to be a surrealist painter in the style of Salvador Dali but having also been fascinated by the magazine Picture Post, I started taking photos of brick walls in the sunlight. On Dover’s Western Heights there are at least 5km of
Victorian bricks! I was also fascinated by astronomy and used to sleep on the beach in the hope of seeing a meteor shower, but a particular policeman would always move me on. “I’m waiting for the meteors to pass by,” I would say hopefully. At the time, Deal town had some strange and wonderful cafés and I made friends with a disreputable crowd of writers, artists and musicians. We used to go to a place called De Vito’s opposite the Royal Hotel and drink black coffee. A few yards away there was a place called Lings
where all the boatmen would go. When I was a child, my mother forbade me to set foot in Middle Street – in those days it was like a parallel universe and as weird as parts of Paris.
So what took you to Paris? I was doing wedding photos in London when I started taking pictures in Soho and hanging out with jazz musicians. I took a job clearing tables and cooking in order to The Weekender 19
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PEOPLE
Chapman in the 1960s (right) and today (top)
stay part of the scene. I discovered David Archer’s coffee bar bookshop and art gallery and saw an exhibition on Paris by photographer John Deakin (from Francis Bacon’s Soho set). When I suggested to him that he look at some of my pictures he said: “I shall be quite severe.” He also advised me to get up and five o’clock in the morning to photograph the markets and take photos of “a guy who is digging his chick and the hardness of an ashtray”. I wasn’t so much running away to Paris but running away to it, and they were the happiest days of my life.
What was it like meeting the famous beat writer William Burroughs? I first saw him walking into a café and later, when he was being interviewed by a journalist, I slipped in behind the reporter and took his photograph. All the beat writers and artists said they were famous and I believed I was too. The sort of things they were talking about then are finally happening now, such as our control by the media and the paranoia in society.
What advice can you offer to any young photographer or artist trying to make it today? I would always ask them: “What do you like?” I immersed myself in the streets because I never knew what my adventure would turn out to be. In the 1950s and 1960s street photography was easy to do because there was cheap travel and even cheaper hotels, especially in France. Another thing I’ve learnt is that if a chance comes your way, it’s there to be taken. For more of Harold Chapman’s Beat Hotel images go to www.topfoto.co.uk/gallery/BeatHotel
The Beat Generation: A Beginner’s Guide The label, ‘The Beat Generation’ was first used by writer Jack Kerouac in 1948 to describe the emerging New York-based underground movement. Loosely centred around the writers Allen Ginsberg, William Burroughs and the On the Road writer himself, they became known for their excessive drug taking and free-spirited approach to art and life. Much later, their visionary ideas were adopted by the 1960s hippies and, arguably, by today’s mainstream culture.
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WALLETTÕ S COURT
hotel & restaurant What is it that sets Wallett’s Court apart from traditional country house hotels? Could it be that alongside traditional suites and four-poster beds, there are converted Kentish hay barns to stay in or tipis for a spot of glamping...
What makes The Restaurant at Wallett’s Court so fabulously magical? Maybe it’s the beautiful setting in the oak-beamed dining room or the stunning British food prepared with a contemporary twist...
The
Garden of England
Spa
Why is Wallett’s Court so dearly loved by so many and for so long?
How do the team in The Garden of England Spa at Wallett’s Court manage to make you feel so utterly pampered?
Some say that having been in the same family ownership for over thirty years means that it has that feeling of being truly cared for that is so rare in today’s changing world and it is like a trusted friend that will always be there for you...
The naturally inspired Ren Skincare beauty products that are in every bathroom and used in the generous list of gorgeous beauty treatments could be the answer... WALLETTÕ S COURT
hotel & restaurant Westcliffe Dover Kent CT15 6EW 01304 852424 mail@wallettscourt.com www.wallettscourt.com
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TALE
Is the new wind farm lying off the Isle of Thanet an exciting green landmark or an unwanted eyesore?
T
he first thing that hits when you sail right up close to the Kentish Flats wind farm is that turbines are objects of beauty. I really did not expect to feel like this when we chugged out of Whitstable harbour on the old Victorian sailing barge Greta 1892, but once they came fully into view, the 30 turbines – each standing a whopping 115m tall above sea level – both dazzled and hypnotised. With their three blades rotating anticlockwise in the soft estuarial breeze, some appeared to have perfected the action effortlessly. Others, meanwhile, refused to get it right with their blades choosing a disjointed rhythm – a bit like an errant school child with their own ideas at a Christmas concert. At least one of them didn’t seem to be bothering at all.
