The British Seaside in Winter Time

In my opinion, some of the most special memories made are the ones often unplanned and unexpected. In an age where choreographing moments to the otherwise untrained eye are everywhere- it’s the candid (no, like really candid), barely captured times that so often are the ones that should be worth framing.

Although a lot of our trip to Ramsgate last week was left unclicked by a lens, it was probably one of my favourite few days of the year, and something I did (ironically) make a bit of an effort to snap as and when I could- especially as the British seaside this time of year, much like summer, is one of my favourite places to be. Despite booking it months ago to celebrate my mum’s 50th birthday- we hadn’t really made any firm plans for our time away- with the priority being simply to spend time together, catch up on some Christmas films and enjoy a little fresh air too (being grown ups and all).

Despite being pretty well versed with the Kent Coast- Ramsgate was somewhere I didn’t know an awful lot about (excluding it’s infamous ‘Spoons, of course), but staying tucked right along the front opposite the harbor was the biggest treat to wake up to every morning. We were lucky enough to find a beautiful Georgian townhouse overlooking the coast, and for a few days it truly felt like living right next to the sea- with gawking gulls and symphonies of splashing soundtracking morning dog walks and the flashing of Christmas lights adorning boats as the sun went down.

Over the week we made tracks around Kent (the joy of being with people who properly drive), but still made time to pootle around Ramsgate and tuck into breakfast under the arches at a place called Archive– somewhere I’d seen popping up, and somewhere that did the most delicious breakfast, homemade cakes and home-ware too. I also f i n a l l y managed to watch Bohemian Rhapsody on our last full afternoon when we had a little free time, with my mum and I picking up cheap afternoon tickets at the Granville theatre, and sobbing, singing and cheering all the way home (honestly, don’t start me- I’ve only just stopped talking about it).

With trips back to Broadstairs and Margate also on our agenda- I was so excited to take my parents back to a couple of places they hadn’t visited in years. Now, although the seaside is a very different place come December than it is in June- I hand-on-heart still think there’s something magical about it. There’s a coziness that’s unrivalled about bundling up in layers for a stroll on the windy sands, and although the blue sea might be exchanged for grey waves- it’s the moments in-between, getting a steaming cuppa at places like Wyatt & Jones, or Smiths for a hot chocolate that really make it worthwhile.