A weekend in Whitstable

Whitstable is one of my favourite day trips from London and we often spend a weekend there, sampling the delights of this little English seaside town. I especially like it in the off-season — as an Australian I find the whole concept of the seaside in Britain to be so outside my own experience of growing up beside the golden sandy beaches of the Pacific that I tend to prefer the slightly desolate vibe of English seaside towns in the autumn and winter, when no one has to pretend they might want to swim!

I love Whitstable for the charm of its buildings and pubs, for its black beach huts, its antique shops and cafes, and its proximity to my home in south-east London — a weekend getaway where you only need to drive for just over an hour is my kind of weekend.