Day 4: Margate

Is Margate the only seaside town where the council sends a machine onto the beach at 9.30am to clean and Hoover the sand? Impressive.

Who needs Spain when there is Margate? Sea, sun and wide sandy beaches, and at 9.30am you get it all to yourself.

My hosts Jacky, Kim and Jean had given me 'my must see, must do list' for today:

• walk along the beach to the Turner Contemporary
• stroll through the old town, 
• visit the Tudor House and the Shell Grotto. 

It was warm, sunny and early. The beach was littered with sea scoured chalk pebbles and in homage to being in the shadow of the illustrious Turner Contemporary Gallery, I decided to create my own Art installation on the sand. I set about creating something simple- a seven circuit labyrinth no less. I gathered shells,  stones and seaweed and began. 

A lone fisherman sauntered by.
"What's that then? " he asked
"It's an art installation," I replied.
"Not hopscotch then? " he said
"No, not hopscotch- a seven circuit labyrinth" I said, delighted he was showing an interest. He had no answer to that.

Then I noticed that I was creating my masterpiece below the high water mark and the sea was moving.

"Excuse me," I said. " is the tide coming in or going out?"
"That's right, he replied. I had no answer to that.

And the sea crept up and took away my arty farty craft art installation before I'd barely started.

So I went to market instead - the newly opened red painted Old Kent Market set up by Andy. It has a great mural on the side too. 

Andy and friends have converted an old cinema into lots of small selling outlets. There's a greengrocer, a baker, several artists, a t-shirt designer, an underwear seller, someone who makes delicious treats for dogs and lots of other small businesses. There is even a roofless red London bus that's been turned into a cafe. 

I shared a cup of tea with Andy who told me the history of the newly opened centre and introduced me to a man who, sixty years ago tomorrow, was the original cinema projectionist!

The Market is only just setting up but I think it has huge creative potential. 

Next, the Turner Contemporary which many say is the jewel in Margate's crown. The locals who were waiting with me for it to open are very proud of it, even if some of them confess to having no idea why a huge white ball suspended on a piece of string can be called art worthy of being displayed there. 

I wondered whether they used the same architect as Eastbourne's Towner art gallery as the buildings, polished concrete and large white rooms were remarkably similar. Two for the price of one perhaps? 

It was free admission and the staff very proactive and welcoming. 

The Visit Margate website described Margate as having "a funky vibe going on". As someone who lives half an hour from Brighton and twenty minutes from Lewes, I confess to snorting with derision when I read that. And I was wrong! The old part of the town is full of wonderful quirky shops, galleries, a coffee and loose leaf tea shop, and interesting eateries. King Street is a hive of retro shops and vintage emporia. I really enjoyed it. 

And nothing is more retro than The Tudor house where I turned up half an hour before they opened and they welcomed me in anyway and I had a wonderful solo guided tour. 

The house was saved from council demolition in 1951 by an eagle eyed builder who took off the old plaster to reveal Tudor beams underneath. 

It is run entirely by knowledgeable volunteers and for donations. The real highlight for me was that I was the audience of one to experience Cliff playing wonderful Elizabethan and 17th century music. 

He is a harpsichord specialist and I am embarrassed to record that I was so touched by his playing, just for me, that my eyes leaked!!! 

 Finally, the last thing on my to do list was the Shell Grotto just a few minutes walk from the Tudor House. 

According to legend it was discovered in 1835 when James Newlove was in his garden, digging out a duck pond. A hole appeared and he lowered his son into it and discovered tunnels decorated with intricate and beautiful patterns made of thousands of shells. Stunning!

I have decided that Margate can't hide itself under the radar forever. It's gorgeous!