When the sweltering summer temperature rises in London, sometimes a dip in a city swimming pool just won’t cut it – you need to escape to the beach. And, while the capital city doesn’t officially have any beachside locations for lounging in a heatwave, there are many beaches that are accessible and doable as a day trip – meaning you’re just a hop, skip and wave-jump away from a dip in the sea and a fish & chips supper.
With the long stretch of summer holidays running until the beginning of September, heading out on a fun day trip to the seaside is a great option for families looking to fill up the calendar with excursions. If done thriftily – such as using the GroupSave discount for groups of three to nine, or the off-peak Family Travelcard on the train – it can be a budget-friendly day of fun, without having to spend hundreds of pounds at theme parks.
We've chosen eight of the best tried-and-tested beach days that each clock in at around 2 hours of travel time from London, either on train or by car, along with everything you need to know about the best cafés and restaurants (including the all-important ice cream parlours), beach-side attractions, galleries and museums. Grab a beach blanket, bucket and spade and some suncream, and let’s head off.
Brighton
Distance and time from London: 77 miles – 1 hour by train from London Bridge to Brighton, or about 2 hours by car
Brighton is many Londoners' go-to beach, given the ease and frequency of trains that take you from city to beach in just an hour through the picturesque green countryside of the South Downs. The beach – about a 10-15 minute walk from the station – is a sprawling, pebbly shoreline, and on a good day, the blue sky will match the blue of the sea.
Brighton has been luring holidaymakers to its busy, buzzy coast since the 1700s, so is well set-up for summertime crowds. Thankfully, the amenities have been updated since these historic times, and fringing the beach for a good couple of miles is a great selection of restaurants, bars, cafés and shops.
Check out the seafood shack Sea Haze for freshly shucked oysters and cockles, or Brighton Smokehouse for excellent chunky crab sandwiches opposite, as well as playgrounds and skate parks for the kids. Walking further up the coast towards Hove and the Hove Lagoon (and past the cute and colourful beach huts) will bring you to the Big Beach Cafe – co-owned by local DJ Fatboy Slim – where you can get sandwiches, burgers and chips while the children play in the splash park next door. Watersports are on offer in the small lagoon, while next door, you can shop for excellent fresh and local seafood at Brighton and Newhaven Fish Sales.
Just 10 minutes' walk into the laid-back bohemian city, past the i360 viewing tower, will take you to the Lanes, a collection of historic cobbled streets filled with independent boutique shops selling everything from vegan shoes to artist's supplies. Take your pick from any number of exciting cafés and restaurants, whether you’re in the mood for vegan doughnuts or Korean bao. Stop off for a drink at the 160-year-old Bath Arms, which also does a great Sunday roast. Check out our full guide to the best restaurants in Brighton for more top tips.
Heading back to the beach, a trip to Brighton isn’t complete without a visit to its famous pier. While you can play the slot machines in the arcades or scare yourself silly on one of the fairground rides that dangles over the sea, we’d recommend simply grabbing one of the free, old-fashioned deckchairs on the pier and soaking in the view.
Best fish & chips: The Regency
Best ice cream: Gelato Gusto
Deal
Distance and time from London: 84 miles – 1 hour 24 mins from St Pancras to Deal station, or about 2 hours by car
Stand on the picturesque beach in Deal and look far out to the horizon: on a clear day, you’ll be able to make out the shores of France, which is less than 30 miles away. This close cousin has a great influence on the pretty Kent coastal town – nowhere more so than in the high street, where the numerous delis and weekly Saturday farmers' market (which has been running since the 17th century) offer cheeses, meats and fish alongside flowers, homeware and vintage bric-a-brac stalls from both France and the local region.
The beach itself is pebbly and focused around a wide boardwalk and pier that dates back to the 1950s. When you’ve had a lounge and splash in the sea, there’s still lots of old-fashioned beachside fun to be found, like an epic Roman-inspired mini-golf course, amusement arcades and all manner of iconic sweet treats. Outside of the beach, there’s enough cultural activity to amuse all the family or a group of friends. For history buffs, there’s a petite little castle in the shape of a Tudor rose, first built as an artillery base by Henry VIII, while the town also boasts the Kent Museum of the Moving Image.
Over the past few years, Deal has become something of a foodie destination, too – from the much-loved chi-chi pub The Rose (which also offers sweet boutique B&B rooms above) and its sister venue, Japanese-inspired Blue Pelican, to the French wine spot Le Pinardier, which offers great vintages, natural wines and fantastic fromage et charcuterie plates. You certainly won’t be hungry for more in Deal – and with any luck, you’ll be bringing the spoils of this gem of a town back to your cupboards at home.
