Ramsgate Town Walk

Town Rounders

Ramsgate Town Walk

Regency, Royal & Riviera

2 | explore kent explore kent | 3

Walking doesn’t have to be all compasses and yomps across the countryside. In fact, with a little imagination and the right routes, a stroll through an historic town like Ramsgate can be just as satisfying. With two walking loops, numerous attractions and an impressive list of discount partner cafés, bars, shops and places of interest to explore, Town Rounders is definitely a path worth following with a Riviera vibe.

Ramsgate Town Walk

“I’m a Londoner, so the dream weekend is a train to the coast to walk and bike and soak in seaside culture. Ramsgate’s got the lot.”

Nicholas CranePresenter of the BBC Coast series


One walk. Two loops.Countless surprises.Is Ramsgate the perfect place to go for a seaside jolly, some fresh air and the best chips in the land? (Peter’s Fish Bar was officially awarded the title in 2012.) Well, yes - and a whole lot more besides, because Ramsgate has grown from a humble 13th century fishing hamlet to become one of the

21st century’s most interesting and historically rich UK harbour towns.

It has elegant regency architecture, beautifully positioned leafy squares and a stunning marina! In other words, there’s more to see than you might expect, which is

why this walk has been broken down into two loops, each with its own distinctive take on the town. Enjoy every new discovery, have fun and don’t forget to keep an eye out for the many partner cafés, shops and bars you can call into on the way.


Loop 1 of this town walk begins with a gentle stroll down Harbour Parade past the yacht marina where you can pull up a chair at a local café and let the sights and sounds of this busy modern day Riviera wash over you. Follow the route beyond the wonderful array of boats old and new, big and small, expensive and… more expensive... and you will soon discover a wealth of local history right at your feet.

The old Royal Harbour, originally built in response to the Great Storm of 1703 (the worst disaster

to befall the Royal Navy in peacetime) is a truly remarkable piece of local history that continues to play an important role in the area. It has been honoured by kings (Ramsgate is the only Royal harbour in Britain) and shaped by seismic events such as the Napoleonic war when it became a busy garrison town, with tens of thousands of troops embarking and disembarking through the harbour. It was also the first town to be hit by Zeppelin air raids in WW1 and played a key role in the rescue of troops from Dunkirk in WW2.

Loop the LoopLoop 2 also begins beside the marina but quickly leads away from the harbour to introduce you to a very different world. On this route, you will pass elegant regency town houses, including the homes of Vincent Van Gogh and John-Gibson Lockhart and historically rich buildings like St Augustine’s Abbey (one of just four Benedictine monasteries in Great Britain) and the Gothic church designed by the famous Gothic Revivalist architect Augustus Welby Pugin. You will relax in a beautiful town park, walk through picturesque,

leafy squares and discover a whole new way of looking at an old historic town.

Both loops have been designed to give you a sense of what makes Ramsgate such an interesting and worthwhile town to explore. And both routes enjoy the support of a variety of local businesses, cafes and restaurants offering a variety of exclusive offers for Active Ramsgate walkers.

Enjoy it all!


Eat, drink and support local business

Why make walking hard work when you can follow one of the new Active Ramsgate routes and enjoy every step? Themed to be fun as well as informative and supported by a wealth of local businesses, each walk has been carefully created to surprise and reward.

Take a look...Here are some of the cafés, bars and other attractions offering discounts and specials offers on this route - all offers are valid until 31 March 2014.

Go to www.ramsgatetown.org for more offers

The Churchill Tavern£5 lunch menu on offer from 12pm Mon-Sat. (Child and dog friendly)

Comfort Inn Salon10% discount on all treatments

Miles Bar2nd bottle of same value wine ½ price. (Monday - Friday, 5 - 7 pm, except bank holidays)

Nice Things (in the Custom House)10% discount on all purchases over £30

Oak Hotel1 free soft drink with any food ordered from the menu (Monday - Friday, 12 - 6pm)

The Old Custom Coffee Shop and CarveryChildren eat free with full paying adult. (Child under 8, weekends only)

