Hythe
Visit this charming old town, one of the Cinque Ports - towns that defended the English sea coast in medieval times. In return for defense, towns were granted special privileges, including immunity from taxes and the right to salvage goods from shipwrecks. In later centuries, these towns along the coast were crawling with smugglers, bringing illegal goods from France.
Beaches - The harbor at Hythe silted up centuries ago, so these days the beach is half a mile from the center of town. Take a stroll or run down the long promenades that go for miles along the pebble beaches. (For a flat sand swimming beach, good for kids, head to St. Mary's Bay or Dymchurch.)
Crypt of St. Leonard - The Norman church of St. Leonard was started 1080, and in the next two centuries, more chapels and towers were added. The downstairs attraction in this tranquil church is the crypt, filled with hundreds of skulls and thigh bones, stacked in neat rows. It's a mystery how the bones came to be in the crypt, but they date back to the medieval era. The crypt is open May to Sept.
Royal Military Canal - In the first decade of the 19th century, Napoleon's army was camped across the water in France, chomping at the bit to invade England. One of the English defenses was the Royal Military Canal, which goes from Hythe to Rye. Don't miss the Adventure Playground, a reconstruction of the wooden fortifications and bridges over the canal. Today, the Royal Military Canal is a peaceful place to rent canoes or row boats in summer, or just wander along the pathways under the trees, watching the ducks chugging along in the water
Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway - Take a ride on the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway, a pint-size steam train that runs from Hythe to Dymchurch to New Romney, ending at Dungeness. Each stop has a charming station, with cafes and picnic areas. At the New Romney Station, don't miss the Toy and Model Museum, chock full of model train layouts.
