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We're overnighting in Ashford before heading on to France. I'm expecting to have 3-4hrs to kill so was looking for recommendations for the best combination of 'picturesque beach / best fish n chips' or similar. Somewhere suitable for us to take our two girls (14 & 10).
Should we head to Hythe? Dover?
Was tempted to take them up to the Battle of Britain memorial. Anything else worth seeing or going to?
Thanks
If you go to Hythe you can go in the model railway to dymchurch. Or you could go to dymchurch for cheesey seaside amusements and rides
If you go to capel for the memorial there's a cafe nearby overlooking the sea. Very near to capel is the Battle of Britain museum in hawkinge.
I'd recommend Kingsdown just up from Dover.
Kings Head for fish & chips.
Driving to Dover (and back?) will take up a reasonable chunk of your 3 hours. If you don't mind staying inland you could go up to the top of the Devils Kneading Trough above Wye for an amazing view that includes some sea, and then head to the Five Bells in Brabourne for food (get the triple-cooked chips!).
If you're on the way to Dover for the ferry anyway, then Samphire Hoe or the National Trust White Cliffs of Dover are good for walks. Kingsdown/St Margaret's are fairly nice villages with reasonable, if stony, beaches. Dover does have a beach right in the town, but it's a bit of a hole. Haven't spent much time in Hythe/Folkestone, neither have great reputations, although Hythe to Dymchurch railway is meant to be nice.
Probably too far to travel, but Broadstairs is good for the proper seaside experience, some lovely sandy beaches around, and a pretty seaside town.
Forget having hours to kill as you will be dealing with operation cover Kent in lorries, just get to the train as early as you can. Travel round here is a nightmare at the moment, seriously impacts on you if you have to go to north of Ashford for work as the journey back is terrible.
If you do then there is a very good fish and chip shop in Folkestone Harbour called the Smoke House, reasonably expensive but very good. You could then wander up the Old High Street to take in the Creative Quarter, stroll along the Leas and drop into the Lower Leas Coastal Park for playtime for any children, then walk through the Coastal park back to the harbour.
Advantage of Folkestone is proximity to the tunnel, and the places are actually quite nice. All the seaside towns get knocked but generally they all have some great bits to them, you just need to look a bit harder. If you want to head inland Canterbury is a wonderful city, 35 mins from the Tunnel or Ashford.
Camber sands. great beach, half hour from Ashford.
Thanks all, quite like the look of The Smokehouse for tea!