Pizza ExpressFor latest offers view www.pizzaexpress.com/offers

Ramsgate Tandoori10% discount

Rib Request10% discount on bay and beach boat trips, seal and wildlife trips and wind farm trips. (Must book in advance)

The Royal1 free soft drink with any food ordered from the menu (Monday - Friday, 12 - 6pm)

Sea Searcher Boat Trips25% discount on all day fishing trips and on seal and wildlife trips. (Must book in advance)


The list of well known people who have lived and worked in Ramsgate over the years is surprisingly long and includes Brenda Blethyn, Francis Austen, Elizabeth Fry, Edward Heath, John Le Mesurier, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, Queen Victoria and a young up and coming Dutch painter called Vincent Van Gogh. In 1876, Vincent worked as a supply teacher at 6 Royal Road and boarded at 11 Spencer Square where he made a number of sketches of the view from his lodgings overlooking the harbour and wrote a series of letters to his brother Theo. This is what he had to say on the 6th May 1876:

“It’s already Saturday evening again; the weather’s beautiful today: the sea is very calm and it’s low tide at the moment. The sky is a delicate whitish blue with a haze in the distance. Early this morning it was also beautiful, everything was clear, where now it’s more or less hazy.This town has something very singular; one notices the sea in everything…. These are really happy days, the ones I’m spending here, day after day, and yet it’s a happiness and peacefulness that I don’t trust entirely, though one thing can lead to another.

A person isn’t easily satisfied, one moment he finds things far too good and the next he’s not satisfied enough. But I’m saying this by the by, we would do better not to talk about it, but rather continue quietly on our way….”

Van Gogh’s Impressions of Ramsgate


The lighthouse that moved

Step livelyJacob’s Ladder

Believed to have been the favoured means of access to and from the harbour for gold coin smugglers in a rush, Jacob’s Ladder, originally a series of

wooden steps that led down to west pier, was designed and built by skilled carpenter, Jacob Steed in 1754. Now stone, the ‘ladder’ remains an impressive feat of

construction and can be found on Loop 1, just beyond the Sailor’s Church, another attraction that deserves more than a passing glance.

When the decision to build a lighthouse at the edge of West pier was taken, no one anticipated just how often or hard it would be struck by errant yardarms of vessels entering the harbour. But it

was. So often and so hard, in fact, that in 1842 the radical decision was taken to move the entire lighthouse and rebuild it in its current position, safely out of yardarms’ way.


© Crown Copyright and database right 2013. Ordnance Survey 100019238

± 0Metres

Yards

0 100 200

0 100 200

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

1213

14

15

Loop 1 - 1.4 miles (2.3km)

Bus Stop

Parking

Information

Museum

Loop 2 - 2 miles (3.2km)

Toilet


“Every inch of Kent’s coast is a leisure destination, whether it’s walking, cycling, climbing or more adventurous sports like windsurfing, sailing, water skiing, there is something for everyone on Kent’s coast.”

Sam Brearey, National, European and World Sailing Champion

Step by step guide

Loop 1

1 Loop 1 begins outside the Pizza Express restaurant opposite Yacht Marina. Make your way from here along Harbour Parade towards the Clock Tower where two important WW2 operations launched from Ramsgate are commemorated. Directly beside the Tower you will find a building made from a converted shipping container that features some brilliant artwork of a tumultuous sea, and an old Steam Tug called ‘Cervia’ that was part of a restoration project by the Ramsgate Maritime Museum.

2 Continue past an amenities block for the Marina (no public access) and head towards a small wooden building. Now walk across the bridge adjacent to this building and over the channel between the Marina and Royal Harbour. You will soon pass a yacht hoist used for lifting boats in and out of the harbour and see the RNLI station to the left hand side. Please note that the quayside is open around this loop (no barriers) so do take care of children and dogs.

3 Keep on towards a large red buoy on the quayside, past another amenities block with an interpretation panel (but no public access) and follow the West Pier out to the lighthouse where, on a clear weather day, there are excellent views out towards the headland at St. Margaret’s and back towards Pegwell Bay. You’ll find a number of benches located around the base of the lighthouse that also offer some great views across the harbour to the town.

