Birthday in Canterbury

[Ash Armstrong]

My plans for a few days away in Canterbury for my birthday are moving along. Annual leave booked, hotel found, transport details sorted, guide-book purchased. I shall pre-book and pay for access to various places of interest in advance: the Cathedral, St Augustine's Abbey, the Roman Museum, and a few other places. I've identified a few places to eat as well, and where the bookshops are. Probably five days/four nights in all, so I'll be able to spend a day at the coast, starting in Margate, and do some beach-walking. Easy to get there by train from Canterbury.
Anyone familiar with the place and able to offer suggestions welcomed. It's been 50 years since I last visited, when I was a young teenager being dragged around by my parents.

[Old Frothingslosh]

Sounds like a great getaway. Safe travels and Happy Birthday!

[madbear]

I recommend the wooden 'scenic railway', aka rollercoaster, in Dreamland, Margate. I went on it aged 7 when my cub pack had a day visit from camp. And Canterbury museum has some Rupert Bear stuff! And of course, the St Eustace painting in the cathedral - if you don't know the book, Russell Hoban's Riddley Walker takes some of its inspiration from that wall painting and the crypt. [stone trees]
I hope you have a great trip.

[Ash Armstrong]

I recommend the wooden 'scenic railway', aka rollercoaster, in Dreamland, Margate. I went on it aged 7 when my cub pack had a day visit from camp. And Canterbury museum has some Rupert Bear stuff! And of course, the St Eustace painting in the cathedral - if you don't know the book, Russell Hoban's Riddley Walker takes some of its inspiration from that wall painting and the crypt. [stone trees]
I hope you have a great trip.

I've ridden that many times back in the early 70s. We took family holidays in Cliftonville from 1966 to 76. The best of times. Always took a beach chalet at Walpole Bay. I've not been there since 1988.

[madbear]

it was 67 or 68 when i was there last!

[John Southworth]

Never mind all that,I’m looking forward to seeing Blackburn at Leicester in a couple of weeks.
J D T’s blue and white army 😎

[Ash Armstrong]

Never mind all that,I’m looking forward to seeing Blackburn at Leicester in a couple of weeks.
J D T’s blue and white army 😎

Sadly our FA Cup clashes with me seeing Suzanne Vega at DMH, for which I've been waiting a long time.

[John Southworth]

That’s your F A cup over for another year then 😎

[Susanne]

Hope you have a fantastic trip!
I remember Dreamland - I went there several times as a child. I loved it then, but I have no idea what it would be like there as an adult. I imagine it will have changed somewhat, over the decades! I don't remember the rest of Margate at all.

[Yesed]

Happy Birthday! Took a trip to England summer of 2014, I remember getting a copy of Heaven and Earth just before I left. Did a tour with my wife. Canterbury cathedral was impressive, though restoration to the exterior was being done, so kind of ruin the pictures. Never realized how huge it is. Standing at the alter and looking down to the entrance is amazing. The depth and elevation from floor to altar both. Visiting the spot where Thomas Becket was killed was pretty cool too. There were some nice shopping and eating to be had from what I remember in the nearby village.
Did a lot on that tour, also went to the mill in Oxfordshire which was used for the cover of Black Sabbaths first album. Got a bag of milled grain and some nice pictures.