Giant Eco Beasts
Deathly silent and devoid of any striking individual features, the turbines light up an otherwise featureless seascape, especially when hit by a pure shaft of sunlight. The menacing neo-industrial image that they project back to shore dissipates the closer you get, and they seem to be telling you in their silent, slightly conspiratorial way that they have no intention of colonising our seas. Indeed, such is the calming and reassuring nature of these
Turbine I
eco beasts, that many of us on board the barge agreed that we could have watched them all day. This particular wind farm, which opened in 2005 and lies just over 8km north of Herne Bay and Whitstable, has the capacity to generate up to 90 MW of green energy and is designed to displace around 4.4 million tonnes carbon dioxide over its 20-year lifespan. To put this statistic in context, 1MW of power is enough to run a small industrial estate, so its contribution to the UK’s green energy programme cannot be underestimated. The six rows of five turbines stand around 700 metres apart and are connected to the National Grid via submarine cables which end up at EDF Energy’s substation at Herne Bay. But if you think that sounds impressive, try a bit further down the coast, where you will find the
100-turbine-strong farm at Foreness Point. Thanet’s latest wind farm, which was also built and serviced by Swedish energy giants Vattenfall, is the biggest offshore project in the world, which – surprise, surprise – puts the perennial late adopter Britain at the forefront of the so-called ‘green economy’. Although environmentalists and governments have been successfully harnessing the power of the wind since the 1970s, Britain has been slow off the mark compared to its European neighbours such as Germany, Denmark, Spain and Italy. Europe accounted for almost half the world’s wind power usage in 2009, with Spain and Germany currently leading the way with wind sourced electricity production. With our dogged reliance on carbon fuels clearly worth questioning, and with doubts surfacing again on the safety record of nuclear energy, alternative forms
“We are an island nation and we should be harnessing our wind and tidal resources to the maximum”
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e Intervention
of energy are very much back on the national agenda.
Above: An army of 100 wind turbines lines up off Thanet’s coast
The Case for Turbines “We are an island nation and I firmly believe we should be harnessing our wind and tidal resources to the maximum,” announced Climate Change Secretary Chris Huhne at the launch of the £780m project last September. He also promised that Britain would shed its “dunce” status when it comes to its record on renewable energy. On the surface, the case for developing this exciting brand of alternative energy seems convincing enough; the 100 Vestas V90 turbines off Foreness Point can in theory generate enough electricity to power 200,000 homes, which is one way at least to offset the dismal 3% of total national energy that we currently source from renewables such as sunlight, wind, rain or tides (the actual target is 15% by 2020). Perhaps more importantly, Vattenfall claim that around 3,600 people have been employed on the farm so far, 30% of which are from the UK. A maintenance facility has also been established in
Ramsgate harbour giving jobs to at least 21 local engineers. And, with an eye on their potentially iconic status, the Swedish owned company say that East Kent’s tourist industry will also receive a significant boost from the towering turbines. Even the environmentalists and wildlife lobbyists seem happy with the development, and post-construction surveys reveal that migrating birds are unaffected as are fish and the surrounding marine life on the seabed. Says Andrew Dever, who runs the Ramsgate maintenance facility: “You find a lot of sea horses near the sea bed and they are only attracted to clean water; the turbines also provide a reef which offers a source of food for the local marine life.”
As for the accusations of noise pollution, the Vestas site manager is clear about their innocence. “When you are on the seabed, the only noise you can hear is the sound of passing vessels.”
“The government is obsessed with wind farms and neglects other sources of renewable energy”
The Critics Line Up
The project’s many critics, however, remain unconvinced and have lined up to have a pop at this brave new venture into the age of renewable energy. Arch opponent, local UKIP MEP Nigel Farage called the scheme “the environmentalist’s greatest con to date” arguing that these “bird slicers” on average operate at only a 26% capacity. He has a point; a turbine can only run efficiently when the wind is blowing at right speed (they require wind speeds of at least 16 kmph), and because nature simply cannot guarantee constant air pressure, The Weekender 23
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TALE
Whitstable-based Steve Norris regularly takes tourists to the Kentish Flats site on his old Thames barge
An artist’s impression of what it’s like to work inside the nacelle, 70m above sea level
even from the surface of the waves, their performance can often disappoint. On top of this, some have accused Vattenfall of cashing in on the generous government subsidies on offer for providing the electricity – up to £60m a year amounting to £1.2 billion over the farms’ projected life span of 20 years which is “enough to build a small nuclear plant”, according to Farage.
As for Vattenfall’s claims that the projects are good for the economy, these have been dismissed by the fact that only 20% of the project’s investment has gone to UK firms. And with only 21 real jobs provided in East Kent, it is no wonder that we remain a long way from the government’s proposed 400,000 green jobs. The good news is that the total capacity of the UK’s onshore and offshore wind
turbines now exceeds 5GW, which is enough to power every home in Scotland. But, warns energy expert Professor Ian Fells: “The government seems to be obsessed with wind farms and neglects the other sources of renewable energy, which in many ways could be more important. The other problem is they are intermittent. You never know when the wind is going to blow.” The Weekender would like to thank Greta 1892 skipper Steve Norris for his trip to the wind farm. A day’s sailing on the barge leaving from Whitstable harbour starts from £44 per person. For more details contact Steve on 01795 534541 or visit www.greta1892.co.uk
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Living the high life Inside a Vestas V90 wind turbine by Andrew Dever, Vestas Site Manager, Ramsgate
Sometimes we have to work on the roof which you access via a ladder, and because the turbine towers move with the wind, you find you get seasick once you return to land.
When the turbines stop completely, it means that they are not working properly. A lot of the servicing can be done remotely from our office but in periods of low wind we regularly go out on site.
It’s called a V90 because 90m is the distance between the blade tips. Each blade is 45m in length. It uses similar technology to that used by the aeronautical industry and F1 racing.
There is a two man lift to the nacelle (turbine head) which houses the generator, gearbox and transformer. It takes up to three minutes to get to the top by lift, but I prefer climbing the internal staircase.