Walk overview:Location: Harbour Parade, Ramsgate, CT118LN

Distance: Loop 1 - 1.4 miles (2.3km) - allow 45 minutes: Loop 2 - 2 miles (3.2km) - allow 1 hour

Terrain: Mainly pavements with road crossings Open Quayside (no barriers)

Facilities: Shops, cafés, restaurants, pubs and public toilets along the walk

Transport: Traveline 0871 200 22 33 www.traveline.info

4 When you are ready to continue, retrace the route back to the red buoy but carry straight on towards the Sailor’s Church. Turn right as you exit the marina gates and on the side of the church you will see a blue plaque that commemorates the contribution of HMS Fervent to WW2.

5 Loop 1 has a final treat for you. Snuggled in the arches beneath Royal Parade there are a number of places to stop for a rest including ‘Ship Shape’, a small café with a delicious selection of drinks and food you can enjoy in a highly original and atmospheric setting.

Loop 2

6 Ready to begin Loop 2? Then cross the road opposite Harveys pub and make your way up York Street, past Corby’s Tea Rooms until you reach the T-junction and turn right into Queen Street. (There are some public toilets at the end of an alley immediately to your left, if you need them).

7 Approach the next junction with Lloyds

bank on your left hand side and turn into the High Street (signposted towards the post office and railway station). After 180 metres, you will turn left again into George

Street, opposite Natwest Bank and the China Garden restaurant. Keep going for another 120 metres until you see a post box mounted in the wall on your right hand side and turn into Guildford Lawn where you will be greeted by a fabulous terrace of Regency houses.

8 Follow the curve of the road and you will

eventually emerge opposite the Public Library; a magnificent building that was restored after a serious fire in 2004. The stunning new stained-glass window you see today was produced by a local artist and incorporated designs from local schoolchildren.

9 Your next turn will lead you right into Clarendon Gardens where you will continue to follow the road to its junction with Elms Avenue. You’ll know you’re on the right track when you see the Almshouses of the Parish of St George to your right.

10 Follow the boundary of Clarendon House

Grammar School and use the pelican crossing to cross over to Beresford Road on the right-hand side. At the end of Beresford Road turn left into Vale Square and walk towards the fenced park/shared garden that’s


directly ahead of you on the right-hand side. Now turn right and, keeping the park to the left (you are still in Vale Square), make your way down this leafy lane towards the spire of Christchurch Church. Turn left past the front of the church, following Vale Square round which will bring you to back on yourself to a junction with Vale Court. Turn right here and head towards the Artillery Arms pub on the opposite side of West Cliff Road.

11 Continue over West Cliff Road into Royal

Road and head towards the prominent sign for the Trafalgar Hotel painted on the side of a tall building. You might want to pause for a while to enjoy everything Spencer Square has to offer at this point. As well as the historic terraced houses overlooking the square there is a small park (with plenty of benches for weary walkers), a couple of tennis courts, and two blue, circular plaques commemorating the homes of Vincent Van Gogh (1876) and local author and editor, John-Gibson Lockhart, (who was also the son-in-law of the author, Sir Walter Scott).

12 Cross over into St Augustine’s Road and pass the Regency Hotel on your left shortly before reaching the historic St Augustine’s Abbey and Gothic church designed by Pugin; to the right-hand and left-hand side of the road respectively. Both of these historic buildings

are easily recognisable by their flint-stone construction. A little further on and you will turn left, pass the public conveniences (with baby-change and disabled facilities) and head towards West Cliff Promenade and the Lookout kiosk where you can grab a well-deserved drink or snack, choose a bench and enjoy some fabulous views across the Western Ferry Terminal to the Royal Harbour.

There are plenty more opportunities to sit on a bench and take in the view, as you bear left onto the West Cliff promenade and continue back towards the Harbour.

13 As you pass the Churchill Tavern, the

promenade runs alongside the road and, approximately 165 metres on from the pub, cross over the road to enter Nelson Crescent. Now follow the road into Prospect Terrace until you reach the Foy Boat public house and bear left into Liverpool Lawn - famous for its Regency style houses and named after Earl Liverpool, Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports and Prime Minister 1812- 1827.

