Dark Margate Walk - Dan Thompson’s Seaside History Club

FREE WALK

Dark Margate Walk: Dan Thompson’s Seaside History Club 
Sunday 2nd November, 11:00 am | Free
Meeting point: The Margate Bookshop, Market Place 

Finishing point:  Bar Nothing, 17 Cliff Terrace, Cliftonville, Margate

Step into the hidden histories and esoteric layers of Margate on this one-hour guided walk with historian and storyteller Dan Thompson. Wander through lost rivers, sacred springs, and chalk secrets while exploring two thousand years of local history and Kentish folklore—from Iron Age hillforts and Roman echoes to the first woman to teach astronomy to girls, ancient burials, Zeppelin, David Bowie, and more.

As part of The Samhain Society’s Dead Good Festival, this walk uncovers the town’s mythic, magical, and eccentric heritage. Learn about the mysterious Shell Grotto and  Margate’s caves, and hear tales of lost rituals, hidden symbols, seaside esoterica, and strange currents that have shaped this coastal town. A journey into the seen and unseen, revealing the wonder, liminal thresholds, and magic woven into Margate’s streets and shores.

After the walk, enjoy the Mystic Market at Bar Nothing (where the walk finishes)

Vendors include:  

 -Enjoy warming drinks and  delicious, comforting, seasonal food by Celeste from Wildly Nourished
- Fallen Flower broomsticks
- ⁠jewellery infused with magick by Smith & Sun 
- ⁠Ceramics by Some Creatures
- ⁠Herbal remedies and plant alchemy from Anahatha Apothecary
- Esoteric books from the likes of: Seadogs - a bookstore inspired by myths and magick.
Herb Lester Associates, whose otherworldly guides provide a unique look at the world 
and High Priestess and Author, Tree Carr 
- Vintage and upcycled wares from Top of the Shops and Restoration London.

Dan Thompson is a historian, author, and storyteller based in Margate, dedicated to uncovering the hidden histories, folklore, and eccentricities of the English seaside. With a passion for exploring lost rivers, sacred springs, and the overlooked corners of towns, Dan weaves together archaeology, local legend, and social history into immersive, engaging experiences. He is the founder of Seaside History Club and a regular guide on walks and tours that bring Margate’s mythic, magical, and often surprising past vividly to life.