WHITSTABLE
trail 1 - along the coast streets
Whitstable is a small seaside town in Kent. It is easily accessed by train from London and bus from Canterbury. .
Whitstable is a small (pop 32,000) seaside town in Kent. It is easily accessed by train from London and bus from Canterbury.
Whitstable has remained free from the usual High Street chains with lots of local shops. Its attraction for tourists has resulted in many small restaurants and cafes. It still has book, toys and record shops still exist as well as many small attractive boutiques. There are lots of craft and gift shops to be visited.
Whitstable is famous for oysters which have been collected since Roman times. Many of the pubs and restaurants specialise in seafood dishes. There is an annual Oyster Festival.
The beach is pebbles rather than sand and stretches away on both sides of the harbour. Whitstable has several groups of colourful beach huts in use.
Trail 2 – Coast - 9 pubs (blue Icons)
Bus travellers get off the bus at the junction at the end of High St (recognised as the large Duke of Cumberland, from trail 1, pub is here).
Walking down the left-hand side of The Duke of Cumberland brings you to the corner pub The Prince Albert. Leave here and left at the exit and walk up the narrow Red Lion Lane and turn left onto Harbour St. Half way along on the right is a small pedestrian only walkway. Walk up this and The Fountain is on the next corner. Leave and turn left to continue along a pedestrian area to The New Inn on the next corner. From here circle round to the right and find The Quayside (leave for return journey) on the next corner. Pubs on three corners of the rectangle.
Turn right, walking away from the shops, walking past the harbour, fish market, garage and bowling then turn left down towards the beach. On the left is The Waterfront and fractionally further on the right is The Savoy. Leaving here continue along Beach Walk to The Hotel Continental.
You now need to return all the way back to The Quayside. When leaving here cross over and turn left along the road parallel to Harbour St and against the traffic. This takes you back to The Prince Albert where you turn right towards the beach and find Pearson’s Arms.
Now walk onto the beach and turn left and walk along to The Old Neptune – yes that building on the beach.
A return to Harbour St via Pearson’s Arms, Prince Albert or The Duke of Cumberland takes you back to the bus stop.
The Prince Albert
The Prince Albert is an attractive long thin bar with tradition tables and chairs. There is a cushioned cocktail patio and sun trap. It offers cocktails and food. A really welcoming traditional pub. Disabled access, lunch and dog friendly.
Have a pint here.
Real ale : Master Brew; Goldings Ale; Summer days
Lager :Hoegarden; Stella Black; Bud; Becks
Cider :Thatcher Gold
The Fountain
The Fountain is another corner pub. Being off of the tourist track by a matter of metres, it does not open till 3pm (12pm Weekends). A scrubbed wood bar with seating to the left-hand side around the corner window. Pool table to the right. Dog friendly
Have a pint here.
Real ale :off (usually one on)
Lager :1664; Becks; Kirin Ichiban; Esterella
Pub Jukebox:
Alcohol themed music to listen to while you browse.
one more for my baby - Frank Sinatra
The New Inn
The New Inn (Shepherd Neame) is a very neat little corner pub. It is long (on the pedestrian side) and thin (on the road side) with a small snug off to the right behind the bar. The bar is to the right of the pub with a long seating area up to the left. Entertainment and pub food. There is outside seating in the pedestrian area beside it. It is a shame tourists miss it. Dog friendly.
Coins are stuck to the ceiling. This was when seafarers left money to buy drinks for those who could not afford one.
Has been in Good Beer Guide (CAMRA)
Have a pint here
Real ale : Whitstable Pale Ale; Master Brew; Goldings Ale
Lager :Oranjeboom; Hurlimann
Cider :Thatchers Gold
Waterfront now closed
Waterfront has an upstairs bar with a large balcony, with lots of tables, overlooking the beach with terrific views Whitstable shore and setting sun. It is a big room with lots of seating. Serves food
Have a pint on the balcony.
Real ale : London Gold (Youngs); Take Courage
Bitter :John Smith
Lager :Carlsberg; Fosters; 1664
Cider : Guinness
PLACES TO VISIT WITH PUBTRAILS
The towns and villages highlighted on this web site have a wide variety of pubs and beers in them. All of the places are great to visit, whether for a day or longer, and most have tourist attractions for all of the family.
There is a large variety of pubs throughout the different towns shown below. Some you may wish never to visit again but even discovering these can be interesting. There are pubs that you would not take your wife into. While some you could not take your girlfriend into. A few you would not take either into. However, most of the pubs are very pleasant.
