We spent the rest of the afternoon and early evening resting and cooling down from our walk in the sun. We also made tea, of course, though I will admit that I allowed mine to become tepid before I drank it, rather than drinking it hot, as I usually do.

The gull returns

The gull returned to the balcony and walked up and down the rail while casting speculative glances in our direction. A possible explanation for this is that a previous occupant of the room had fed him and that he comes back from time to time, hoping for a repetition. After a while, no doubt disappointed, he flew away.

The chip shop

What should we do for supper? We did not feel like a big meal in a cafe or restaurant but what were the alternatives? Our first essay was to look at the shelves of a corner shop, hoping to find sandwiches or other snacks. We drew a blank there. Then, nearby, we spotted a fish and chips shop where they also offered deep fried halloumi. Perfect!

The inner harbour at night

Carrying our food in a bag we set off to find a bench to sit on to eat. (Fried food may be delicious but it has a strong smell and we preferred not to make our hotel room stink.)

Benches and tables in view

Tigger has an intuition for these things (I sometimes think she should try water divining as I’m sure the results would be interesting…) and set off as though she knew where she was going. I tagged along, confident in her abilities. We reached the old Harbour Railway Station and there found picnic tables perfect for our need. (They belonged to a cafe but as this was closed, there was no harm in our using their furniture.)

Feast in a box

We duly chomped our way through our meal-in-a-box in the pleasant and interesting surroundings of the refurbished station.

The station still looks like a station

Even though the station has been cleaned and repainted, it still looks like a station and, especially at night, I found myself half-expecting to see a train arrive. It gave me a jolt to catch sight, out of the corner of my eye, of people walking by on what my mind identified as the tracks.

Looking along the “tracks”

When we had finished our meal (and disposed of the the litter in the bin provided), we walked along the platform to the road at the end. When the station was working, there would have been a level crossing here but the gates were removed long ago. I took the above photo looking along what would have been the tracks but is now a two-lane path to town, which we followed earlier today.

A last look at the station

No ghost trains appeared, no phantom whistles blew and no shadowy figures in railway uniform flitted in and out of the boarded up doors. The station was peaceful and quiet though with an atmosphere all its own.

We returned to the hotel for the rest of the evening, content with our day. Tomorrow we have other things to do but let tomorrow look after itself.

The tide’s in

It was already past 2 pm by the time we bestirred ourselves to go out and prospect for lunch. The temperature, bearable this morning, had risen. The Met Office revised its mid-afternoon figure to 25°C but I think the local value was higher than that.

Balconies on our floor

Before leaving, I stepped onto our balcony to photograph the inner basin with the high tide (above). At the same time I photographed the balconies of this row of hotel rooms, including ours. As you can see, it would be easy for someone to step over the dividers and go to any room in the row. The sliding balcony window has a bolt but it is not very substantial. I think a determined person could break through it. Unlike some hotels, this one doesn’t provide a safe in the room. We take our few valuables with us when we go out.

The stairwell
Photo by Tigger

Only one lift serves our floor so there is a certain amount of congestion, especially during the day when the lift is used by housekeeping staff with big trolleys. There are two other lifts which serve floors up to 7. So one way to beat the congestion in our single lift is to walk down a floor and take one of the lifts from floor 7. We tried this (which was when Tigger photographed the hypnotic stair well), and it worked perfectly. A trick to remember when our lift is busy.

The Captain’s Table

We didn’t want to go too far to find lunch so when we came upon the Captain’s Table, we went in and asked for a table.

Inside the Captain’s Table
Photo by Tigger

The only criticism I would advance is that payment is by cash only. In my view, that’s unforgivable in this day and age. What stops them moving to contactless? I have my suspicions but had better not express them.

Sunny Sands

After lunch, we walked along the seafront, beyond the Harbour Arm where there is a beach rejoicing in the name of Sunny Sands. It probably isn’t always sunny (this is the UK, after all) but it’s certainly sandy. There were a lot of people doing what people do on beaches.

Stairs

The promenade ends here where there is a staircase that presumably leads to the street. I say “presumably” because we did not go up it and so I don’t know where it leads.

Beyond are rocks

Beyond this point the coast is covered with rocks and is unsuitable for beach activities.

