(NB: This is sometimes combined with The Leas Tour)
This tour begins and ends on The Leas, taking a dip “inland” for the middle part.
Starting at The Grand, we explore the history of the impressive red brick and terracotta hotels (Grand, Metropole and Burlington) on The Leas before walking through the area of white stucco villas of Clifton Crescent and Augusta Gardens, built for Victorian and Edwardian middle class families. Then original Saga hotel, the home of the “Sailor’s Friend”, Samuel Plimsoll and the immense Holy Trinity Church, all feature on this leg of the tour, as does the glorious Pleasure Gardens Theatre, the site of which is now occupied by the more prosaic local police station.
We then walk through the lovely ornamental Kingsnorth Gardens before discovering the history of the central railway station and the imaginative display of Folkestone Artworks adjacent to it.
Turning round at Radnor Park, we return via graceful Castle Hill Avenue, home a century ago to some of the most fashionable hotels in town, as well as a Turkish Baths, before arriving back on The Leas.
As with all of the tours, there will be a refreshment stop at a local coffee house along the route.
To make a booking go to the Tour Booking page.