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Harbour
Whitstable Harbour
Working harbour with fishing boats, food and gift huts, the South Quay Shed and boat trips.
A mini guide to
Whitstable
Oysters, a working harbour and a long shingle beach facing the Thames Estuary
Photos
Welcome to the area
Oysters, a working harbour and a long shingle beach facing the Thames Estuary
Whitstable is a small town on the north Kent coast, about five miles north of Canterbury, where the Swale meets the Thames Estuary. It is known for its oysters, its working harbour and a shingle beach lined with weatherboarded houses and huts, with Tankerton's grassy slopes and beach huts to the east.
Harbour Street and the High Street carry most of the independent shops, galleries and places to eat, and the harbour has huts selling food and drink, the South Quay Shed and boat trips. Visit Canterbury puts the town about 15 minutes from Canterbury by car; the station is a short walk from the beach.
Highlights
Start here
If you only have a few hours, these are good places to begin.
Historic house
Whitstable Castle
Castellated manor house, also called Tankerton Castle, between the harbour and Tankerton; Visit Canterbury suggests it for afternoon tea.
Viewpoint
Tankerton Slopes
Grassy slopes above the beach huts at Tankerton, a protected wildlife site with views over the Street.
Museum
Whitstable Museum and Gallery
Heritage centre on the town's oyster trade and diving history; it also displays Invicta, an early steam locomotive.
Directions Report a problem with Whitstable Museum and Gallery
Lifeboat station
Whitstable Lifeboat Station
RNLI lifeboat station at the harbour.
Directions Report a problem with Whitstable Lifeboat Station
Church
Church of All Saints
Church of England church, one of five in the Whitstable Team Ministry.
Find your way
On the map
The map shows Whitstable and the streets around it. The Getting there page lists nearby stops and stations.
Insider tips
Before you go
1
Look for the Street
The Street is a natural shingle bank running about half a mile out to sea off Tankerton; it is best seen from Tankerton Slopes. Check tide times before walking on it.
2
Book seafood restaurants ahead
Visit Canterbury says the Sportsman at Seasalter needs booking well in advance; the busiest harbour restaurants fill up on summer weekends.
3
Walk to Tankerton
The seafront path leads east from the harbour past Whitstable Castle's gardens to the Tankerton slopes and beach huts.
4
Combine with Canterbury
Whitstable is one stop beyond Canterbury on the line from London, so the two fit into one day.
Tips from the Britlens editors
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Open the mini guide →Photo credits
- Whitstable (area photo): Michael Garlick, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Whitstable Harbour: Oast House Archive, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Whitstable Castle: Chris Morgan, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Tankerton Slopes: Chris Whippet, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Whitstable Lifeboat Station: cheesladder, CC BY 3.0, source
- Black Mill: West & Son, Whitstable, Public domain, source
- Margate and Broadstairs: DeFacto, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Deal: Nilfanion, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Dover: Chensiyuan, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Canterbury: Hans Musil, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Photos from Wikimedia Commons, used under the licences shown. All photo credits
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