I had an unexpectedly excellent winter's walk today!
I needed to visit my favourite fish shop (Maidenhead Aquatics) in Ramsgate and I was browsing the map for inspiration for a walk while I was in the area when I spotted St Augustine's Cross a few miles to the west. I'd actually been along the road where it stands but I think I must have mistaken it for a war memorial, because I didn't pay it much attention.
Anyway, I decided to do a pilgrimage to the cross by walking to the northern tip of Cliffsend along the road I drive into Ramsgate along, then through Cliffsend village, on to Pegwell Bay, and back to the fish shop along the England Coast Path...
I've marked the mouth of the River Stour because that's the river which runs through Canterbury and the stone used for the cathedral was taken up the river.
St Augustine's Cross is most impressive (and looks nothing like a war memorial!).
At the base there's a plaque written in Latin and another with the English translation...
After many dangers and difficulties by land and sea Augustine landed at last on the shores of Richborough in the Isle of Thanet. On this spot he met King Æthelberht, and preached his first sermon to our own countrymen. Thus he happily planted the Christian faith, which spread with marvellous speed throughout the whole of England. That the memory of these events may be preserved among the English G G L-G Earl Granville, Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports has erected this monument, AD 1884.
Basically then, this spot (or hereabouts) is where Christianity was born in Britain.
Pegwell Bay is popular with visitors from Europe - Hugin, a replica of a Viking longship, commemorates where Hengist and Horsa are thought to have landed about 1500 years ago.
Pegwell Bay is a nature reserve. The tide was out so I went down to the beach for a stroll and to admire Ramsgate's chalk cliffs:
The beach here is fascinating - it's chalk that's covered in barnacles and mussels...
Arriving in Ramsgate's delightful harbour area I passed 'The Ramsgate Home for Smack Boys'...
Then I bought six Green Tiger Barbs for my aquarium and hurried home!
You're saying you only paid £24?!! That's like being on a cruise and announcing that you only paid half as much as everyone else! 