14 Walk on a little further, keeping the ‘Lawn’

on your right, until you turn into a smaller lane and Adelaide Gardens. From here you will emerge at a T-junction opposite a house with a blue plaque that records the birth place of Sir William Jordan, the New

Zealand High Commissioner. Turn left and then almost immediately right into Albert Street and make your way towards some modern apartments. Turn left into Grundy’s Hill and you will see Waitrose supermarket at the bottom of the hill on the opposite side of Queen Street. Take the right turning into Queen Street and continue for approximately 175 metres, crossing over Cliff Street, Princes Street and Leopold Street en-route. Follow the fourth turn on your right, into York Street and after approximately 30 metres you will reach Charlottes Court, a small alley on your left situated directly opposite the Sunrise Café.

15 Follow Charlottes Court past a selection of

pubs including Age & Son, The Horse and Groom and The Harbour Street Bar until you exit opposite The Village Grill where you will turn right into Harbour Street, follow the road back down to the Yacht Marina and end the walk right back where it began; outside The Royal public house where you can celebrate your success with a glass of your favourite tipple.


The Queens Head78 Harbour Parade, Ramsgate CT11 8LP 01843 853888 www.queenshead-ramsgate.co.uk

The Red Lion1 King St, Ramsgate CT11 8NN 01843 586713

The Sovereign (Smith & Jones Pub) 34-38 Harbour Street, Ramsgate CT11 8HA01843 855110

Restaurants and Cafés

Age & Sons Restaurant Café & BarCharlotte Court, RamsgateCT11 8HE 01843 851515 www.ageandsons.co.uk

The Alexandra Ristorante 70 Harbour Parade, Ramsgate CT11 8LP 01843 590595 www.alexandraristorante.co.uk

Atlantis Seafood Bar & Restaurant Oak Hotel, 66 Harbour Parade, Ramsgate CT11 8LP 01843 583686 www.oakhotel.co.uk

Bai Thak Restaurant (Indian) 6-8 West Cliff Arcade, Ramsgate CT11 8LH 01843 580290

Belgium Café (Bar & Food) 98 Harbour Parade, Ramsgate CT11 8LP 01843 587925 www.belgiancafe.co.uk

Bodrum 14 Harbour Street, Ramsgate CT11 8HA 01843 583434

Bon Appetit 4 West Cliff Arcade, Ramsgate CT118LH 01843 852750 www.thebonappetit.co.uk

Bytes 26 Harbour Street, Ramsgate 01843 581618

Caboose Café & Bar 18 Queen Street, RamsgateCT11 9DR 01843 570984 www.caboosecafe.co.uk

Café Go Go 16 Harbour Street, Ramsgate

Caffe Latte 8 Queen Street, RamsgateCT11 9DR 01843 590590 www.caffelatte.org.uk

Caffé Nero 4 High Street, RamsgateCT11 9AB 01843 590099

China Garden Restaurant 57 High St, Ramsgate CT11 9RJ 01843 588058

Continental Patisserie 5 York Street, RamsgateCT11 9DS

Corby’s Tea Rooms 18-20 York Street, Ramsgate CT11 9DS www.corbystearooms.co.uk

Public Houses

Artillery Arms (Freehouse) 6 West Cliff Rd, RamsgateCT11 9JS 0871 951 1000

The Churchill Tavern (Freehouse) 19-21 Paragon, RamsgateCT11 9JX 01843 587862 www.churchilltavern.co.uk

The Foy Boat (Real Ales) 8 Sion Hill, Ramsgate CT11 9HZ 01843 591198 www.foyboat.co.uk

Harbour St Bar (Freehouse)3 Harbour St, Ramsgate CT11 8HA 07795 954872

The Horse & Groom (Shepherd Neame) Charlotte Court, RamsgateCT11 8HE 01843 587 687 www.shepherdneame.co.uk/pubs/ramsgate/horse-groom