HOME MAP of places visited
Alnwick Ambleside Anstruther Bakewell Bamburgh Barnard Castle Bath Berwick upon Tweed Birnam & Dunkeld Bourton on the Water Bowness on Windermere Bridge of Allan Chester Chichester Dunblane Dunoon Edinburgh Ely Fort William Glasgow Gourock Greenock Helensburgh Inverness Kelso Keswick Knaresbourgh Largs Linlithgow Lyme Regis Melrose Montrose Newton Stewart North Berwick Norwich Oban Pebbles Penzance Portree Pitlochry Quorn Richmond Rothesay St Andrews Seahouses Seend Shrewsbury Skipton Stirling Stratford-upon-Avon Stockton Heath Whitby Windemere Whitstable York
The Savoy closed - apartments
The Savoy, again an upstairs bar. However, this has a tiny balcony, but still with the view of the beach. It is more a sports bar with lots of TVs and three pool tables. Snooker downstairs.
Have a half pint
Bitter :John Smith
Lager :Coors Light; Fosters; Carling
Cider :Strongbow Guinness
PUB QUIZ
What was wrong with the film title “Krakatoa, East of Java”?
Answer at foot of page
Continental Hotel ★
Continental Hotel is a large hotel by the across from the beach. It is owned by the Whitstable Oyster Co which also owns The Whitstable Brewery and serves only its beers. It has a long narrow outside seating space. Inside there is a large room furnished with couches and cane chairs. Through from this is two very large rooms used as the restaurant – one is also the open kitchen. Menus on wall behind bar and open kitchen. The high ceilings and large windows make it a very light and airy place. Food and service are both good.
Have a pint here (two, if a couch and the ambience swallow you)
Real ale : Whitstable India Pale ale (from barrel on bar)
Keg : Wheat beer; Raspberry Wheat beer;
Lager :Kentish lager; Pilsner
Cider :Strongbow Oyster stout ; Guinness
The Quayside
The Quayside (Brakspear) is a large almost square room with a long bar on the right hand side watching over a lot of standing room with dining style tables beyond. Afternoon and evening food. There is some outside seating by pavement. Meals available.
Have a pint here because the beer is different
Real ale : Brakspear Bitter; Brakspear Hooray Henley; Boon; Doggle (Ringwood)
Lager :Amstel; Fosters; 1664
Cider :Strongbow Guinness
Pearson’s Arms
Pearson’s Arms is a weather board pub/restaurant just off of the beach. The bar is just inside the door. The room which is split in two by a central chimney, has a variety of styles of seating. Further on there is more seating downstairs (used for dining after 5pm) and a restaurant upstairs. The pub is a few steps from the beach and sells drink for the beach in plastic glasses.
Occassional in Good Beer Guide (CAMRA) in past
Have a pint here.
Real ale :Wainwright; Landlord; Seasider (Gadds)
Lager :Bud; Coors Light; Peroni
Cider :Aspall; Stowford Press Guinness
The Old Neptune
The Old Neptune (Shepherd Neame) is a weather board pub which, although surrounded by a flood protection wall, is definitely on the beach. Lots of picnic tables on the beach around it - plastic glasses for those drinking outside. The bar, which has a surprising slope,(the whole building is twisted) serves into a narrow drinking area with stools and a shelf for glasses. To the left of this is a large room divided in two by a chimney wall. Food 12-4.
Featured in Pete Brown's book The Pub and in the TV series “Whitstable Pearl”
Have a pint here
Real ale :Harvey’s Sussex Best; Goldings Ale; Whitstable Bay Pale Ale; Summer Solstice
Lager :Fosters; Hurlimann
Cider :Thatchers Gold; Strongbow Whitstable Bay Oyster Stout; Guinness
Lady Nancy Astor: Winston, if you were my husband, I'd poison your tea.
Churchill: Nancy, if I were your husband, I'd drink it
The Duke of Cumberland
The Duke of Cumberland (Shepherd Neame) is one of the biggest pubs in Whitstable. The building is at the junction which splits the High St. It is narrow at the main door but widens out to a large pub. Though locals around bar keep passing places narrow. Seating in main room is raised a little. Beyond the bar room is another large room with lots of tables and a skylight. Outside from here is a large courtyard from the coaching inn days now used as the beer garden. Offers food but this is not always available. Music often on at weekends. Above the front door is a sign advertising Billiards and Garage! Around the main room is a collection of old radios and office equipment.
Have a pint here
Real ale : Whitstable Bay pale Ale; No 18 (Yard); Master Brew; Bishops Finger; Goldings Ale; Spitfire; 4 4 2
Lager :Oranjeboom; Hurlimann; Asahi; Whitstable Bay Blonde Lager
Cider :Thatchers
Whitstable trails
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Introduction to Whitstable page
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High St Pubs
The East Kent
ANSWER: It is west of Java