They get a lot of attention locally and our offshore technicians believe that they are doing an elite job. Wind turbines are the windmills of the 21st century, only far more technically advanced. The Weekender 25
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FOOD & DRINK
The Real Italian Job
The elegant seaside town of Broadstairs has its own little Italy. Photos by George Ramsay
T
urn off Broadstairs High Street towards the harbour, and on a warm sunny day you would be forgiven for thinking that you have arrived in some exotic southern Mediterranean port. The heady smell of freshly fried seafood, oven baked pizzas and rich dark espresso wafts up Albion Street, and if you are wise enough to enter the Osteria Pizzeria Posillipo at number 14, you will be treated to the some of finest Italian food this side of the Alps. Owner and manager Vincenzo Esposito was born and raised in Naples but has been running the restaurant since 1994 alongside partner and fellow This page top: Fresh seafood to go Bottom: Viking Bay and the beach Opposite: Chef Espedito cooks up another plate of seafood linguine
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FOOD & DRINK
Neapolitan Espedito Tammaro. Although the pair have since opened other Posillipo restaurants in nearby Canterbury and Faversham, the business remains a real family affair with the food as authentically Italian as you will find anywhere. Originally they intended to open their first venture in London, but luckily for those living in the East Kent area, they plumped for the seaside charms of Broadstairs. “We wanted somewhere where we
could relax and run a typical southern Italian kitchen,” explains Vincenzo, “and of course there are lots of fresh ingredients here from fish to asparagus, cauliflower, fresh basil and parsley.” At the height of the summer season, their busy staff serve up to 600 meals a day – all from a tiny kitchen below stairs. There’s also a wood burning pizza oven that has room for 11 pizzas at a time. Signature dishes such as grilled sea bass and
linguine Posillipo are repeatedly ferried up from the heat of the kitchen to the restaurant’s cool spacious terrace overlooking Viking Bay and the sea. It’s easy to imagine that you could be holidaying on the Amalfi Coast. According to Vincenzo, the secret of southern Italian cooking is its pure ingredients, whether that’s fresh fish, garlic or herbs. And unlike stodgier northern Italian
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Top left: Pasta done the Posillipo way Top right: Another pizza enters the woodburning oven Bottom right: Linguine with clams, mussels and king prawns
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dishes there is a distinct Arabic influence due to the area’s proximity to Sicily and the north coast of Africa. “I grew up in Naples in a small block of flats where my mother was always cooking,” he says. “In a place like that, you can smell everyone’s sauce being made and you realise the best food is made with the simplest ingredients.” Just around the corner on Victoria Parade is another Broadstairs food landmark with similarly impressive Italian connections. Established back in 1932, Morelli’s café was one of the first to introduce creamy cappuccino to these shores and they claimed 20 ice cream flavours at a time when most ice cream vendors offered only vanilla. Most visitors today come for the ice cream or tempting desserts and sundaes, and if you are a healthy abstainer, the coffee isn’t bad either. The café’s interior is as retro as its legendary knickerbocker glory and features a very kitschy, cream padded bar. There are Lloyd Loom white wicker chairs, port-hole-sized colour slides and a bizarre swirly ceiling mount. Almost all the fixtures and fittings date back to the 1950s. From humble beginnings selling gelato from the back of a bicycle, the Morelli family now have 25 shops all over the UK including an ice cream sundae bar in the food hall at Harrods, London. Still, they say that the best one is in Broadstairs. If you walk along the promenade down towards the harbour, you will find Chiappini’s self-service restaurant and coffee bar. The Chiappini family didn’t ar-
From clockwise: Service with a smile at Morelli’s; keeping an eye on the horizon; the terrace at the back of Osteria Pizzeria Posillipo; a Morelli’s knickerbocker glory; shelter on the prom
rive in Britain until the 1960s and indeed Chiappini senior worked for the Morelli family before deciding to open his own establishment. Another local Italian family, the Marchesi brothers used to own the Royal Albion Hotel, so until recently, three Italian businesses co-existed just a few metres away from each other without so much as a spilt cassata cornet. Chiappini’s is a good, sensible place to have lunch – it serves freshly-made pasta and salads, and you won’t have the inconvenience of paying first then standing in a queue before handing a chit to the catering assistant, as is the custom in Italy. On a bright day, you simply grab your coffee, sit at a table on the prom and watch the human traffic pass by. La dolce vita isn’t as far away as you think!
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Broadstairs 14 Albion Street CT10 1LU 01849 607 733
Canterbury 16 The Borough CT1 2DR 01227 761 471
We offer a family-friendly and warm atmosphere where the emphasis lies on great food, amazing wine and lovely service. For further information please visit our website at www.posillipo.co.uk or join us on Facebook.
That is why our menu boasts a combination of fresh seafood, rustic pasta dishes and gourmet pizzas cooked in our handmade Neopolitan pizza oven. We want authenticity and choose to import most of our ingredients directly from Italy. To ensure we offer you the finest quality, all our seafood and meats are sourced locally and are prepared on site by our experienced team of chefs.
In 1992, two childhood friends Esposito Tammaro and Vincenzo Esposito left their home town of Naples to seek their fortune in England. They were driven by their strong passion for Italian food and fresh ingredients and by 1994 they opened their first restaurant Osteria Posillipo Pizzeria Broadstairs. With little money left to buy professional equipment or fancy dĂŠcor they focused on what was really important, the quality of food.