Best fish & chips: Middle Street Fish Bar
Best ice cream: Solley’s
Aldeburgh
Distance and time from London: 110 miles – 1 hour 30 mins from Liverpool Street to Woodbridge (then a 27-minute taxi on to Aldeburgh), or about 2 hours 20 mins in the car
Aldeburgh, on the south Suffolk coast, is a charming spot to spend the day – or even the night, to make a weekend of it. While it’s not quite as easy to get to as some other spots – the nearest train station is 17 miles away – it’s well worth the trip, as alongside a gorgeous shingle beach, it’s also a hub for arts, culture and food in this lesser-visited part of the UK.
Visit at the end of September during the annual Food and Drink festival, which has been running for more than 20 years. Set in the Snape Maltings concert hall in a nature reserve on the banks of the River Alde (also a hive for birdwatching), it’s a celebration of local produce and puts the stellar offerings up on a national stage, with tons of tasters for guests to try. Elsewhere in the year, June's focus is on music and arts, when the annual Aldeburgh Festival brings big crowds that are keen on listening to classical musical, opera and contemporary arrangements.
But, simply throwing down a blanket and enjoying the wild coastline of Suffolk is a joy in itself. A walk up the coastline will take you past picturesque pastel-coloured houses and up to a giant shell sculpture, where the fishermen’s boats haul in the daily catch. These fish can be enjoyed in a couple of excellent places along the town seafront, from the award-winning chippies and casual cabins like Ash Smoked Fish, to the smarter restaurants like The Suffolk, where nearby Maldon oysters are shucked alongside grilled native oysters served with garlic butter, all enjoyed with views over the seafront. Life ticks by slowly in this seaside spot, so relax into it and take time to chill out here, too.
Best fish & chips: Aldeburgh Fish and Chips
Best ice cream: Libardi’s Ice Cream Kiosk
Whitstable
Distance and time from London: 62 miles – 1 hour 17 mins by train from St Pancras to Whitstable, or approx 1 hour 40 mins by car
Like the many oysters for which this small fishing town is famous, Whitstable is the pearl of the south-east coast. The shelled seafood has been harvested just off on the beach’s pebbly shores since Roman times, while well into the Victorian era, the bivalves were transported up to London and shucked on almost every street corner as a cheap and delicious snack. All this to say that, for a coastal town, Whistable’s got a lot of rich and delicious heritage.
From the train station, it’s about a 10-minute walk down to the main beach, where colourful shops offer sweet treats like fudge and cupcakes or beach essentials like buckets, spades and floats. But, look out for the iconic pink-fronted Wheelers Oyster Bar: this is one of the best spots in Whistable and worth the journey in itself. Whether you’re looking for a beach picnic takeaway or a gourmet three-course lunch inside the historic restaurant, the oysters are obviously the must-have signature dish here.
If you’ve got more cash to splash (and you book well in advance) there’s always Michelin-starred The Sportsman just up the road, but for a beach day trip, we’d recommend sticking down your picnic blankets on the Tankerton side of the bay – framed by grassy dunes – and walking back down to the harbour to try more seafood treats, like big, cheap plates of chips and even lobsters.
Within a 10-minute wander from the beach is a nearby castle and gardens that are worth a look in, a 10-pin-bowling alley if it’s raining and, recently, a wood-fired sauna set on the tip of the harbour. There’s just time for a quick drink at the historic, 19th-century Old Neptune on the beach, to toast an excellent day trip.
Best fish & chips: The Lobster Shack
Best ice cream: Bear’s Ice Cream Imaginarium
Leigh-on-Sea
Distance and time from London: 50 miles – 50 mins from Fenchurch Street to Leigh-on-Sea station (followed by a 15-minute walk), or about 1 hour 20 mins by car
If it’s a quick little beach trip you’re after, then London to Leigh-on-Sea is one of the swiftest ways to enjoy a few hours of beachside activity before having to head back to the Big Smoke.
There’s a real sense of just what a historic old fishing village used to be. People have been fishing here since medieval times, and you can explore its rich past at the Leigh Heritage Centre and Museum. Head down the cobbled streets of the Alley Dock or 'Old Leigh' where you’ll find shacks selling all sorts of fishy delights – from oysters and cockles, to whelks – in places like Osbourne Bros or the No 1 Cockleshed. There’s more traditional fare to be enjoyed here, too, like the Strand Tea Rooms (perfect for an afternoon slice of cake and a cuppa) and beachside pubs, like Ye Olde Smack or The Mayflower, which have served the fishermen and other locals for years.
Wander over to Bell Wharf beach, a small, calm, sandy beach that looks out over the Thames Estuary. It’s shallow enough for families to set up for the day, and there are hours of fun to be had with a small fishing net in the rockpools.
Walking up the steep hill into the town, past the pretty nature reserve, it’s easy to see why Leigh-on-Sea has recently become a bit of a favourite for creatives: the colourful Broadway is home to lots of little independent galleries (like 70 The Broadway or Piece Gallery), vintage shops and other boutique design shops, so make sure to leave an hour or two for a wander around before hopping on the train back home.
