When you think of the best beaches in Britain and the most beautiful rugged coastline it usually conjures up images of Cornwall, Devon or Norfolk perhaps. However head for south, eastern part of the country and you’ll find yourself in Kent, complete with simply beautiful beaches, gorgeous coastal walks, cute little bays and its famous white cliffs. The Kent coastline stretches for 350 miles and is a fantastic place to holiday, pick one of a number of its lovely seaside towns or head this way for a day trip. Kent’s coastline is perfect for all ages and abilities and there are more blue flag beaches than in any other county. We’ve picked our favourites below.
Dungeness Beach
This first of Kent’s beaches is not the rolling sand that you would imagine but is actually a vast expanse of shingle beach that has a really atmospheric feel to it.
Dungeness has one of the most unique habitats in the country and is technically classed as a desert, that said though it is still home to a number of rare insects and around 600 species of plants.
You’ll also notice the wooden cottage sat on the beach with its driftwood garden, once lived in by film director Derek Jarman.
The imposing sight of the flat land with two lighthouses jutting up and the eerie looking nuclear power station just add to the surreal vibe at this one of Kent’s beaches, it is definitely worth a stroll around if you are in the area.
Minster Leas Beach
The village of Minster is home to the next of Kent’s beaches. Minster is a lovely village that has a Saxon Abbey on the only high ground of the Isle of Sheppey. The Isle of Sheppey is a small island just off the northern coast of Kent which offers lovely beaches, some fantastic places to eat and stay and a little bit of island life just off 46 miles to the east of London.
Minster beach is a really tranquil spot, it has a grassy area that leads down to a long, shingle beach and when the tide is out you’ll be treated to sand as well.
There is a lovely promenade that is very popular with dog walkers and families taking their children out on bikes and it has amazing views over the North Sea, The Swale and The Nore.
St Mary’s Bay
St Mary’s Bay is a lovely sandy one of Kent’s beaches. It is located between Viking Bay and Stone Bay, in the coastal village on the South East Kent coastline. It is gorgeously sandy with flat rocks around the low water mark, there are loads of rock pools for children to explore and it has a promenade linking all of Broadstones beaches so is really easy to get to.
Botany Bay
This is probably the most famous of Kent’s beaches, with the most beautiful views of the white cliffs and chalk stalks and gorgeous sandy beaches, you’ll see why its so popular.
Botany Bay is a great place to come to relax or if you have little ones and relaxing out of the question then wait for low tide and go fossil hunting and exploring in the rock pools. It is safe to swim here if you are heading to this one of Kent’s beaches in the summer time or just chill out and enjoy the peace and tranquility on one of the quiet expanses of soft sand.
The area around Botany Bay is great for golfing, so if this floats your boat then definitely bring your clubs. If not then be sure to explore the unique heritage of nearby Broadstairs with its abundance of independent shops.
Margate Main Sands
The Main Sands at Margate offer your typical British seaside resort and make for a brilliant day out, especially if you have kids in tow.
The beach itself is a wide expanse of lovely golden sand and has a tidal pool, children’s rides and amusement arcades to keep you happy all day long.
There are loads of restaurants, bars and stalls selling lovely fresh seafood just a walk away in the Old Town.
As the sun sets on Margate’s Main Sands the colours reflect on the water and make for a beautiful spot to see the end of the day. During the summer months we’d recommend grabbing some fish and chips and finding a space on the beach, bring some jumpers and blankets too.
St Mildreds Bay
This one of Kent’s beaches is a small sandy bay near to the seaside town of Westgate and not far from Margate.
This lovely beach is backed by cliffs and has a tidal pool at the far end, a promenade to stroll and a handful of places to eat.
St Mildred’s Bay is a good middle ground between the more secluded and quieter beaches in Kent, and the hustle and bustle of the seaside beaches of Margate.
Whichever of Kent’s beaches you decide to head for, have a wander, see the sights, dip your toes and then grab a deckchair and take some time out listening to the waves coming in and the seagulls playing.