Faversham Provender Mill, Belvedere Road ME13 7LD 01795 590 580
www.posillipo.co.uk
Broadstairs Eating
Osteria Pizzeria Posillipo Unrivalled southern Italian cuisine with a delightful terrace overlooking the bay. 14 Albion Street, www.posillippo.co.uk 01843 601133 Morelli’s More than just ice cream and coffee. Try their famous knickerbocker glory. 14 Victoria Parade, www.morellisgelato.com 01843 862500 Chiappini’s Italian-style self-service restaurant with delicious home-made ice creams. 1 The Parade, 01843 865051 Tartar Frigate Traditional pub seafood right by the harbour. 37-39 Harbour Street, www.tartarfrigate.co.uk 01843 601636 Tamarind Exotic Indian cuisine. For those who like their food spicy. 1-3 Albion Street, 01843 860100 Peens Gastro Bar Cosy place serving quality locallysourced dishes, open day and night. 8 Victoria Parade, 01843 861289 www.peensgastrobar.co.uk Beaches Café and Bar Great for all day breakfasts or afternoon tea and cakes. 49 Albion Street, 01843 600065 Oscar’s Festival Café Re-live the spirit of the 1951 Festival of Britain in this intimate coffee den which is renowned for its home made cakes. 15 Oscar Road www.oscarsfestivalcafe.co.uk 07595 750091
Shopping Arrowsmiths Worth popping into for a quirky designer gift, a greetings card or an inspired fashion idea. 2 Charlotte Street, 01843 865291 Bay 158 A haven for seaside lifestyle, this shop also sells the most fragrant candles in town. 158 High Street, 01843 860688
McCarthy’s Interiors An Aladdin’s Cave of mirrors, chandeliers, bird cages and chic designer chairs. 1 Dundonald Road, 01843 600053 The Bottleneck This reputable independent trader has an excellent range of wines including whites, reds and rosés from Kent’s Biddenden Vineyards. 7/9 Charlotte Street, www.thebottleneck.co.uk 01843 861095 JC Rook and Sons Rooks provide the best cuts of meat in town and are especially good on sausages, game and pies. 1 High Street, 01843 862813 The Broadstairs Gallery Offering a professional picture framing service and prints by local artists. 10 Charlotte Street, 01843 865849 Albion Bookshop A bookworm’s paradise with thousands of second-hand books that fill the shop’s two floors. 44 Albion Street, 01843 862876 Harringtons A well-stocked traditional hardware shop and absolute Broadstairs classic. Was the inspiration for The Two Ronnies’ Fork Handles sketch 1 York Street, 01843 862091
Museums and Attractions Dickens House Museum It is fitting that house where the local lady who inspired Dickens’s Betsey Trotwood is now a museum dedicated to the writer’s life. 2 Victoria Parade, 01843 861232 Crampton Tower Museum A real Victorian curiosity which houses exhibits relating to Thomas Crampton, railway engine designer and pioneer of submarine telegraphy. The Broadway, www.cramptontower.co.uk 01843 871133
Don’t Miss A movie at The Palace Cinema on Harbour Street, often mistakenly called ‘the smallest cinema in the UK’. www.palacebroadstairs.co.uk 01843 865726
THE LIST Staying Over Belvidere Place Broadstairs may not be the top destination for boutique hotels, but the Belvidere Place hopes to change that. This unique hotel is a far from your average seaside B&B. Taking care of the bed part of the equation, each room has been individually designed with unique, one-off pieces, from one-of-a-kind antiques to wonderfully weird contemporary art. And when it comes to breakfast, all the food is fresh and locally sourced and the staff are happy to cater to any special requests, whether it’s a birthday cake or a buck’s fizz. www.belvidereplace.co.uk 01843 579850 North Foreland Lighthouse This converted lighthouse and holiday cottage is perched right on the chalk headline of Broadstairs offering grand views out to sea. Grounds surround the lighthouse with a patio area to sit outside and enjoy the views plus there are great facilities inside. The beach at Joss Bay is just a short walk away and the North Foreland Golf Club is around the corner. www.ruralretreats.co.uk 01386 701177 The Royal Albion Hotel A top central spot to rest your head and with great views over Viking Bay. The rooms have recently had a modern revamp by the owners Shepherd Neame, and there’s an impressive menu in the downstairs restaurant. www.albionbroadstairs.co.uk 01843 868071 Fishermen’s Cottages Just a minute’s walk from the beach, these self-catering apartments have plenty of old world charm and feature ships’ timbers, beamed ceilings and a secret door. www.fishermenscottages.co.uk 01843 601996
Did You Know? The 78 steps leading up the cliff side from Stone Bay’s beach were the inspiration for John Buchan’s 1915 thriller The 39 Steps. The author thought rightly that the number 39 sounded catchier than 78. The book helped kick start the popular spy literary genre and spawned dozens of film, TV and theatrical adaptations. For further information visit www.visitbroadstairs.co.uk The Weekender 33
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SPACE
Back To The Future Could a tiny Georgian cottage meet the demands of contemporary living? New house design team Settle put their philosophy to the test
W
hen publisher and would be property developer Martin Wharton stumbled across a two-bedroom terraced cottage whilst strolling the back streets of Walmer, he saw its promise at once. Having bought the property towards the end of 2009, he then spent just 12 weeks renovating the house from top to bottom and is currently on his third development in the Deal area. Luckily for him, this outstanding example of a late Georgian cottage, thought to be built for dairy workers (the dairy was directly behind the property) boasted many attractive period features. Those which he immediately set about restoring included its narrow winding staircase, original wood panelling in the sitting
room and the old brick fireplace. “It was the perfect project to cut my teeth on; the house was a manageable size and had lots of potential,” recalls Martin, who has since left the world of publishing to start Settle, a company specialising in house design and project management. Settle’s core philosophy is about working with great consideration for the character and feeling of a house, adapting it to create a home for the way we live today whilst maintaining a period building’s individuality. He explains: “My pet hate is newly renovated property that follows a generic formula rather than one that’s unique to the house and the people who live there.” This character-filled cottage reflects the approach perfectly, and all the conveni-
