Bound for Botany Bay

Oh there’s Glasgow and Berwick and Pentonville

There’s Portsmouth and good old Dartmoor

But they ain’t of interest to such as us

For we’re bound for a far foreign shore (Botany Bay)

The Botany Bay I was bound for was a little closer to home than the penal colony referred to in this well-known Australian convict song. There is a connection between the two, world-apart, places but not the one that I had expected.

When I asked, my AI friend gave details of a 18th century grand battle between local gangs of smugglers and the Revenue men. King’s officers charged with enforcing duties on imported tea, wines, spirits and tobacco. The resulting roundups ended in convictions and sentences of transportation to the penal colonies.

So many were sent to the Australian colonies, known collectively as Botany Bay, that the locals started to refer to the area as Botany Bay. A quirky bit of history that puts a smile on my face. When you think of the Australia of today, you might wonder at the wisdom of expelling such enterprising spirit, when it could have been well used in the motherland. Such is history.

Anyways, my mission was not historical, just a simple walk of discovery along a tiny morsel of the shoreline of Kent. Starting out from Walpole Bay, where I came across this huge oyster the other day.

I wanted to walk the rock and sand beaches, past Foreness Point at low tide, having only seen this stretch of beach from the cliffs above. Unlike Walpole Bay, which already feels like an old friend. Here you will find a huge tidal pool, loved by swimmers all year round. Normally the stimulating sea water is held within, allowing enthusiasts to bathe, even when the tide is at its lowest. Right now the pool is being drained for repairs, showing the normally hidden secrets beneath. I fear the poor oyster may have suffered the consequences of such exposure.

As I stepped out on the vast sands, peering into some of the many chalk rock pools, I stopped to chat to an elderly man who was out collecting fish bait.

‘Lugworm?’ I asked him, thinking of the time when I went fishing as a boy. We talked about his favourite beaches for casting a line, and the bass and flatfish he liked to catch. He told me the beaches there used to be sandier. We decided the sand must be washing further along to nearby Margate.

I was heading in the opposite direction from Margate. Having rounded a chalk cliff point, to the adjacent Palm Bay. These cliffs are part of the same chalk downs that give us the world famous white cliffs of Dover, which can be seen from France, across the English Chanel, la Manche. Here, however, the best views of the endless white cliffs are from the beach. The sunlight you see in this photo is the almost midday winter sun. The cliffs face to the north, which still confuses me, since I am used to visiting the south coast of England, in places like Brighton, Littlehampton, Shoreham-by-Sea, and Bognor Regis. I have a beloved cousin who lives close by Pagham Beach, on the south coast near Bognor.

Ever on the lookout for maritime life I was treated to a show of seamanship from one of the Ramsgate pilot boats. I didn’t have to wonder for long whither it was bound. Rounding one of the moored cargo ships, it was clearly about to convey the pilot on board. The cargo vessel, in turn, steered around the incoming waves to offer a lee to the much smaller pilot boat. Shielding the little boat from the moderate sea swell. It can’t have taken more than a minute for the boat to pull alongside and the pilot to haul on board the client ship. Sadly, too far out for my iPhone to capture any meaningful snapshots.

As the bright orange pilot vessel pulled away, showing a clean pair of heals and an impressive wake, I wondered how long it would be before it picked up the pilot and headed home. I was to find out later.

Having safely guided the commercial vessel out on its way up the North Sea, the pilot is picked up and returned home to Ramsgate. Seen here from Botany Bay, passing between chalk stack and chalk cliff. For me, it was also time to head back home. Before that, I was in need of some refreshment and so headed for the Botany Bay Hotel at the top of the cliff, in search of a pot of tea.

This is not a recommendation. If you are thinking of booking a stay at this hotel, I would strongly suggest you read this first....

Is this hotel chain going bust?

Seeing the hand pumps in the extensive and comfortable bar of the hotel, I soon switched allegiance to a pint of Kentish Ale, which I enjoyed on the terrace outside, where I could also delight in the bracing January sea air, tempered by some welcome winter sunshine.

All photos: RGT

My return walk was along the clifftops, where there were even more stunning views. Consider this the first part of my mission to walk around the coast of England, as punctuated by the beautiful borders with Scotland and Wales. I am starting with a more modest stroll around the shorelines of Kent. Viking (Saxon, Roman, African) coast of England. Don't expect me to complete the journey any time soon, though.