Herne Bay & Whitstable - A local's viewpoint

Strictly speaking, this isn't a "Street" but it follows the same logic, inasmuch as it's me taking you on a virtual walk. Duncan Downs is an area of open land at the top of Borstal Hill, next to the old Thanet Way. I believe it was privately owned but is generally maintained (if that's the right word; it's pretty overgrown now) by a voluntary group.
I used to come here with my parents and sisters as a kid, we'd walk the dog and I would come here to play with my friends. Ah; the innocence of youth in the 60's and 70's. Where have those times gone?


For the purpose of this visit, we enter the downs by way of Clovelly Road. When I came here as a boy, we would have come via Martindown Road and crossed Borstal Hill into Clovelly.	Coming through the wooden barrier, this is our first proper view of the downs. This would be looking roughly southeast, towards the Community College. To start, we'll walk towards that copse on the horizon.

At the copse now. Turning around, we can see Borstal Hill windmill beyond the trees.	Turn a little more and you can just make out the roof of Chaucer House, next to the Long Reach pub.


A little further around the copse and we can see the Thanet Way.	We're now coming to the limit of this part of the downs. That's the Community College/Sir William Nottidge School on the hill in the distance. We'll double back now.

There are a number of benches dotted around the downs. Many of them are dedicated, presumably to loved ones who shared views at one time.	Right; almost done. That's the way we came in.....