“We believe in peeling back the layers rather than ripping out the heart” ences associated with modern living are integrated seamlessly and thoughtfully into the fabric of the building. Because it is a relatively small property, storage had to be well planned and maximised to ensure that ‘living the dream’ became
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Pics from far left clockwise: It’s all in the details; the cosy kitchen/diner with superb garden view; the old bathroom gets a makeover
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SPACE
a reality for the home’s new owners. “We believe in peeling back the layers rather than ripping out the heart of a house,” adds Martin. “We also believe that the tiniest details can make the biggest difference, so we try to work with suppliers who share the same attention to detail.” Making a 200-year-old property fit for the demands of contemporary living can of course be a challenge, but this is what drives Martin. He says: “There’s an enormous amount of satisfaction, not to mention responsibility, involved in restoring and adapting a property like this. I’d like to think that it’s now ready for the next generation, and many more to come.” Not every aspect of the house appealed to Martin’s taste, however, and at the back of the property, there was what he
Pics from left: Vintage finds from the market add character; the deceptively modern kitchen; traditional storage solutions sometimes work best
describes as “a hideous 1970s extension”. His solution was to clad it entirely in shiplap timber which he painted a nostalgic, seaside cream. “It helped soften the look of the outside and allowed it to integrate with the original house,” he explains. The interior reflects the same attention to detail and awareness of history applied to the fabric of the building. For instance, the hand-built kitchen has a natu-
How to adapt Georgian and Victorian homes don’t always suit the needs of modern home makers. Here are some top tips to bring them up-to-date. 1 Prioritise the budget Spend your money wisely, starting with the fabric of the building before committing to the finish – there’s no point in worrying about the colour of the living room walls if the roof is leaking. 2 Maximise storage Modern living demands different requirements to those of our ancestors, so draw up a list of everything, not forgetting that you also need a home for the vacuum cleaner and ironing board!
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a
pt
a period home 3 Plan the electrics 21st Century living demands a lot of power. Sockets inside cupboards can help you hide audio-visual equipment and maintain a period look. 4 Lighting Lamps work well for living rooms, especially where there are low ceilings. Ones collected from antique shops and markets will create a more individual look and save you money on expensive fitting. 5 Make it home Piles of books look incredibly homely and warm. Mix with vintage finds to create a comfortable, lived-in look – that’s the difference between home and a show home. The Weekender 37
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Top: Easy living the Georgian way Right: Locally-sourced shiplap timber softens the modern extension
ral un-fitted look, even though it is fully equipped with everything you’d expect from a kitchen today. Where new materials were necessary, they were selected for their natural and enduring qualities; a flagstone floor complements the restored wide floorboards seen elsewhere in the house. They say that a home can tell us a lot about its occupants, but this charming home also tells us that period houses can support a contemporary lifestyle with a nod to the past that allows you to close the door on some of the stresses and strains of modern life. All that’s left is to light the fire and open some wine. www.settlehomes.com 38 The Weekender
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ACTIVITY
There are thousands of footpaths worth exploring in the East Kent countryside, so grab your hiking boots and sling on a rucksack for The Weekender’s guide to walking
No Cars A
S
hould you ever decide to go for a country walk this weekend, one thing is for sure – you won’t be alone. Over seven million of us spend our weekends rambling up and down the British countryside, and in the county of Kent there are up to 4,200 miles of footpaths, bridleways, and byways. Admittedly, we have nothing to rival the epic peaks of Snowdonia’s National Park or the Lake District, but the immediate countryside is surprisingly varied and easy to access. From marshy meanderings along the Thames estuary to thrilling cliff walks overlooking the Channel and winding river valleys and thick woodland in between, East Kent has it all. Coastal walkers gravitate towards the 160-mile-long Saxon Shore Way, which starts in Gravesend and ends in Hastings taking in both the Isle of Thanet and the White Cliffs of Dover. Inland, meanwhile, is marked by hundreds of rustic paths that reveal unspoilt landscapes and infinite clues to the county’s past. Perhaps you will soon find yourself 40 The Weekender
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s Allowed
on one of our recommended walks (listed here) because it’s important, every now and then, to take a step away from the stresses of everyday life. Or maybe you are drawn to the endless variety of wildlife on offer; choose from soaring falcons and stately herons to Brent Geese and rare butterflies. In terms health, fitness, and well-being, there is no doubt that a long autumnal walk is good for the body and the soul. And there is certainly a lot more to this popular, cheap and easy-to-do activity than putting one leg in front of the other. On the route ahead, stale lungs and brains get cleared, friendships are formed and problems resolved, leaving you ready to face tougher assignments ahead once Monday comes around. There’s also nothing quite like the feeling of returning from a day out on the country trail, ruddy-faced from the wind and sun and ready for a hot bath and a cool, refreshing drink. So whether you chose to go alone, or are accompanied by a friend, a lover, your mates or your family, be sure to enjoy every step of the journey.