The Hovelling Boat Inn (Real Ale / Art Gallery) 12 York Street, RamsgateCT11 9DS 07974 613030 www.hovellingboatinn.co.uk

Jacksons Wharf 30 York Street, Ramsgate 01843 592550 www.jacksonswharf.piczo.com

The Jazz Room 88 Harbour Parade, Ramsgate CT11 8LP 01843 595459

Mariners Bar 35 York Street, RamsgateCT11 9DS 01843 589632 www.marinersbar.co.uk

The Oak (Freehouse) 66 Harbour Parade, Ramsgate CT11 8LP 01843 583686 www.oakhotel.co.uk

Port & Anchor (Freehouse)2-4 Albion Hill, RamsgateCT11 8HG 01843 850493

Look how much more Active Ramsgate has to offer...Active Ramsgate is an initiative carefully prepared to help everybody, locals and visitors, fully discover and enjoy Ramsgate and the surrounding area. It is also an initiative

supported by, and aiming to benefit, a growing number of local cafés, bars, restaurants and businesses. Call in along the way and ask about any Active Ramsgate special offers they

might have and you could walk out with a great deal more than you bargained for. Also visit the Special Offers section of the Active Ramsgate web pages.www.ramsagtetown.org


CT11 8HA 01843 592001 www.surinrestaurant.co.uk

Symphony Café Restaurant 37 Harbour Street, Ramsgate CT11 8HA 01843 599899 www.symphonycafe.co.uk

Thai Orchid 1-2 West Cliff Arcade, Ramsgate CT11 8LH 01843 585505

100% Thai Restaurant 8-10 Albion Hill, RamsgateCT11 8HG 01843 588380

Thai Style (Café Bar and Thai Restaurant) 1-2 West Cliff Arcade, Ramsgate CT11 8LH 01843 585505

Topps Edwardian Kiosk (seasonal)Harbour Parade, RamsgateCT11 8LP 07879 051943

Village Grill, Café and Restaurant 8 Harbour St, Ramsgate CT11 8HA 01843 583860

Vista (Bar, Restaurant and Café) 60 Harbour Parade, Ramsgate CT11 8LN 01843 588115

Accommodation

Comfort Inn (3 star)Victoria Parade, RamsgateCT11 8DT 01843 592345 www.comfortinnramsgate.co.uk

The Foy Boat Pub (B&B) 8 Sion Hill, Ramsgate, CT11 9HZ www.foyboat.co.uk

The GrangeSt Augustine’s Road, Ramsgate01628 825925www.landmarktrust.org.uk

Latimer House (4 star self-catering) Royal Road, Ramsgate 07785 733221

The Oak Hotel (2 star)66 Harbour Parade, Ramsgate CT11 8LP 01843 583686 www.oakhotel.co.uk

Royale Guesthouse (3 star) 7 Royal Rd, RamsgateCT11 9LE 01843 594712

The Royal Harbour Hotel (2 star) Nelson Crescent, RamsgateCT11 9JF 01843 591514 www.royalharbourhotel.co.uk

Spencer Court Hotel 37 Spencer Square Ramsgate CT11 9LD 01843 594582www.spencercourthotel.co.uk

Travelodge Royal Parade, RamsgateCT11 8LZ 0871 984 6477 www.travelodge.co.uk/hotels/510/Ramsgate-Seafront-hotel

Visitor Attractions

The Grange (open Wednesday afternoons 2 - 4pm) Westcliff Road, RamsgateCT11 9LJ 01843 588840

Nice ThingsThe Custom House, Harbour Parade, Ramsgate CT11 8LP www.nice-things.co.uk

Pinball Parlour2 Addington Street, Ramsgate CT11 9LJ07973 870544

Port of Ramsgate inc.Ramsgate Royal Harbour Marina Military Road, RamsgateCT11 9LQ

Ramsgate Maritime Museum (seasonal opening) The Clock House, Pier Yard, Royal Harbour, Ramsgate CT11 8LS 01843 570622

