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This week’s feature

So, where ARE we?

Well, we’re here; this is Kent, the most southeastern county in England. Romantically regarded as the “Garden of England”, due to the proliferation of orchards and arable farmland. Now it might be just as accurately called the “Backyard of Europe”. Sorry, that’s my island mentality coming out. What I should have written is “Gateway to Europe”.

For specific directions, click here

Getting Here

These directions were put together one night whilst working abroad. If you would like more detailed information for a specific road or location, feel free to ask by clicking the envelope.

By Train:
There are regular trains running from Victoria and Charing Cross stations.
By Road:
- From London/M25/Medway Towns.The A2 dual carriageway leads you to the M2 motorway. At the time of writing, there are a number of major roadworks at the westernmost end of the M2, whilst it is upgraded into a 3 lane motorway. Stay on the M2 for it’s entire length. At Junction 7, get into the outside lane for the A299 (signposted Margate). The inside lane rejoins the A2 between Faversham and Canterbury. Continue on the A299, until you start climbing, on the viaduct that goes over the Graveney marshes.
  - For Whitstable, peel off just after the viaduct, signposted A290 Canterbury & A2990. Don’t miss this junction, as the next one is not for another 6 miles at Herne Bay. Go straight across the first roundabout, by a new housing estate. At the next roundabout (by the Long Reach pub) take the first exit left. This is Canterbury Road, leading to Borstal Hill and the town.
  - For Tankerton or Chestfield, instead of turning left at the Long Reach roundabout, go straight across on the A2990, which is the original Thanet Way. Straight across the next roundabout (Tesco), under a footbridge. Passing under another footbridge, the next major junction is a double roundabout. The first gets you either left to McDonalds or right to Sainsbury. Straight over gets you to another roundabout.
    - For Tankerton, take the first exit, under the railway bridge and take the first exit at the mini roundabout. Follow the main road through Swalecliffe and the road becomes Tankerton Road, from which you can reach the slopes or (eventually) the harbour.
    - If it’s Chestfield you’re after, then take the third exit at the second Thanet Way roundabout. This is Chestfield Road.
  - For Herne Bay, stay on the A299 and continue up the hill, under the overhead (Long Reach) roundabout. Continuing east, go through the Chestfield tunnel, passing the Share and Coulter pub to your right. Just after the pub is the Herne Bay exit, signposted A291 Canterbury/Herne Bay. At the end of the slip road is a roundabout.
    - For the sea front, take the second exit, to the next roundabout. Take the first exit into Canterbury Road. This leads right to the sea front at the Kings Hall end.
    - If you need the Hampton end of town, take the first exit off the first roundabout after leaving the slip road. Passing the golf club on your left and a retail (Homebase/Peter Newman) park on your right, you will come to the Greenhill roundabout. Take the fourth exit (effectively turning right) and go over the small railway bridge to the traffic lights.
      Turn left at the lights for Hampton, or right to go into town. If going to Hampton, follow the road (Sea Street) until you reach a large housing estate on the left. There is a road island junction here. Turn right into Hampton Pier Avenue. This leads to Hampton Pier and the free car park.
  - For Reculver or St Mary’s church, stay on the A299 past the first Herne Bay junction. About 3 miles further is a junction by the Roman Galley pub, built on an elevated area to your left. Take this exit and follow the (narrow) country lane until you reach a T junction. Left leads back to St Mary’s and Beltinge. Right leads to Reculver Towers.
- From Thanet (Margate, Ramsgate, Broadstairs).
  The A299 links Thanet to Faversham, via Herne Bay and Whitstable.
  - For Herne Bay, take the exit signposted A291 Canterbury/Herne Bay. This is a long (about a mile) slip road, that rises above the main dual carriageway. Miss it and you have another 6 miles before the next (Whitstable) exit.
    At the roundabout, take the third exit and go over the A299. This gets you to another roundabout. Take the second exit to go to Hampton, the third to get into town.
  - For Whitstable, stay on the A299. Go through the Chestfield tunnel and take the next exit, about 2 miles along the road. At the roundabout, take the fourth exit to go over the A299. Go straight across the next roundabout to get into Canterbury Road and Borstal Hill.
- From the Channel ports (Dover/Folkestone).
  From either dock towns, you’ll first need to follow signs to Canterbury and the A2.
  - From Dover, join the A2 Jubilee Way,a long sweeping bridge going over the eastern dock and the sea. As you approach Canterbury, there is an exit signposted Herne Bay. This actually leads you into Canterbury, which, if taken at peak times is not much more than a long car park. However, catch it outside the 5:00-6:00 slot and you should be all right. The road leads to the Canterbury ring road, via the ABC Cinema roundabout. Take a right at the roundabout and follow the Herne Bay signs. This will get you to Herne Bay via Sturry and Herne. You will ultimately end up at the A299 Herne Bay junction.
  - If you’re going to Whitstable, Canterbury is best avoided altogether, unless you plan to visit the city anyway. Otherwise, stay on the A2, bypassing Canterbury and Boughton, until you reach Brenley Corner, an elevated roundabout that marks the meeting of the A2, M2 and A299. From here, follow directions as per the London instructions.
  - If you’re coming from Folkestone, follow the signs for A2 Canterbury. You will go along a number of country lanes before actually joining the A2. Once there, the directions are the same as from Dover.