“There’s nothing quite like the feeling of returning from a day out on the trail, ruddyfaced from the wind and sun and ready for a hot bath”
Walk This Way! From the famous White Cliffs to the mysterious marshes of the north Kent coast, here are some routes to get you started. For a more comprehensive list of suggested walks visit www.kent.gov.uk/explorekent
1 The White Cliffs (Dover to Deal) Why do it? For the spectacular views across the English Channel (or is it La Manche?). So whether, to quote Dame Vera, it’s blue skies over or instead blowing a gale, all your body’s senses get a workout. How long does it take? Allow for five hours (10 miles approximately). What to see along the way Dover’s busy harbour is impressive when viewed gull-like from above, then there’s the wind-battered South Foreland
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lighthouse, which was built to warn ships off the Goodwin Sands, and the coastal hideaway of St Margaret’s Bay. Noel Coward had a house on the seafront, which he later sold to James Bond creator Ian Fleming.
the beach in St Margaret’s Bay. www.thecoastguard.co.uk
Point of interest Stately Walmer Castle and the wild plants growing on the shingle beach opposite are well worth a look.
2 The Elham Valley Way
Take a break At The Coastguard pub and restaurant by
What to take with you A pair of binoculars – for spying on the French.
Why do it? Because there cannot be a more beautiful or bucolic way of getting from coastal
Hythe to Canterbury Cathedral (or vice versa). Only by foot, will you get to see the heart of the North Kent Downs. How long does it take? The whole stretch can be done in two days (22.5 miles). What to see along the way This long but satisfying ramble along the River Nailbourne’s chalk valley reveals ancient woodland, new-ish vineyards, age-old sheep pastures and medieval church spires. There are stops to be had
“The river Stour winds through some of the most attractive scenery in East Kent”
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ACTIVITY the many villages long the way, most of whom have a decent local pub with food.
sham Creek boasts the oldest warehouse in Britain, marked by an Open Plaque.
Point of interest Steam engine buffs head for the Elham Valley Railway Museum in Peene. Here you can relive Kent’s golden of age of steam when a railway connected Folkestone to Canterbury before closing in 1947. www.elhamvalleylinetrust.org
Take a break Build up a good thirst before resting your tired feet at Seasalter’s The Sportsman gastro pub. This eaterie is popular with locals and tourists alike, so be advised to book in advance. www.thesportsmanseasalter.co.uk
Take a break At the Black Robin in Kingston village, a family run pub with home made food and a wide selection of beers. www.theblackrobin.co.uk
What to take with you A spare pair of walking socks. The terrain can get extremely wet and muddy, especially in winter.
What to take with you A copy of Joseph Conrad’s classic novella Heart of Darkness. The famous author lived at Oswalds in the village of Bishopsbourne.
3 Faversham to Whitstable Why do it? Because this flat, undemanding stretch of the Saxon Shore Way offers a glimpse of the area’s industrial past and some epic panoramas of the Thames estuary look-
ing out towards The Isle of Sheppey and beyond. How long does it take? Allow four and a half hours (10 miles approximately). What to see along the way Faversham’s well-preserved medieval streets give way to its Dickensian creeks and boatyards. Spot sea birds and waders on Graveney Marshes, part of the South Swale Nature Reserve, and follow the low lying Saxon Shore Way with its concrete sea wall to Whitstable, home of the Kentish oyster. Point of interest Standard Quay off Faver-
4 The Stour Valley Walk Why do it? Starting from well-connected, cosmopolitan Ashford, the Stour river winds all the way to coastal Sandwich through some the most attractive and undiscovered scenery in East Kent. Spot wildlife and birds such as the symbolic heron or rare hairy dragonfly, and be sure to refuel at one of the Stour’s many riverside pubs. How long does it take? The entire 58mile stretch can be done over a long
Pics from top left (clockwise): Spying on the French from the White Cliffs; the South Foreland lighthouse; stay on the right track; apples ripe for picking in the Stour Valley; view from a bridge on the Stour
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ACTIVITY weekend or, alternatively, broken down into shorter sections. What to see along the way From Ashford, the river winds through the quaint villages of Wye, Godmersham, Chilham and Chartham. The mills, manor houses and farms eventually give way to Canterbury where the river divides before linking again at Fordwich, which in medieval times, was its old port. From here, the river flows eastwards to the coast through the flat meadows and reed beds of the Stodmarsh Nature Reserve then onto the old Roman settlement of Richborough Castle and the historic Cinq Ports hub Sandwich. Point of interest The three cooling towers of the abandoned Richborough Power Station. They have been inactive since 1996. Take a break At The Grove Ferry Inn in Upstreet, scene of many a smuggling episode, now a highly recommended stop-over along the Stour. www.thegroveferry.co.uk
Pic above: from the graveyard at All Saints Church, West Stourmouth
What to take with you The definitive twitcher’s Bible: Collins Complete Guide to British Birds: A Photographic Guide to Every Common Species by Paul Sterry
How to stay on the right track Ordnance Survey expert Matt Wills reveals his top navigation tips:
ible on the ground such as walls, rivers and trig points.
