48 HOURS IN HYTHE

FRIDAY NIGHT

Let’s chill… There are so many lovely places to stay, from the Victorian elegance and seafront setting of the Hythe Imperial Hotel to a great choice of b&bs or air bnbs in and around the pretty High Street. For a proper look, check out Folkestone and Hythe accommodation finder

Dinnertime? For a breathtaking view of the coast from your plate, The Waterfront combines the freshest local ingredients – including local seafood of course – with a warm, welcoming atmosphere. www.the-waterfront.co.uk.

The Everest Inn has been a Hythe stalwart for 20 years now, serving a unique blend of traditional and modern Nepalese and Indian cuisine. If you’re self-catering, they do take away and home delivery too! www.everestinnkent.co.uk.

Just up the hill in the pretty village of Saltwood you’ll find the creative tasting menus of the Michelin-starred Hide and Fox for a very special dinner. www.hideandfox.co.uk.

SATURDAY MORNING

For perfect pastries, nothing beats Florence’s Artisan Bakery. This family owned and run coffee spot is very popular with locals, who sing its praises.

Restored and ready for a stroll along the High Street, make the most of the raft of independent galleries and shops that flourish here. If jewellery is your thing, we particularly like Wakefields, where owners Jason and Tika specialise in fine jewellery, expertly handcrafted on the premises. www.wakefieldsjewellers.com
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Art and artists have always thrived here – on the High Street, look out for Shepherd Hut Studios, run by husband-and-wife team artist Andrea and IT expert Howard. Prints and original paintings, homewares including lampshades, placemats, coasters, cushions, lavender bags and cards are all inspired by the surrounding natural beauty. www.shepherdhutstudios.co.uk.

And while you’re wandering, keep an eye out for Hythe Town Hall. This neoclassical building, dating from 1794, has a magnificent colonnade, which often hosts local musicians and even Hythe’s Town Crier.

Lunch (if you have room!) could be at any of the numerous cafes and pubs, or you could pick up a picnic and watch the world go by from Mackeson Square, named of course after the famous stout which was first brewed in Hythe.

SATURDAY AFTERNOON

Depending on the weather, you could take a stroll alongside the Royal Military Canal which runs through the heart of Hythe and is bordered by Hythe Green and Ladies’ Walk. Pedal boats are available to hire, or you can take an electric boat ride. www.electricboathythe.co.uk

Looking for something less outdoorsy? The Tin Tabernacle is a timber framed church, clad in corrugated iron, which actually came as a flat pack from a firm in Croydon in 1893! Designed as a temporary building, its blue and white façade make it a much-loved local landmark. No longer a consecrated church, the ‘Tin Tab’ is a listed building and now hosts local events such as art and craft fairs and film nights. www.tintabernacle.co.uk

SATURDAY NIGHT

Early evening – make the most of the daylight hours and the sunset with a walk down to the seafront, where you can walk along the promenade, and perhaps call in at the Stade Court Hotel Lounge Bar or the Hythe Imperial Moet et Chandon Bar.
www.hytheimperial.co.uk/dining/our-bars-and-restaurants/moet-chandon-bar

As the night draws in, head back to the High Street where you can find Cygnet at the Swan Hotel for great bar food and cocktails, Swagat for Indian and Nepalese cuisine, the White Hart for the full English pub experience, or what locals say is the BEST fish and chips, Torbay of Hythe.
swagatindianrestaurant.co.uk
thewhiteharthythe.com
www.torbayofhythe.co.uk

SUNDAY MORNING

After a lazy breakfast, as it’s Sunday, you might like to head to church! St. Leonard’s appeared in the Doomsday Book and is thought to have been built by the masons who worked on Canterbury Cathedral. Its Norman features remain, along with additions from the Victorians up to the present day.

Add in an art nouveau stained glass window and an ossuary (the largest and best-preserved collection of ancient human skulls and bones in Britain) and it’s a fascinating morning. Concerts and recitals are held regularly at St. Leonard’s – visit www.slhk.org for dates and times.

Or if you’d rather let the train take the strain, take a ride on the world’s smallest railway. The Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway will take you all the way to Dungeness and back, giving an unparalleled view of our beautiful area. Stop off for lunch in Dungeness at the Pilot or Britannia Inn, or come back to Hythe – whatever floats your boat. www.rhdr.org.
www.thepilotdungeness.co.uk
www.britanniadungeness.co.uk

SUNDAY AFTERNOON

Spiritually restored, there’s just time for a late, lazy lunch before heading home.

For fresh air and to catch the last of that sea view, we can recommend The Lazy Shack, perched right on Fisherman’s Beach in Hythe. Right through from breakfast (served til 12 noon) to lunch and tea, this is the place to make the most of your last day in Hythe.

The Lazy Shack Shop can hold up to 50 different varieties of fish on any given day, much of it caught from the bay right in front of your eyes, just ready for you to take it home as a holiday reminder. www.thelazyshack.co.uk.