When David discovered he had three days of outstanding holiday to take before the end of July, our thoughts went straight to Deal in Kent to where our long-standing friends Lefty and Trish had moved at the start of the year, and our promise to visit them in their new surroundings. 

Tuesday 22 July 2025

Having established that they were at home on the days we were free, we set off by train via St Pancras and the high speed line to Dover, and arrived on a rare damp afternoon, to be greeted by at Deal station by Trish. She drove us through the main streets of this pretty town, boasting not only excellent butchers and fishmongers, but also a dentist, a chemist and the doctors’ surgery within walking distance of their new home. 

Admiralty Mews is technically in Walmer, and part of the large complex of Grade II listed buildings that were built during the Napoleonic wars for use first as barracks, and later by the armed forces throughout the twentieth century conflicts, when the defence of the Kent coastline remained a military priority. 

Henry VIII well understood this strategic need, when his repudiation of papal authority, coupled with his rejection of his first Queen, Catharine of Aragon put him at loggerheads with Catholic Europe. He arranged for several impressive coastal castles, including those of Deal and Walmer to be built in record time, recycling the already prepared and faced stone available from the dissolution of the monasteries.

Trish joined us for an hour’s walk in drizzle (welcomed by gardeners) along the sea path, beside the huge gravel beach thrown up in a massive storm in the 1800s which now forms the shore line for several miles, and viewing a wealth of attractive and distinctive houses as we passed. Lefty meanwhile was preparing a characteristically delicious and elaborate supper to accompany his carefully chosen wines. (Wine storage remains an unresolved challenge – but he’s working on it. We certainly helped him reduce the problem a little…. 

Wednesday 23 July

The next day we visited Sandwich – a pretty town whose now silted-up river Stour once carried goods and materials in and out of its hinterland. It is easy to forget that Kent had an industrial past: mining coal, quarrying, shipbuilding and fishing as well as intensive agriculture. En route we passed the two famous golf courses of Sandwich; Royal Cinque Ports, and Royal St George.

The drive along Golf Road is largely single track, and has tolls, largely to discourage the hoi-poloi from using them to access the dunes and a beautiful stretch of private shoreline, and coastal path.

We enjoyed walking in the bright sunshine, stopping for coffee in the market place cafe, before searching (unsuccessfully) for coffee beans, and returning to Deal for lunch actually within the fishmongers Jenkins and Son. They have expanded their offering to include not only the traditional seaside shrimps, cockles, and mussels, but also ready-made seafood meals, and light lunches made quickly from the very fresh fish. A brilliant business model. 

David and I spent the second half of the afternoon walking along the coastal path in warm sunshine and a welcome sea breeze, testing out David’s new friend – ChatGPD – on plant identification. It has its uses, but our new passive learning was quickly forgotten.

In the evening we ate well in The Rose which has probably the best reputation in Deal, though there are plenty of other high quality eateries with various ethnicities. 

Thursday 24 July 25 

Kent was enjoying some much needed rain but not enough to deter us from visiting Walmer Castle, a mile or so south along the coastal path. It has been the official residence of the Warden of the Cinque Ports since the eighteenth century and has been gradually modified from an exclusively military fortification, accommodating the Duke of Wellington (his boots are still on show) Winston Churchill and the Queen Mother amongst others. The interior decor still reflects her surprisingly modest and practical taste (with the exception of some green silk brocade used for both upholstery and wall paper in her drawing room, which reminded me of old fashioned Chinese restaurants) 

The exterior matches the Tudor rose style of Henry VIII’s building programme, but now, under the aegis of English Heritage, it serves as a museum and information centre, with beautifully laid out gardens and imaginatively managed planting of its moat. We ate lunch in its cellar cafe.

 
On our return we came on the most beautiful Tiger Moth resting on the shiny front door…

Supper was in nearby Chinese restaurant Hey Hey where the service was friendly and efficient; there is no shortage of eateries in Deal. We dodged the rain on our return walk, as the travelling Fairground finally opened for business on the green behind the Lifeboat house, along the shore.

Friday 25 July 25

We left Deal on the 10.27 train to St Pancras, sorry to say our farewells. 

Somehow we failed to take any photos of Trish or Lefty, or of us all together! As the coming weekend marked David’s birthday, which in the past they would have helped us celebrate, what follows is a collection of photos which include them, taken either at birthday celebrations or at various wine events, tastings and tours, beginning as far back as 2010! Three slideshows!

I hope this makes up for our omission; jogs memories, and provides amusement. Thank you both!