RIB Request (Boat Trips)Ramsgate Royal Harbour, Ramsgate, CT11 8LS07970 329907www.ribrequest.co.uk

Sailor’s Church (Free) Military Road, Ramsgate Harbour, Ramsgate 01843 589848

Sea Searcher Boat TripsPier Yard, Royal Harbour, Ramsgate, CT11 8LS07837 562076www.seasearcher.co.uk

St Augustine’s Church (restricted opening) St Augustines Road, Ramsgate

St Edward’s Presbytery (restricted opening) St Augustines Road, Ramsgate

The Gallery (Breakfasts & Snacks) 3 West Cliff Arcade, Ramsgate CT11 8LH

Harbour Fish Bar 39 Harbour Street, Ramsgate CT11 8HA 01843 570010

KFC 4-6 Queen Street, Ramsgate CT11 9DR 01843 587960

La Chooza Fried Chicken 28 Harbour St, RamsgateCT11 8HA 01843 582223

La Magnolia Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria 9-12 West Cliff Arcade, Ramsgate CT11 8LH 01843 580477 www.lamagnolia.co.uk

The Lookout (seasonal kiosk at Government Acre) Prince Edward Promenade, West Cliff, Ramsgate

Marmalade Café 11 Harbour Street, Ramsgate CT11 8HA 07528 072885

Miles (Café, Bistro & Bar) 56 Harbour Parade, Ramsgate CT11 8LN01843 585008 www.milesbarramsgate.com

The Old Custom House Coffee Shop & Carvery Harbour Parade, RamsgateCT11 8LP 01843 598755 www.customcoffeehouse.co.uk

Pelosi’s Ice Cream Parlour76 Harbour Parade, Ramsgate CT11 8LP 01843 570 585

Peter’s Fish Factory 96 Harbour Parade, Ramsgate CT11 8LP 01843 853272

Pizza Express 52 Harbour Parade, Ramsgate CT11 8LW 01843 592186

Ramsgate Tandoori 17 Harbour Street, Ramsgate CT11 8HA 01843 589134

Rokka (Eat, drink and party) 64 Harbour Parade, Ramsgate CT11 8LN 01843 599999 www.rokka.com

Roma (Coffee House) Oak Hotel 66 Harbour Parade, Ramsgate CT11 8LP 01843 583686 www.oakhotel.co.uk

Saffron Indian Cuisine13 Harbour St, Ramsgate CT11 8HA 01843 852877

Ship Shape Military Rd, Ramsgate, CT11 9LG 01843 597000

Sunrise Café 15 York Street, RamsgateCT11 9DS

Sunrise Fish & Chips 22 Queen Street, RamsgateCT11 9DR

Surin Restaurant (Thai) 30 Harbour Street, Ramsgate

This document is available in alternative formats and can be

explained in a range of languages. Tel: 0300 333 5540

For more information about Ramsgate and all the local area has to offer, you can pop into the Visitor Information Centres where the local staff will be happy to help.

Ramsgate Visitor Information Centre The Custom House, Harbour ParadeRamsgate CT11 8LP 01843 598750Open 10am - 4pm

Thanet Visitor Information CentreFor more things to do and places to stay in Ramsgate, Broadstairs and Margate.Droit House, Stone PierMargate CT9 1JD01843 577577www.visitthanet.co.ukOpen 10am - 5pm

For more things to do and places to stay in Kent, the Garden of England, go to www.visitkent.co.uk

For more walks in Kent use the excellent Explore Kent website www.kent.gov.uk/explorekentDownload the Explore Kent App and follow this walk on your smartphone.

Funded by Ramsgate Town Council

Kent GreetersWant a bit of individual attention? Kent Greeters are a band of helpful and passionate volunteers that are ready and waiting to share the local area they know and love so well. As well as taking you on a short 2 - 4 hour personalised walk, greeters will introduce you to the local highlights, hidden gems and everything else that makes up their day-to-day world. The service is created to be as helpful and fun as possible, totally free and available to groups of up to six people.

Visit their website for more details: www.kentgreeters.co.uk

www.ramsgatetown.org

Documents

Ramsgate Town Walk