Photo Trip Report: England and Scotland

[buksida]

Time was passing, our return date was approaching, and we had to make our way back south to Essex to get rid of the rental car which was costing a small fortune. Before that happened, we took a trip down to Folkestone in Kent to take care of some business and catch up with family.

The weather was beaut again, topping 25 degrees in mid-September, so we enjoyed the settings of the Folkestone harbor for the afternoon. Since it was out of tourist season, many of the bars and restaurants were closed, however. Our rooftop view from the ninth floor of the Grand Burstin was superb which made up for the rather drabby room and having to pay to park in the hotel we were staying at!

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[Big Boy]

I've never been to Folkestone, and it looks very nice. My loss, I guess as I'll never get there now.

Since it was out of tourist season, many of the bars and restaurants were closed.

Was that normal, or just a post Covid thing? I ask because I originate from a touristy part of the Westcountry, and it was usually late October/early November that most places put the shutters up - even then, if there was a sunny afternoon, some may have still opened. At 25C, that is still the height of a UK summer as I remember it. It seems a bit premature.

[buksida]

We found excess closures pretty much everywhere we went, a fallout of lockdowns, fewer customers, and a lack of staff - there were vacancy signs everywhere but nobody seems to want to work in England.

Over 25 degrees was pretty much unheard of in mid-September if my memory of growing up there serves me right. The middle of summer is June.

[Big Boy]

Yes, I was forgetting the labour problems - that explains it.

[dtaai-maai]

I've really enjoyed this particular roadtrip because, to my eternal shame, my only personal experience of Scotland was a daytrip to Gretna Green while visiting friends in the Lake District about 40 years ago.

Lancashire to Scotland to Folkestone, that's pretty comprehensive coverage! Folkestone is an old stomping ground of mine, albeit a long way back, and some of these photos bring back fond memories, while others remind me how much time has passed, as I don't recognise the place.

My first visit was back in 1976, aged 19, for a couple of months training as an immigration officer. Lots of drinking in those days, and I was very much the baby of the course. We used to do regular crossings to clear passengers on the ferry back in those days, which meant lunch in Boulogne and a bit of shopping time. Folkestone was getting a bit tatty in the 70s and 80s, but I had heard that a lot of money and effort had gone into the place in the last 20 years or so.

In the 80s I had a house on the clifftops in pic 154434, which was destroyed in the 'Great Storm' of 1987.

[lindosfan1]

I live in Folkestone, a good set of images much better than we normally see.
Unfortunately Folkestone has problems, to many restaurants cafes and coffee shops, two weeks ago I counted 43 deserted establishments, mainly shops. The town is becoming run down.
On the good side there are a lot of beautiful parks and areas to go to.
Buksida if I knew you were coming I could have found you better accommodation, the Burstin is a joke filthy and not well staffed.

[pharvey]

Great photo's again, but what exactly is there to do in Folkestone - an honest question as it's a place I've never considered visiting. From the photo's, it looks a nice place, but from lindos' comments is it worth the visit?

[caller]

Great photo's again, but what exactly is there to do in Folkestone

Travel to France! I'm sure I left from Folkestone to Dunkirk years ago, at the start of an interail holiday, so under 26.

Romney March is an interesting place. Rye is worth visiting, but by now we're talking 30 miles away!

My sister used to live at Littlestone on Sea, so saw a bit of the area. I recall some very nice Shepherds Neame pubs, which was great, as Bishops Finger and Spitfire were two favourite beers and back in the day, in my neck of the woods in SW London, only Rosslyn Park Rugby Club were stockists. Luckily, that was just 10 minutes walk from me.

[dtaai-maai]

Back in my day about the only thing of touristy interest that I was aware of was the funicular railway from the beach up to the prom on the clifftop.

As for Shepherd's Neame, my cousin was from Faversham and used to drive a delivery truck for them when I lived in Dover. Funny how often I happened to be passing just as he was unloading at a local pub...

Dover Castle isn't far away, and there's a Battle of Britain memorial in Capel-le-Ferne, on the clifftops near Folkestone.
As caller said, Rye is well worth a visit and as you have to go through Romney Marsh, it's a good day out.

Of course, all my info is 20 years out of date.

Even Dover, which was a right dump when I lived there, is worth a visit these days, as they've completely refurbished the harbour area around the western docks with shops, restaurants and performance spaces.

[dtaai-maai]

Great photo's again, but what exactly is there to do in Folkestone

Travel to France! I'm sure I left from Folkestone to Dunkirk years ago, at the start of an interail holiday, so under 26.

Not any more, I'm afraid, only the Eurotunnel.

[lindosfan1]

To be fair, Folkestone, Romney marsh and Rye there are some good places to visit. For a weeks holiday would be ok depending on what your interested in. Hotels a few reasonable ones, but not the Burstin.
Dover harbour area and castle, the town is still the pits.

[pharvey]

To be fair, Folkestone, Romney marsh and Rye there are some good places to visit. For a weeks holiday would be ok depending on what your interested in. Hotels a few reasonable ones, but not the Burstin.
Dover harbour area and castle, the town is still the pits.

Thanks lindos - the LHG and I are looking at heading over to the East Coast in the next few weeks and looking at a couple of "stop-offs" - doubt it will be Folkestone after the comments, but good info. (might have taken you for a pint if the pubs were open!)

[lindosfan1]

To be fair, Folkestone, Romney marsh and Rye there are some good places to visit. For a weeks holiday would be ok depending on what your interested in. Hotels a few reasonable ones, but not the Burstin.
Dover harbour area and castle, the town is still the pits.

Thanks lindos - the LHG and I are looking at heading over to the East Coast in the next few weeks and looking at a couple of "stop-offs" - doubt it will be Folkestone after the comments, but good info. (might have taken you for a pint if the pubs were open!)

That is my opinion, but it depends on hat you like. Steam trains and the RHDR that is popular Some good walks around Folkestone, old churches, and of course the Romney marsh and its sheep.

[pharvey]

.........and of course the Romney marsh and its sheep.

What are you trying to say?

[buksida]

I live in Folkestone, a good set of images much better than we normally see.
Unfortunately Folkestone has problems, to many restaurants cafes and coffee shops, two weeks ago I counted 43 deserted establishments, mainly shops. The town is becoming run down.
On the good side there are a lot of beautiful parks and areas to go to.
Buksida if I knew you were coming I could have found you better accommodation, the Burstin is a joke filthy and not well staffed.

Yep, definitely noticed a lot of closures. Someone booked the Burstn for us and yes, I wouldn't stay there again!

That night most of the town was closed (only 1 Italian open and not 1 Chinese takeaway) so we had to make do with a rooftop kebab and Polish beer.

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