Herne Bay

Today's outing took us for a tour round the north coast, beginning with Whitstable, coffee in The Bubble and an examination of the work at Long Rock, where a new groundwater outflow is being installed (Mr Flum has much experience in such matters) then a drive to Herne Bay.

I was impressed by the clock tower on the esplanade and read the outer circle of one of the mosaic roundels close by that the tower is 'The earliest purpose-built free-standing clock tower in existence. Gifted to the town by Ann Thwaytes. Based on the Old  London Royal Exchange Building'.
The inner circle reads: 'The opening ceremony 2nd October 1837. Designed by Edwin Dangerfield'.

We checked the time on the human sundial (extra1), finding it correct, wandered through the pretty gardens as far as the pier, now small boutique kiosks and funfair, as, since damage in a storm of 1978, there is little left of 'one of the earliest and longest' built in 1832 but this and the end, stranded way out to sea.

A quick look at the Roman site at Reculver gave tantalising sight of a blue butterfly but phone photos of a flittering insect are not clear enough for a positive ID. My hope is for Chalk hill blue but it might be Holly blue, see whether you can interpret extra 2.

We came back through Margate whose sandy beach (not shingle, as everywhere else) was very busy even at 5pm but didn't stop, cross-country past hop fields back to the house. 

At 7pm the car temperature read 26C but on the coast we were nearer a comfortable 23C or so, as it was hazy with a slight breeze.