Though Folkestone has had a covering of the white stuff, we have probably enjoyed less snow over the past week or so than many parts of the country. For birds from Scandinavia, like the many small flocks of redwings currently visiting the area, it is a relative haven. We’ve put together a short, informative video of some of our local birds as they forage for food, and generally find ways of coping with the harsh conditions. Also, as this week would have been Elvis’ 75th birthday, Read the rest of this entry »

The team at S&G joined up with three amigos, to take part in Folkestone’s annual boxing day dip. The weather leading up to Christmas had been severe, and there was talk of disclaimers  and risk, but we were not to be deterred. Read the rest of this entry »

On Sunday, having had a mammoth bottled ale sampling session the previous night, (conclusion: we liked them all, but Gentleman Jack, at a quid a bottle from Asda, stood up well in more sophisticated company), we took our hangovers for a walk along the beach. Read the rest of this entry »

After a short, but intensive burst of work in London, I was glad to be back in Folkestone on Monday.

(The best thing about commuting to London, was the chance to try out the new high-speed service to St Pancras, which is a real treat, compared to the standard train journey. Folkestone is fortunate to be less than an hour away from London).

I thought I’d take my camcorder into the town centre, and, with the possible exception of the footage of the gargoyles on the church tower, film some of the urban backend of Folkestone, and put together a montage, with soundscape. Read the rest of this entry »

Friend of S&G and fellow flickerer Wellingtonboots, made this little film of a FOWSC session last week. Enjoy.

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There was a real experience to be had in Folkestone last weekend (4th-5th October 2009). Two floors at the Leas Cliff Hall were taken up with railway model makers from all over England and perhaps beyond.

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Sunday (27th Sept) saw the 4th Folkestone Rotary Half Marathon take place. The glorious late summer sun meant ideal conditions for the spectators and supporters, but provided an extra challenge for the runners.

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Following on from our recent bee piece, you may have noticed, as you walk around town, that there are a lot of spiders hanging about the streets of Folkestone at the moment. Early Autumn seems to be peak time to see these arachnid silk-spinning engineers, in all their glory, and apparently, there are more spiders and crane flies than usual, this year, due to ideal breeding conditions last year.

I took the following footage on a single stroll round Folkestone on Tuesday.

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The Spacious and Gracious team bring you the first in an occasional series of reviews of the best bars in Folkestone to watch football in.

One of us being a West Ham fan, and the other, a Liverpool supporter, we chose “The Frenchman”, (no longer ‘happy’), as the venue in which to enjoy/suffer the match on Saturday.

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Here in sunny Folkestone, it’s a busy time of the year for all the so-called solitary bees that have emerged from the hundreds of small burrows in locations such as the coastal park, the Leas path that runs through the vinery, and my front garden. Though they occur in large numbers, they are called solitary because they don’t inhabit communal nests or hives, but the females lay their individual eggs in their own burrow, which they seal after leaving enough pollen for the nourishment of their offspring. Read the rest of this entry »

During the FOWSC Summer break we ventured up to the hills surrounding Folkestone and caught some video of a bunch of local paragliders taking advantage of the hot weather and thermals.

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The twice-yearly re-distribution of shingle on the beaches between Folkestone and Hythe, is currently underway.  Affecting the beaches from Mermaid’s beach sea wall, westward to Hythe, our beloved FOWSC beach is remains accessible, and swimming continues.

I took my camcorder down to witness the shingle-shifting process…

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