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f you’re looking for something to blow the cobwebs away this weekend, why not book the gang in for a sailing course in Whitstable? You could always start small with a three-hour taster session, or if you’re looking for something more substantial there are two-day weekend courses, too – which cover essential sailing manoeuvres like gybing and tacking. You may not quite be ready for your first solo round-the-world attempt by the end of it, but you know what they say: every journey begins with a single step (or sail). And besides, it’s all good fun.

You could give the whole weekend a sailing theme by staying in the old Fisherman’s Huts that line the beach. These wood-slatted buildings were once used to store cockle farmers’ clutter, but are now equipped with mod cons and sea views that would have made JMW Turner reaching for his paints.

Breakfast is a hearty affair at the nearby Hotel Continental (just what you need before a day on the water), and when it comes to dinner you’ve got the Crab & Winkle seafood restaurant just across the harbour. It’ll take you approximately 3-minutes 47 seconds to get there from your hut– if you don’t stop to watch the sunset…