First Light Coast & Country

ST. MARGARET'S-AT-CLIFFE & ST. MARGARET'S BAY
FIRST LIGHT
COAST AND COUNTRY

First Light Coast & Country is truly one of England's most stunning hidden secrets. The area is just far enough off the 'beaten track' to feel remote yet is within easy reach of the major transport routes which link the Channel Ports to the rest of Europe.

Where is First Light Coast & Country?
The area is an isolated 'island' of countryside and coastline in the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty which surrounds the lovely seaside village of St. Margaret's-at-Cliffe with it's secluded cove at St. Margaret's Bay set on the White Cliffs between the bustling Port of Dover and the quaint seaside town of Deal. The bay is the closest part of England to the European mainland and on a clear day the coast of France is visible just over 21 miles away.

There is something for everyone in First Light Coast & Country including a great variety of places to stay, eat and drink ranging from luxurious 4 star country house hotel accommodation to a handful of great Kentish pubs serving locally sourced beers and regional dishes.

The surrounding countryside is spectacular at all times of the year especially the winter months when the bracing winds blow and that rare feeling of solitude can be experienced on the clifftop paths. Or if it's atmosphere you're after and the lively buzz of a country pub then head for the warmth of a cosy bar on the beach or in the heart of the lovely village centre at St. Margaret's-at-Cliffe.

Why First Light Coast & Country?
Being the most South-Easterly point in Britain this beautiful corner of our resplendent Isles can bask in the first rays of light to fall on our shores. As the sun rises over the coast of France, the spectacular beauty of The White Cliffs of Dover bathed in a pinkish hue is a sight ot behold. Another famous reference to First Light can be seen atop the headland at St. Margaret's Bay - one of South East England's most recognisable landamarks - the South Foreland lighthouse. For years this lighthouse warned ships in the channel of the dangerous shoreline below and it was Thomas Eddison who installed an electric light in this lighthouse for the first time anywhere in the World.

Leading down from the Lighthouse to the Bay is the beautiful South Foreland Valley which is designated a site of special scientific interest and is carefully managed by the White Cliffs Countryside Project . At the base of the Valley is the St Margaret's Museum, opposite the lovely Pines Gardens which is watched over by an impressive statue of Sir Winston Churchill. The ancient church of St Margaret of Antioch towers over the centre of the village where shops still provide for the needs of villagers and visitors.