Our Kentish Coasts – Louise Lawton

Coastal and Marine Officer Louise Lawton explores our treasure trove of Kentish Coastline.

Kent has over 350 miles of beautiful and diverse coastline. From the saltmarsh of the Thames Estuary to the vegetated shingle of the Dungeness peninsula, the variety of habitats and their associated wildlife is what makes Kent a truly special county.

I may be biased as Coastal and Marine Officer, but having worked and lived on the Kent coast for 10 years, I have not tired of it yet. Some of my favourite places to visit include the Medway and Swale estuaries for bird watching. In such a short distance, I can view hundreds of coastal birds feeding on the mudflats. I’ve also enjoyed watching seals and porpoises in this area too.

Folkestone harbour is another frequent haunt of mine, not only can I meet friends and enjoy a refreshing beverage with a great view, but it’s also a great spot to watch kittiwakes, razorbills and cormorants dive for fish. Further along the beach, when the tide is low, there’s fabulous rockpools crammed with wildlife from hermit and spider crabs to blennies and bristle stars.

For long walks with my dog, I have enjoyed the use of the King Charles III Coastal Path exploring the tops of the White Cliffs of Dover and the chalky stacks and white sands of Botany Bay in Thanet.

The shingle desert of Dungeness is a ‘must visit’ area of Kent, home to a unique array of flora and fauna and a sky that seems endless. A great place to visit on a warm day, but there’s also something rather special about the bleakness of mid-winter.

All these beautiful coastlines are an inspiration for their conservation. We need healthy and resilient coasts to protect us from climate change, we need to reverse the decline in a multitude of species by giving them the space they need to breed, feed and survive. We also need to treat our beaches with respect, removing litter and leaving only our footsteps as traces that we’ve ever been there.

I’m an advocate for keeping to the path and dogs on leads on sensitive wildlife sites as well as undertaking regular beach cleans in my local area. I’m also passionate about the education of children in the outdoors and connecting young people to nature has been a huge part of my career. I believe those who care about our coastlines, will be the voice for them in the future.

The coast and marine environment is now firmly a part of my life, I never get tired of being on a beach and swimming in the sea, and I consider myself lucky to be able to see it every day.

(All photos with kind permission from Louise Lawton)