Margate today

A fleeting visit to see Lord Neville of Margate. Before doing so, I took my lovely niece down to Foreness Bay. You know there's something so refreshing about an English seaside resort in December. It's called the temperature! Although one was blessed with some excellent winter sunshine, the cold curtailed our visit to one of my childhood playgrounds.

Undeterred by this calamity, His Lordship was collected and transported via the seafront at Grenham Bay , Birchington and onwards to the Minnis Bay Restaurant. The fabulous threesome eat their way through a pleasant Sunday lunch before taking in the sites of the wonderful Isle of Thanet.

It was so clear today that one could easily make out La France. The huge cliffs at Cap Gris Nez are easily viewed when atmospheric conditions allow. Apart from being in a plane over Manston aerodrome, or Kent International Airport as it's now known, the "best" place to see France is abive the port at Ramsgate. Yes, Ramsgate, home to Eascliffe Richard, Frannie Oapen, Ramsgate Tourettes and other well know personages of the East Kent Blogosphere.
(Iain Dale is from West Kent).

Having survived "Chav Central", our route took us through Westwood Cross.
(This absurd "out-of-town" shopping centre has decimated the High Streets of Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate in one very foul swoop).

Upon our return to Westgate-on-Sea, tea was taken before the long-haul back to the centre of the universe.

What's this got to do with my training schedule. Not a lot. But families should always come first.