Lynda's - for everyday wares at affordable prices

Lynda's, on Queen Street, Deal is one of those treasure troves of a shop. It has everything from kitchen equipment, hardware, art materials, storage through to a host of seasonal items from beach shoes and boogie boards in the summer, through to Halloween masks and Christmas lights in the Autumn and Winter. I often forget it is there, and end up paying through the nose for what appears to be a cheap online alternative, but once postage is factored in, Lynda's wins hands down. I've bought everything from kilna jars, cartoon character boogie boards, hard wire brushes, sunglasses and twinkling red Christmas lights and will be popping in over the next few weeks for some more festive fare. This is another of my favourite local shops.

Olympic spirit in coastal Kent

The anticipation of the Olympic torch travelling through Kent built and built until w/c 15 July when it finally arrived. The dull and dreary weather on its arrival in the coastal town of Hythe on Wednesday 18th July, didn't dampen the spirits of the hundreds of onlookers, who had macks to match their tiny union jacks.

The sponsors loud and lively trucks cheered the crowd - Coca Cola, Samsung and Lloyds TSB -rattled through this coastal town. The police escort accompanying the torch was very impressive - massive BMW motorbikes with friendly police gave a real carnival atmosphere to this historic event. When the torch was glimpsed in the distance the crowd collectively cheered and shouted as a veteran torch bearer held the flame on high. It was over pretty quickly but the planning was excellent. The torch arrived precisely at 1.23pm at Hythe Roundabout, and then travelled onto Seabrook. Pubs like the local Bell, made the most of a roaring lunchtime trade, with many happily ensconced for the duration.

After a night's stop at Dover where thousands gathered to see the lighting of the cauldron at one of the 66 countrywide evening events, the torch started it's next day arriving by lifeboat at the end of Deal pier at 8.27am. The day was just beautiful, with bright blue sky, warm sun and many hundreds of spectators. The accompanying police on this stretch were event more impressive, with bikes gathered to start the day's procession. After the sponsors trucks and the athelete's coach, the torch travelled down the pier, took a turn round the precinct, before travelling alongside the promenade. The crowd was excited, children cheered, music blared and another veteran torch bearer held the torch on high. Again it was over very quickly, but the morning was stunning and local businesses were all geared up for some energetic trade - rising to the occasion was Dunkerley's Hotel - a family run business which put on a fabulous champagne breakfast, with full English, toast, tea, orange juice for £10 per head. It was perfectly cooked, perfectly served and fitted a perfect morning in Deal.

Samphire Hoe, the early spider orchid and this tasty seaside vegetable

This is an exceptional, diminuitive rare orchid, which when found is often kept secret, so that it is safe from botanical bounty hunters. But, when kept safe, and in the conditions that it likes (where the sea meets the land, where sand becomes mixed with soil, and where moss may have begun to take hold, but grass is still grappling to find its feet), it is at its happiest. It has an acid green/yellow colour, with a firm stalk, and a dark chocolate brown velvety body from where it takes its name. 

 This is so at Samphire Hoe where plants numbers have multipled from 67 found in 1998 up to the 11,500 counted earlier in 2012.  Samphire Hoe was created by Eurotunnel reusing the chalk marl taken during the the building of the Channel Tunnel. It is a beautiful strip of land, running alongside the Dover Cliffs, and located between Folkestone and Dover. It is home to wildlife, migrating and native birds, and loads of wildflowers. You reach it by turning off from the M20, travelling through a dark, chalk tunnel to emerge into a white seabright landscape beyond. It's worth a visit just to do this.

Why is it called Samphire Hoe? It was named through a public competition, and refers to Rock Samphire which used to be collected from the neighboring cliffs, and Hoe which refers to the spit of land that sticks out into the sea. Of course, it is illegal to transplant any wildflower or plant, so collecting from the cliffs would be taboo. But, you can still see Samphire at the Hoe, adjacent to the cafe and successfully planted at the top edge of the seawall.

If, like us you fancy trying to cultivate Samphire, we have found Victoriana Nursery which supplies small plants replete with full instructions on how to care for this maritime vegetable. The fun thing is that you have to water it with salt laden water (30g to l litre) and can try sea water, which I am keen to do. Most of the fishmongers around the coast sell this maritime delicacy, although the main type sold tends to be marsh samphire that grows in the salt marshes. If you can't get to the Hoe, and don't fancy giving growing it a go, do try and taste, it's crunchy taste  won't disappoint.

Spitfire - a great beer with rich Kent history

Spitfire ABV 4.5%

My favourite of the Shepherd Neame beers is Spitfire with its big and bold malty, hoppy taste. It looks good with a decent foam and has a lovely long linger in the mouth.  A cask conditioned ale it has an ABV of 4.2%. It is naturally at home in this historical corner of Kent, where Spitfire planes and their fighter pilots soared over the White Cliffs of Dover. A replica Spitfire plane is to be seen at the National Memorial to the Few cared for by the charity The Battle of Britain Memorial Trust at the top of the Dover Cliffs at Capel le Ferne. Other Spitfire planes can be seen at a truly remarkable and comprehensive exhibition of the lives of fighter pilots: the planes, the missions, the letters and the stories of those fighting in WW1 and WW2 at the volunteer-run  Kent Battle of Britain Museum in Hawkinge.

Bright lights at The King's Head, Deal

Daffodils about to bloom

Recently Spitfire has made a splash with its tongue in cheek advertising which can be found throughout Shepherd Neame pubs, and published in a small booklet, a copy of which was kindly given to me by Graham Stiles of the family run King's Head in Deal. This is a very special pub indeed, with great hospitality, good food, a real love and commitment to Deal, and of course some very fine Spitfire ale. It looks great throughout the year, from Spring until the dark Winter months it is festooned with flowers, and from December through until the end of February it clads its ceilings in thousands of fairy lights, which certainly helps to dispel the Winter gloom. During the Summer it gets together with the nearby Dunkerley Hotel and the Port Arms, to provide music in the sea-facing outside courtyard. It's well worth a visit, and with the Channel View guest house attached, it's worth booking in for a night or two.

Snow falls on Kingsdown beach

Seaside in the snow...
A rather dark, sleety end to January with the occasional flakes of snow, as we see the temperatures drop to around zero. Weather nothing like that of the previous year, which saw surfboards acting as snow sledges and people shooting down the steep shingle Kingsdown beach slopes into the icy sea below. The Zetland Arms, www.thezetland.co.uk one of the oldest pubs in the area with great seafood and a fine selection of beers, did a roaring trade.

The sea today

What a fabulous sun-spangled sea on a bright Sunday morning in January. This is my sea - it crashes against the sea wall and makes such a thunderous roar. It's why i love living in Kingsdown and moved here permanently in 2009 with Daniel, my partner and two mouse-catching miscreants, Maximus and Archibald (who definitely don't like the sea as much as me).

Sea smashing seawall at Kingsdown, Deal, Kent