Being green and sustainable in Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate

1. Hop aboard Public Transport

It’s convenient, it’s quick and you can help to reduce traffic congestion as well as your carbon footprint by leaving the car at home.

Southeastern trains can whisk you to our Isle from London St Pancras in as little as 75 minutes aboard its high-speed service. Trains also run from London Victoria, Waterloo East and Charing Cross.

3. Stretch your legs

What better way of exploring than on two feet or two wheels when there’s 19 miles of award-winning coastline, lovely green spaces and country paths to discover? Treading lightly in tune with the environment also works wonders for your wellbeing as those endorphins begin to flow.

Immerse yourself in the landscape walking or cycling the 32-mile, circular Viking Coastal Trail around the Isle, taking in scenes of dazzling white chalk cliffs, sandy beaches, historic landmarks, inland villages – and numerous pit stops for you to pause and refuel. Much of the route is along coastal promenades or country lanes, and you can sample small sections or take on the whole challenge. You can hire bikes at numerous locations, including electric bikes.

We’ve lots of guided and self-guided walks, which are a great way to get under the skin of local history, discover architecture, hear dark tales from the past, or wander with Turner and Dickens. Join friendly guides, or pick up maps / download routes and make your own adventures full of fascinating finds and fresh sea air.

4. Eat local

Eateries around the Isle are making the most of the natural larder on their doorstep, keeping down food miles and offering you genuine local flavours. A tasty win-win.

Angela’s seafood restaurant in Margate is a scrumptious example, awarded the new accolade of a Michelin Green Star in 2021 and 2022 for its sustainable practices. Daily changing menus feature fish fresh from the boats that morning, and any vegetable food waste is composted for use in local community gardens that then grow more organic ingredients for the restaurant – a virtuous circle.

Buy local for your picnics too. Quex Barn is bursting with locally sourced fruit and veg, and boasts a butcher, baker and fishmonger. There’s also a restaurant serving farm-fresh produce.

Visit on the last Sunday of the month to pick up seasonal and speciality fare from Cliftonville Farmers’ Market, and make a date this autumn for Broadstairs Food Festival,  guaranteed to tickle the tastebuds with artisan goodies from Thanet and Kent.

6. Buy antique and pre-loved items and gifts

Another quick tip is to escape the throwaway society and follow the buzz for recycled, upcycled and pre-loved items and gifts when you indulge in some retail therapy.

Hunt for storied treasures at Petticoat Lane Emporium in Ramsgate where 200 traders sell vintage, collectable and antique goods. Or rummage for old-fashioned and unusual furniture, architectural salvage, artworks, china and every bygone imaginable at ‘restorers’ heaven’ Scott’s Furniture Mart in Margate. To name just two Aladdin’s caves.

7. Coast for all seasons – visiting off-peak

Why not visit us in autumn and winter? By choosing off-peak holidays you avoid the pressures put on local transport and roads at busier times of year. We are a coast for all seasons  and plenty of attractions stay open in the quieter months, ideal for leisurely-paced enjoyment.

Maybe try an eco-experience like seaside foraging. Or ‘seas’ the day sauntering along golden stretches of sands that are so peaceful as the days grow crispy – perfect for adventures with your four-legged friend.

8. Caring for our coast – get involved

We love our destination with its Blue Flag and Seaside Award-winning beaches and bays. You can play your bit in keeping them pristine by leaving only your footsteps behind in the sand – look out for #2minutebeachclean stations all around the main beaches, giving everyone the chance to do a quick clean up.

Keep your eye out for wildlife and conservation volunteering opportunities with Kent Wildlife Trust at Sandwich & Pegwell Bay National Nature Reserve, internationally important for its bird populations.

At Monkton Nature Reserve, fun activities combine with learning to nurture children’s (and grown-ups’) understanding of nature and environmental stewardship. The Thanet Coast Project with its wealth of fun, family and educational coastal wildlife-related events and activities, from beach cleans to a guide on rockpooling responsibly, is another great source of information and things to do.

9. Crafted with a conscience

In the mood for some renewably sourced pampering? Haeckels harvests seaweed by hand in Margate to use in luxuriously nourishing natural skin care products and treatments – spoil yourself, everything is crafted with a conscience. The company’s ethical ‘ocean first’ policy includes organising beach cleans and taking part in marine conservation surveys. Knowing that, you are sure to enjoy even more the feelgood sensation of a seaweed bath with sea views from their cliff-top base.