1 On long hazardous journeys, always pre-plan your route and leave a route card of where you intend to go with a friend or owner of your B&B.
5 Being able to identify natural features in the landscape as well as man made ones to navigate by is essential. Look at the lie of the land in relation to the contours on the map and try and line the two up.
2 Know your own limitations and stick to them. 3 If you are unsure of where you are on a particular footpath or track, select two features in the landscape that line up with one another and where you are. Draw a line on your map through these features and where the line crosses the path is where you are.
6 The straightest route between where you are and where you want to be may not be the easiest, quickest or safest. Examine the map when planning your route to understand the type of terrain that you will be covering. Is it mountainous? Are there any rivers to cross? Is the terrain boggy?
4 Break your route down into small easy-to-navigate sections, using obvious features from the map that are vis-
7 To work out roughly how long a walk will take you can follow Naismith’s rule. The rule works on the
premise of the average person walking 5km per hour on the flat and then adding 10 minutes for every 100m of ascent climbed. 8 Be prepared when you go out. Food, drink, compass, torch, mobile phone, warm clothing and a torch are some of the essentials you should always carry with you as well as your OS maps.
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ACTIVITY
Let’s Go: Walking
C
ountry walking is one outdoors activity that seems to require no special skills other than a Wordsworth-ian appreciation of nature and a willingness to keep weary legs moving until twilight, when those pub lights are twinkling invitingly on the horizon.
Of course, you can choose to walk in a pair of gum boots and an old tweed coat, but you’d be mad not to take advantage of the latest lightweight, performance-driven walking gear which has been purpose-designed to keep us steadily on track in all conditions. Why not try these for starters?
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Mountain Equipment Firefox jacket £200 This super lightweight Gore Tex soft shell jacket is ideal for a repelling the rain and keeping you warm and dry on the trail. For heavier downpours it features a hood with an adjustable peak and there are generous side pockets for your mobile phone and all those sweet wrappers. North Face Hedgehog III shoes £85 Walking footwear no longer has the feel of lead weights attached to your ankles, and lately designers have looked to sports shoe technology to make hiking shoes lighter and more responsive. They are designed to keep your feet supported and sturdy over unpredictable terrain; the outside of the shoe offers superior
traction and durability, while the inside both cushions the heel and stabilises your footsteps. Magellan Explorist 510 GPS £350 With the arrival of affordable, hand-held GPS devices, it has never been easier or more fun to navigate in the outdoors. This rugged, waterproof device combines high sensitivity GPS reception with easy-to-read mapping and accurate navigation. An in-built 3.2 mega-pixel camera and microphone/ speaker lets you record geo-referenced images and voice notes. Perfect for an outdoor blog or for sharing online. Leki Jasper Antishock pole £38 Poles are not just for back country skiers, and aluminium sticks like these can reduce the shock of going down hill and improve all-round balance
and stability. This lightweight pole has a comfortable rubber-like grip with a soft-lined safety strap and can be adjusted to suit all heights and terrains. Don’t leave home without one. SIGG drinks bottle £16 You need never go thirsty again with this stylish and practical one litre water bottle, made by Swiss manufacturers who specialise in portable aluminum drinking vessels that you can recycle. SIGG bottles are not just popular with hikers and mountain climbers, but they have also appeared as permanent exhibits in New York’s Museum of Modern Art.
Osprey Sirrus 26 rucksack £75 Made for a light and fast backcountry adventure, the women’s-specific Sirrus 26 provides organisation on-the-move in a highly compact package. Once on, it hugs the body so neatly, you’ll hardly know it’s there. The main storage area houses all your walking essentials plus there are two zippered hip belt pockets and side mesh pockets for your OS maps. And, in case the heavens open mid-trail, there is even an integrated rain cover. The above products are available from Cotswold Outdoor’s Maidstone store, 01622 738381 or online at www.cotswoldoutdoor.com The Weekender 47
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JUST THE JOB
David Flood
Organist and Choirmaster
D
r David Flood has been Master of the Choristers at Canterbury Cathedral since 1988. His job is to manage the choir consisting of 26 choristers and 12 lay clerks and he auditions new applicants at the annual Voice Trials in November. He oversees the Cathedral’s music programme and has played the organ at four Archbishop enthronement services as well as the 1982 visit by Pope John Paul II. He is married with four children and lives in the Cathedral Precincts. At Christmas we have two big carol services with over 2,000 people attending. We aim to make it a wonderful experience. I know it has gone well when what I’ve rehearsed has actually happened, and that all the members of my team are happy with their performance. That’s largely due to the preparation. The boys (from nearby St Edmund’s School) carry a heavy responsibility, which they enjoy. We rehearse every single morning and then again when they finish school in the afternoon. Choristers do occasionally get sick at the last minute, and for the Christmas carol service I always have two extra people lined up for Once In Royal David’s City.
I audition boys aged seven years for a Voice Trail. When I hear them sing, I look for intelligence, a bright musical ear and the makings of a voice. I also want to see a sparkle in their eyes. Some of our choristers go on to become professional musicians, but some of them don’t. Whatever they end up doing, they will do it with huge confidence with a high level of concentration and dedication. Hopefully, the music never leaves them.
