Burlington Hotel/Best Western ~ 3-5 Earls Avenue Folkestone, CT20 2HR GB
3-5 Earls Avenue Folkestone, CT20 2HR GB
Tel: ****01303 255301
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We like to live on the edge, so, our first stop was a car park. It was there that we met up with our friends, Kathryn and John, and formed a protective circle. The natives seemed friendly, waving their spears, brandishing their shields and singing a rhythmic song. We waved back, smiled and wandered to the harbour through the drizzle.
Folkestone Harbour is quite small.
Having got fashionably wet, we went to find somewhere to eat. We went past several nice looking places …
… but we went to …
The food was excellent and the service kept it company. It is just across the road from the harbour, a one minute walk from the car park. It is not cheap, but you get what you paid for. I had the calamari as a starter and module in a really nice sauce. Jan went with the scampi and chips.
We then meandered back to the car in the rain (did I mention the rain?). It was a five minute drive to the hotel (see the banner at the top). Hugo likes it because it is only a few steps from The Leas - the promenade walk along the cliff top.
Booking in was less straightforward. Whilst the other two were processed quickly, we had to wait. I have no idea why. They did not tell us. However the room is nice.
And so is the view from our window.
Now, a bit of a rest until we meet up with our friends for a jolly evening meal.
We were told that we had to book a table because the it was filling fast. We had Hugo with us so we had to eat in the bar area. This was a large conservatory and was completely empty. The bar steward doubled as the waiter and we had his services to ourselves.
The food was lovely. Jan had Ham Hock Terrine (complete with fried quail's egg) and my chicken schnitzel on a mushroom sauce. Both were delicious.
The day ended with a gentle stroll along the Leas for half an hour. Hugo cantered around and really enjoyed himself.
And then to bed …
Mileage at Home: 3,421 (11:00)
Mileage at Folkestone: 3,483 (12:20) [Harbour St, Folkestone CT20 1QN]
Steps: 14,948
Weather: It was grotty, wet and windy in the morning. However, the evening was quite nice, but chilly.
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3-5 Earls Avenue Folkestone, CT20 2HR GB
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Hugo took umbrage at someone moving in the corridor at 5:30am, letting us (and everyone else in the hotel) know. Bother.
We quietened him down and then got (well, at least one of us did) and took The Howler along the Leas. All he wanted to do was get back to Jan, but he finally did what he had to do.
We were quantined again in the bar area because we had Hugo. That meant a trip to the basement to get the food … and then they had run out of most things. This was restocked, but still ….
We decided to walk to the Artistic Quarter of Folkestone, that sounded interesting. We walked along the cliff top and into the town. Whilst there was a chilly wind, it was quite pleasant in the sunshine. You could just make out France.
There were even helpful signs around to help visitors on their way.
We found the old church in Folkestone and strolled around that. We stopped in The Pullman bar (very friendly) for a sit down and a drink. The table was a genuine wagon wheel.
Hugo loved it. They gave him a drink and some dog biscuits. He's easily bought.
It was then back down to the harbour via the Artistic Quarter - the old high street. It was rather steep but we made it.
There is an area called the Harbour Arms just on the far side of the harbour. It used to be the old Folkestone Station, but has now been converted into lots of small stalls selling street food.
However, these are closed on a Monday and Tuesday … and today is Tuesday! It turned out to be a bit of luck because we found an amazing pizza parlour for lunch.
The bridge across the mouth of the harbour was quite nice, so we walked back over that.
Then it was back up the steep hill into the town again … however, plate tectonics must be active in Folkestone because it seemed even steeper on the way back.
We chatted to a lovely couple who wanted to pet Hugo. They made a fuss of him, which he loved.
Jan's back was aching by the time we got up the steep hill, so we asked around and got a bus back. We had a choice of three busses, each of which was supposed to run at 15 minute intervals. I went off to get some things from the shops and had not missed one. Jan, meanwhile, sat on a seat at the bus stop where she had met the couple who had petted Hugo earlier. Not only were they from Orpington, but live in the next road off of ours. What are the chances?
It took at least another 20 minutes for the first bus to arrive with the grumpiest driver. He really didn't want to be there.
It was only a few stops to our hotel. We were just about to enter the hotel when Kathryn and John rang us to see whether we were alright. They had walked back and had been in their room for 20 minutes.
Fortunately, Jan's back was feeling better by then. It was just not used to the exercise.
I had a sleep for a couple of hours before taking Hugo out for a stroll and supper. We sat and chatted before ordering our food, by which time it was getting dark and had started raining.
We waited in our room for the shower to pass and then I took Hugo for his final outing of the day.
And then to bed …
Mileage at the start of the day: 3,483
Mileage at the end of the day: 3,483
Steps: 13,393
Weather: Bright, but rather windy. There was rain in the evening.
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3-5 Earls Avenue Folkestone, CT20 2HR GB
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We woke up at 5am, just at the time when our train is due to leave Orpington for St. Pancras in exactly five weeks for our next trip to Italy.
It was overcast and quiet chilly (about 5°C) when walking Hugo first thing. We found a sunken path on the seaward side of the usual path which ran parallel to the main path. This gave a bit of shelter from the wind. We went in the direction away from Folkestone to that end of the Leas.
Breakfast was not set up yet in the room we used with Hugo. Then they brought us teas and coffee, but no cups or teaspoons. The cups were brought when this was pointed out, but then they had to go back for the spoons. By then, the tea and coffee were cold!
You could order from the menu or have their buffet breakfast. Their buffet was not as extensive as the one you get at the Toby for £7, but at least there was food available today. They did do a very nice omelette for Hugo though. He enjoyed that.
We chatted for a while and then it was off to finish packing and lugging it all to the car. We had just finished putting everything in the car when John came in to say that his car would not start - the battery was flat. Apparently, the Lexus may leave some systems switched on even when the car is turned off. Whilst he contacted the AA, I took Kathryn to get some batteries in case it was the key fob that was the problem.
The AA chap turned up with a cheery smile and fixed the problem in less time than it takes to read this. A happy wave and he was gone.
And then they left and so did we. All of us made it home safe and sound.
We stopped in Hythe for a wander down the High Street and bought a couple of chairs. There was a nice café with friendly and attentive service where Jan and I had a cream tea each with freshly made currant scones. Delicious. Hugo like the dog buscuit that they gave him too.
We had just finished eating when it came over very dark. It was raining hard by the time we got to the door. We collected the chairs and mad a dash for the car park, but were soaked by the time we got in the car.
It was a damp drive home.
There was rain and spray to fight on the M20, but the only really heavy rain came as we left the motorway. The two miles home needed some care to drive, but our front door (and back garden when we got in) were covered in a layer of large hailstones. But we were home and the mini-break was over.
Mileage at Folkestone: 3,483 (08:15)
Mileage at Home: 3,549 (14:00)
Steps: 13,850
Weather: Cold, windy and rainy. There were some heavy showers mixed in.
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