Looking along the Saxon Shore Way, towards the Downs and the Town of Herne Bay, Thanet, Kent
Herne Bay is a seaside town on the north coast of Kent in South East England. It is 6 miles (10 km) north of Canterbury and 4 miles (6 km) east of Whitstable. It neighbours the ancient villages of Herne and Reculver and is part of the City of Canterbury local government district, although it remains a separate town with countryside between it and Canterbury. Herne Bay's seafront is home to the world's first freestanding purpose-built Clock Tower, built in 1837. From the late Victorian period until 1978, the town had the second-longest pier in the United Kingdom. The town began as a small shipping community, receiving goods and passengers from London en route to Canterbury and Dover. The town rose to prominence as a seaside resort during the early 19th century after the building of a pleasure pier and promenade by a group of London investors, and reached its heyday in the late Victorian era. Its popularity as a holiday destination has declined over the past decades, due to the increase in foreign travel and to a lesser degree exposure to flooding that has prevented the town's redevelopment. In 2011 the town had a population of 38,563. The rising land beside the coast, between the valley and the eastern cliffs, is known as The Downs (no relation to the North or South Downs). This area has been named a Site of Scientific Interest and a Special Protection Area for birds. The whole of the north-east Kent coast has been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest. The geology of the town consists mainly of London Clay, overlaid with brickearth in the west. The sand and clay of The Downs are subject to landslips The Plenty Brook passes through the town's drainage system, allowing buildings to be built over the top. The brook has been prone to flooding during heavy rain, especially in inland areas, which regularly causes problems for people living in the Eddington area in southern Herne Bay. Stormy weather can cause the sea level by the coast to rise by up to two Ms.
Size: 5616px × 3744px
Location: Herne Bay, Kent
Photo credit: © John Gaffen / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: area, arm, bay, beach, beltinge, channel, clay, cliff, coastal, downs, english, estuary., groynes, herne, interest, kent, leisure, london, neptunes, north, pier, protection, saxon, scientific, sea, seaside, shingle, shore, site, special, summer, thames, thanet, walling