“I look for a bright musical ear and the makings of a voice. I also want to see a sparkle in their eyes”
My job is to inspire their confidence and teach them how to sing. Having a strong musical background and to be practising in music is important, but I must inspire them; I must inspire them to give the performance of their lives. Whether you are running a small parish choir or one in a Cathedral, people skills are vital.
The onset of puberty is a dreadful moment. They have a four to five year career from the ages of eight to 13 years. All of a sudden, the thing that makes them so gifted has gone. At around this age the voice begins to slide but sometimes it just stops, which is terrible for them. Our music policy is as wide and varied as possible. We go right back to the 14th Century but we also commission music from contemporary composers. I view our music policy as a menu with something for everybody to enjoy. I live just 20 yards from the Cathedral. There’s so much to discover here and we are right in the centre of things. My favourite part of the building is the choir where I work everyday. The stained glass is so beautiful and the acoustics are so good. It can be scary playing in the Cathedral but it’s a real thrill.
In my early days here, I played for the enthronement of Archbishop Runcie and for the visit of Pope John Paul II. You can get very nervous and become aware that one little finger can make it go horribly wrong. It’s not just a question of controlling the nerves but being able to give a performance that is memorable and inspiring. Music is vocation, and if you’re a musician you have to perform. People do make mistakes and we’re all human, aren’t we? There is at least one or two mistakes in every performance, but luckily people rarely notice. The Cathedral’s free Christmas carol services are on 23 December (7.30pm) and 24 December (3pm). To apply for tickets for the latter (no charge, max of four tickets per application) please write to: Mrs J Prebble, Cathedral House, 11 The Precincts, Canterbury, CT1 2EH, enclosing a stamped self-addressed envelope.
Pros & Cons
PROS Being able to work in a fantastic, historic building
CONS Having only a limited amount of time at home
To be given the chance to develop his music programme
“It’s all consuming and you don’t get weekends off”
48 The Weekender
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La Trappiste is a bar/restaurant selling over 110 different Belgium Beers • We are now taking Christmas bookings: three course lunch £21.95 or a three course dinner for £25.95. Starting from 25th November – 23rd December • We have a roof terrace and an upstairs restaurant • We cater for large parties • We have live music most evenings from 7.30pm • Why not come to one of our beer tasting evenings on the last Thursday of every month? This includes tasting Belgian food and10 Belgium beers. Tickets are available in advance at £15 • We roast our own coffee and bake our own bread to eat in or take-away Present this advert from The Weekender to claim your voucher for a free tea or coffee La Trappiste, 1 and 2 Sun Street, Canterbury, Kent Tel 01227 479 111
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MY EAST KENT LIFE
Polly Evans
BBC South East Today newsreader, on her passion for the local arts scene and why popping down to Margate is always a magical experience
Down from London by train
I commute to our studio in Tunbridge Wells from London and Sussex. People don’t imagine that you can get out of the city so quickly and find such gorgeous countryside – it’s as if you’ve been transported to another world. I’m lucky to work in a part of the country that’s so lovely and peaceful.
Favourite beauty spots
My earliest memories of Kent are coming to stay with friends in Tunbridge Wells and spending long, lazy summer days in the countryside around Pembury and thinking it was just like being in an episode of The Darling Buds of May. The landscape between Faversham and Canterbury is really lovely with some beautiful valleys, but I also love the coast and the marshlands where East Kent suddenly becomes really flat. You get a sense that you could be right in the middle of a Dickens novel, and you become especially aware of it as you drive down to Pegwell Bay. There is just so much sky – it’s beautiful.
00 The Weekender
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A local view
I worked as a local news reporter for five years before becoming a newsreader, so I’ve been all over East Kent meeting people and finding out what residents think about everything that’s going on. It was great fun meeting the guys down at The Joke Shop in Margate, and I love going to get an ice cream from Morelli’s in Broadstairs – they’ve always been so friendly to me whenever I pop in. I really enjoy doing outside broadcasts, and it is touching when viewers say that they feel like they know me and Rob (Smith, her co-host on South East Today) from seeing us on the telly. When you sit in the studio and read the news you have to imagine the people watching, so it’s nice to meet the faces of the people you’re talking to every night.
Picture perfect
Now that the Turner Contemporary has opened in Margate, I’ve really enjoyed going to see the exhibitions there. The recreation of JM Turner’s painting studio is fantastic. What I love about the gallery is the way the light floods in; when you’re on the upper floors and you can look out through those enormous windows you feel like you’re floating on the sea. I like to wander around smaller art galleries too in places like Whitstable.
There are all sorts of interesting things on the high street and plenty of independent shops. Whitstable is carving a niche for somewhere that likes to support setting up individual business and traders.
The magic of Margate
I have an ongoing relationship with Margate, and it’s a place I’m very fond of. I love how much it’s changed and it’s fantastic to watch the area regenerating because it’s got so much potential. I like to wander around the little antiques shops, dropping into The Cupcake
Café and exploring the old town. It’s an old cliché that Turner loved Margate because of the light, but because of the way it faces north, it does have incredible sunsets. There’s nothing quite like sitting at the end of the harbour with a coffee or a glass of wine and watching the sun set over Margate. Interview by Nikki Osman
Pics (from left): Art-loving Polly loves a view from Margate’s harbour (Richard Bryant/Arcaidimages.com); more traditional seaside pleasures; a cupcake from the old town
16/09/2011 13:19
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17 September 2011 – 8 January 2012 Margate Free admission
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