We've asked our friends at Active Ramsgate to write us a little bit about who they are and what they do, and we think you're going to want to read this! Grab your racket, board or even just your walking shoes and see what Active Ramsgate can offer to get your blood pumping and your heart racing this year...
Ramsgate’s at the Land’s End of the south east; the getaway place with great scenery and the great outdoors – and it’s just down the line from London!
A Royal Harbour with the common touch...
An English monument to a Viking invasion...
A nature reserve with wetland birds you’ll want to shout about...
Beautiful bays and boats galore...
Whatever you think you know about the Ramsgate coast, get ready to think again!
Stay in a modern boutique hotel or quaint sea-side guest house and feast on award-winning food in one of the many locally-owned cafe bars and restaurants nestling Ramsgate’s waterfront and marina. Then head out and explore beaches, coves, and nature reserves by foot, bike, boat, canoe or paddle board!
Packed with natural beauty, incredible history and spectacular coastal views, Active Ramsgate offers a cycling route that circles an entire island, cliff-topping and beach hugging walking trails, sweeping golf courses, racquet sports, boat rides, birdwatching tours and watersports galore. It’s definitely the time to get active and be inspired in Ramsgate!
Kitesurfing
Ramsgate is a kitesurfer’s heaven and one of the top kitesurfing destinations in the UK. World Vice Kitesurfing Champion, Lewis Crathern, broke the British record for the highest kite jump here - a whopping 22.3 metres!
Ramsgate also hosts the British Freestyle Kitesurfing Championships each August, attracting the country’s top kitsesurfers and Olympians.
Local kitesurfing school Kite Pirates offers lessons for beginners and coaching sessions for intermediate kitesurfers who want to improve their jumps, transitions or upwind riding. So whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned pro, Ramsgate offers an exhilarating kitesurfing experience for all abilities – come and be inspired!
Stand-Up Paddleboarding
Stand- up paddleboarding (SUP for short!), or Hoe he’e nalu in the Hawaiian language where it originates, is the world’s fastest growing water sport and is a great way to get active and explore the coast. Move aside surfing, windsurfing, bodyboarding and all the rest - stand-up paddleboarding has arrived in Ramsgate! Ramsgate’s kitesurfing school Kite Pirates offers SUP lessons, small group paddles and paddleboard hire, so why not get active and propel yourself along the scenic Ramsgate coast!
Sea Kayaking
Kayaking is a great way to see Ramsgate from a different perspective, to immerse yourself in nature, test yourself against the elements and keep fit all at the same time. Active Ramsgate has developed two sea canoe trails for you to enjoy, whether you want to set off by yourself or be guided by an expert.
Active Ramsgate’s self-guided canoe trail has been designed with the more experienced canoeist in mind. This route hugs the coastline for two miles beneath white chalk cliffs from Ramsgate Main Sands to the picturesque coastal town of Broadstairs. Our guided small group canoe safari is suitable for all abilities, and paddles through one of the UK's internationally protected bird reserves, Pegwell Bay National Nature Reserve. Run by responsible canoe operator Canoe Wild you can be sure that this canoe safari treats the local wildlife, birds and seals with the upmost respect as you paddle.
Scuba Diving
You don’t need to be in a tropical climate to enjoy scuba diving, although it helps! But the coast around Ramsgate has over 2,000 shipwrecks making it one of the most exciting places in the UK to scuba dive. If you’re an experienced diver, take the plunge and discover some long-forgotten treasure! Or why not join a group dive with our local dive school Thanet Diving & Watersports based out of the Arches in Ramsgate’s Royal Harbour. If you are a beginner and want to learn how to dive you can take some lessons with all equipment provided. You’ll soon become a water baby!
Walking
Ramsgate is a mecca for leisure walkers. Enjoy Ramsgate and its coastline on foot on one of Active Ramsgate’s themed walking trails. Of various distances to suit all abilities, created to help you explore some of our area’s treasures and hidden gems.
The Contra Trail: Boats, Birds & Bays (Ramsgate to Pegwell Bay)
This route is brimming with stunning birdlife and nature galore, including seal colonies!
Sea It All: Coast, Cliffs & Café Culture (Ramsgate to Broadstairs)
From awe inspiring white cliffs and sandy beaches to breathtaking views across Viking Bay, you will ‘sea’ it all!
© Thanet District Council
Town Rounders: Regency, Royal & Riviera (Ramsgate Town Walk)
A trail around the harbour and old town to enjoy the Riviera vibe, wonderful Regency architecture and discover some royal connections.
The Beach Roamer: Botany, Bays & Beaches (Ramsgate to Margate)
A beautiful beach ramble taking in nine stunning bays and the best of the Kent coastline from the Royal Harbour of Ramsgate to the vibrant seaside town of Margate, home of Turner Contemporary.
Cycling
When it comes to cycling, Ramsgate has it covered for two-wheeled fun. Set on one of Kent’s premier cycle routes, the 32 mile Viking Coastal Trail encircles an island and consists of on and off-road trails, rolling countryside and cliff-top routes. It also boasts plenty of cafes, restaurants and 'Cyclists Welcome'-accredited hotels on route, to rest your head and fill your belly, and you can cycle all or parts of it! Bikes and helmets can be hired from Harbour Bikes based in the Arches in the Royal Harbour or bring your own!
Birdwatching
Ramsgate is a birdwatcher’s paradise at any time of the year! The coastline has some of the best wildlife habitats in the south east attracting thousands of migratory and wintering wetland birds. Look out for nesting shags and overwintering kingfishers in Ramsgate’s Royal Harbour. Or waders, wildfowl and seals at the internationally important Sandwich & Pegwell Bay National Nature Reserve. And a visit to Monkton Nature Reserve is a must for birds and bats.
Local birding experts Tony Swandale and Keith Ross offer guided birdwatching tours in and around Ramsgate.
Golf
Active Ramsgate is lucky enough to have two highly regarded sweeping golf courses on the Kent coast where you can pick up your game. Bag a birdie or eagle on a getaway in Ramsgate! St Augustine’s Golf Club is set in a stunning area of natural beauty and boasts a beautifully maintained and reasonably flat course with enough tight holes to make playing well both challenging and rewarding. Stonelees Golf Centre has a golf course for beginners, one for improving players and for the low-handicapper. It also has a floodlit driving range, a teaching centre, a putting green, a popular golf simulator and a fully licensed bar and restaurant.
Or pay a visit to Manston Golf Centre with its 9 hole golf course, floodlit 24 bay driving range, golf superstore and Positive Impact Golf academy.
Pickleball & Tennis
Ramsgate is home to one of only a few outdoor pickleball courts in the UK. Pickleball, we hear you say? It’s one of the hottest new racket sports – a blend of tennis, badminton and table tennis in one unique game. Just swing by the Spencer Square Tennis and Pickleball Centre to join in a taster session or to hire a court and rackets and try it out! There’s always someone on hand to give you a few pointers. If you prefer to don your tennis whites, you can hire tennis courts and equipment here too – love all!
© Explore Kent
More by the Shore
There are oodles of other activities to do in Ramsgate on a getaway. Set sail on a boat trip from the Royal Harbour and check out the local birdlife, seals and the biggest offshore windfarm in the world, take a boat tour around the harbour or go sea fishing.
If you’d rather keep your feet on some beautifully maintained terra firma, you can relax in one of the independent eateries around the Royal Harbour and Marina with great outdoor seating, many of which are dog-friendly.
What are you waiting for?!