Rocks on the beach

In fact, the rocks start on the sandy beach before this point, providing, as it were, an indication of what is to come.

Returning the way we had come

Ignoring the steps, we turned and went back by the way we had come. As you can see in this contre-jour photo, it’s no small distance.

Arcade

At one point, we walked along this arcade as it provided shelter from the sun.

Sea lapping rocks

I photographed the sea lapping the rocks. It looks so gentle – almost benign – here, but I know it can also be violent and destructive.

The Folkestone Mermaid
Cornelia Parker

This is not Den Lille Havfrue but is perhaps inspired by her. There’s more about this sculpture here.

In view of the heat and the good walk we had had, we returned to our hotel room to make tea and rest. We opened the balcony window and…

A gull appears

…a visitor appeared, strolling along the balcony rail. I just managed to snatch this photo before it disappeared from our view.

After our less than satisfactory encounters with the local bus service over the last couple of days, we are taking it easy today and staying in town. According to the weather forecast, it will be another day of heatwave with a high of 24°C this afternoon.

Sunrise
Photo by Tigger

Once again, Tigger was awake before me and took some pictures of the sunrise.

A juvenile gull visits our balcony
Photo by Tigger

Later, a juvenile gull appeared on our balcony, perhaps hoping to find food scraps.

Another sunny day in Folkestone

We at last set out into the sunshine. We went first to the Harbour Arm, once Folkestone’s gateway to Europe and today a place of entertainment and pleasure (allegedly).

The Harbour Railway Station

We crossed over what were once railway lines and passed the old Harbour Railway Station.

Holiday Home
Richard Wiods

We stopped to look at this object, called Holiday Home, a companion to the one floating in the harbour. Like all public art in this town, it is claimed to be part of Creative Folkestone Artworks. The artist is Richard Woods.

Cormorants

We spotted these cormorants hanging out together as is their wont. They have not been fishing recently: if they had been, they would be spreading their wings to dry them. Later they were joined by a black-backed gull.

Looking along the Harbour Arm

This photo shows the Harbour Arm with its lighthouse at the end.

The lighthouse

Here is a closer view of the lighthouse.

Looking along the Arm to Folkestone

We walked along the upper level of the Arm. On the left, in the picture, is the open sea. Straight ahead is a view of the town.

The old Harbour Station

Via a downward slope, our path led into the old Harbour Railway Station. All doorways are boarded up but the station signs, in both English and French, are still in place and as fresh and clean as new.

Rug People
Paloma Varga Weisz

This sculpture stands between the two railway tracks. The track bed, once filled between the rails with dirty pebbles, has been covered in with tarmac and the central area turned into a garden.

Bold gull

We reached a flight of steps leading down to the street and on the railings sat a young gull, calm and seemingly unconcerned by people passing by quite close. Perhaps he was hoping for a handout.

The Old High Street

We climbed (slowly!) up the Old High Street, stopping first at Folklore for coffee.

Stairway to… somewhere

Partway up the Old High Street, we came to this staircase. Were we tempted to climb it and see where it leads? In a word, no. Climbing the street was exercise enough.

Sandgate Road

At the top, we reached Sandgate Road, glad to be on the flat at last.

Old Burtons’ Store

We spotted this old Burtons’ store, which, unlike many, still has the trademark Burton name still in place. We looked for any foundation stones but could find none, unsurprising because the ground floor has been altered, no doubt removing them.

Sandgate Road

We walked along Sandgate Road which is pedestrian-only and has taken over the role of the town’s high street.

The Step Short Commemorative Arch

This brought us to a hilly road that was renamed Road of Remembrance in honour of the fallen of World War One. At the top is this arch by Philip Gearing. (“Step short” is the command given to marching soldiers to shorten their step when marching up a hill.)

Looking back up the Road of Remembrance

We walked down the Road of Remembrance, which is fairly steep, though, of course, it is easier going down than up!

Crocheted poppies

Down the righthand side of the road is a metal fence. (Beyond it the ground slopes steeply downwards.) Thousands of poppies have been made by individuals with crochet and affixed to the fence.

At the bottom of the hill, we were fairly near our hotel to which we now returned for rest and recuperation. The next item on the agenda will be lunch but I will post this now.