Alec Hobbs’ memorial bench

A simple wooden bench on the Kent coastline marks where Alec Hobbs once sat. There's no fanfare, no interpretive board - just a place to stop and look out across the shingle towards the sea near New Romney. The kind of memorial that appeals to people who appreciate understated tributes rather than grand monuments.

You'll find it's ideal for a quiet break during a coastal walk. The bench itself is the whole experience here - you're not getting a visitor centre or a café, just a spot to sit and breathe in the salt air. It works brilliantly if you're staying at one of the nearby caravan parks like New Romney Caravan Park just half a mile away, or Cabu by the Sea a bit further along. The kind of thing you'd stumble across on a morning ramble and think, "That's rather nice."

Historically minded visitors might find the personal story behind it worth researching beforehand - it adds meaning to what could otherwise feel like any other bench on the coast. Children will probably tire of it quickly unless you frame it as part of a larger walk. But for walkers or anyone seeking genuine quiet moments by the sea, it's worth the detour. No admission charge, no opening hours to worry about - it's there whenever you fancy a sit down. Allow five minutes unless you get chatty with other visitors, which you might.