Whitstable

Introducing Whitstable

Famous for its succulent oysters, which have been harvested off these warm shores since Roman times, Whitstable has an unspoiled charm far removed from other regional resorts. Still a humble fishing village at heart, its streets sport names like Squeeze Gut Alley and Skinner’s Alley, and a host of venerable old seafood restaurants. The shingle beach is barbed with rows of groins, but is a pretty stretch nonetheless, dotted with multicoloured beach huts and overlooked by sharp cliffs east of town. And from atop the grass-topped Tankerton Slopes you can spy the Street, a narrow shingle ridge stretching half a mile out to sea but only exposed at low tide.

The tourist office (275482; www.visitwhitstable.co.uk; 7 Oxford St; 10am-5pm Mon-Sat Jul & Aug, to 4pm Mon-Sat Sep-Jun) can help you find and book accommodation, while the nearby library (273309; 31-33 Oxford St; 9.30am-6pm Mon, Tue, Thu & Fri, to 1pm Wed, to 4pm Sat) can make you a temporary member to use its internet terminals.

The modest Whitstable Museum & Gallery (276998; www.whitstable-museum.co.uk; 8 Oxford St; admission free; 10am-4pm Mon-Sat year-round, plus 1-4pm Sun Jul & Aug) has good exhibits on Whitstable’s oyster and fishing industry.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009