One gorgeous seaside town on the Kent coast has been captured in all its beauty by a Londoner who now calls it home – and it’s just an hour’s commute
Most Londoners likely spend the better portion of their commute dreaming of escaping to the UK seaside. While these dreams often perish on the Jubilee line, one content creator turned her fantasy into a reality.
A freelance creative and owner of the content creation agency, The Creative Comms Company, Bethany documents her life in Kent after leaving London. Currently, the creator balances a few days of work each week in London with a slow life in rural and coastal Kent with her fiancé. A complete convert to life outside the city, Bethany aims to provide guidance and inspiration for anyone looking to make a similar lifestyle change. The ex-Londoner speaks highly of her new home in a coastal town, calling it a “glorious and underrated part of the country.”
But where in Kent exactly?
Bethany is currently based in Folkestone, just 55minutes outside of London. A once port town on the English Channel, Folkestone in Kent is rich in green spaces and sea views. Bethany’s most recent TikTok went viral, showing her gorgeous sunrise walk through the town. The video captioned “this is how I started my morning today” showcases Folkestone’s picturesque cobblestone paths and empty beach bathed in early sunlight.
One of the biggest attractions of the area is Folkestone’s Creative Quarter, which features in Bethany’s most recent video. The Creative Quarter is filled with charming independent shops and galleries, some of which line the Old High Street that leads down to the water. At the heart of the Creative Quarter is the Folkestone Quarterhouse, a performing arts venue that regularly hosts music, theatre, dance and comedy events, as well as the annual Folkestone Book Festival.
And no promotion of Folkestone would be complete without mentioning the Folkestone harbour. According to Bethany: “You can literally see France from the shore.” The newly restored Folkestone Harbour Arm is a promenade that’s perfect for appreciating the town’s fishing history, as well as the nearly 70 food and retail outlets that dot the area. In response to one commenter asking whether it’s better to take a bus or train if you’re coming from London, Bethany writes: “Definitely train! Go from St Pancras to Folkestone Central. Then take the walk to the creative quarter and onto the harbour arm, then along the beach to the west end/Sandgate!”
If you’re in the area, the Lower Leas Coastal Park is also worth a visit. The park is one of the best green spaces in the region, featuring plentiful recreational parks and pine avenues, as well as the largest free adventure play area in the south east.
So far, Bethany is one of many ex-Londoners who have loved their move out to the countryside. “I just love the wonderful community, beaches and cafes and how I can balance a couple of days of work in London every week whilst still living a slower life by the sea and the countryside.”