Best fish & chips: The Perfect Plaice
Best ice cream: The Strand Tea Rooms
Camber Sands
Distance and time from London: 80 miles – 1 hour 38 mins by train from St Pancras to Rye station (then 10 minutes by taxi), or approx 2 hours by car
There are two pretty sightseeing trips for the price of one here, as to get to Camber Sands beach – on the train at least – the nearest station is Rye, one of England’s loveliest towns. After a quick spin around the Norman castle, National Trust house and little antique shops along the cobbled lanes, it’s a 10-minute taxi (or 20-minute bus and walk) to Camber Sands, a long stretch of beach fringed by sand dunes that’s very popular in summer. It’s actually the only sandy beach in East Sussex, and it stretches up three miles to the Kent border, where the shingle takes over once again.
The amenities here are quite basic, so it’s best to come prepared: bring picnics, drinks and other supplies to enjoy on a beach day out. But, you can find snacks and drinks at the Marina Cafe by the car park and decent food at The Owl pub, while the fine-dining restaurant Henry’s in The Gallivant hotel has had a couple of national food critics singing its praises. If you’re in the market for buckets and spades, these can usually be found in the couple of shops on the main road by the caravan parks. Check the tide times, too – when the tide is out, it can be a long walk to reach the sea. Great for cocklepickers, less so for sea swimmers.
After you’ve towelled off the sand, we’d recommend jumping in a taxi and driving 10 minutes to a great little vineyard called Tillingham. Here, you can do a full wine tasting tour – stop for just a glass of its excellent natural wine, enjoy a pizza from the wood-fired oven or say hello to the on-site pigs that snuffle around the edge of the vines. Stop off for a pot of cockles at Rye Fish Market to cap off a pretty perfect beach trip.
Best fish & chips: Fish Me A Dish
Best ice cream: Mermaid Street Cafe
Hastings
Distance and time from London: 72 miles – 1 hour 23 mins from London Bridge, or about 2 hours by car
Skip the 'newer' part of Hastings on arrival and head straight to the Old Town, which still captures the historic charm of a place that’s probably most well-known for one of the most famous battles in the country. The sand and shingle beach is surrounded by soaring cliffs, giving any seaside trip here a dramatic backdrop, but the mix of contemporary amenities and traditional coastal fare puts Hastings high up on any list of day trips.
The winding streets that take you down to the Fishing Quarter are like a step back in time – indeed, the vintage and antique shops will transport you even further back in history. There’s even more historical attractions on the way down to the popular Rock-a-Nore beach, like the fascinating Shipwreck Museum and Miniature Railway, a cute tourist train that runs throughout the year (check the website for times off-season). For the more creative types, make sure to stop off at the Jerwood Hastings Contemporary gallery. For something more easy-going, there’s also a great mini-golf course, or take a trip on the funicular for a unique way to travel by the seaside.
A day spent on the shore will likely build up a big appetite, so visit the seafood spots of Rock-A-Nore fisheries, contemporary eatery Coquina or George Street’s Boulevard Books, which has a hidden Thai café. Heading slightly west along the coast will take you to St Leonards, which is making even more of name for itself when it comes to independent bars, boutiques and restaurants – check out Farmyard Wine (a sister spot to Hastings café Boat Yard) or The Royal pub for a boozer that’s had a brilliant makeover, and is a Michelin Bib Gourmand holder to boot.
Best fish & chips: Beach Retreat Fish and Chips
Best ice cream: Di Pola’s
Margate
Distance and time from London: 77 miles – 1 hour 26 mins from St Pancras, or about 2 hours 20 mins by car
There’s a well-trodden path of Londoners heading to Margate for a permanent move to the coast, and for good reason. It’s a relatively speedy trip, and this coastal town has tons to offer for a day trip alongside its miles of sandy beaches, Walpole Bay tidal pool and stunning, rugged coastal vistas.
The train is the easiest way to arrive in Margate, and handily, the station is right next to one of the town’s biggest retro attractions: Dreamland. Whether it’s vintage fairground rides you’re after or a concert (the open-air venue host acts like the Sugababes to The Who’s Roger Daltrey), the old-fashioned amusement park has been given a modern makeover, making it a super-fun and free must-visit stop when making a trip to the Kent coast.
Before setting up on the beach for the day, it’s worth visiting a couple of the key cultural spots in the town. Shell Grotto is a curious local attraction: an underground building covered in thousands of shells, with no real idea how or why it was first built. For more current culture, head to the Turner Contemporary, which is free to enter – there’s always an exciting exhibition to look at, and the floor-to-ceiling windows of the sea always make for the most stunning views.
Setting up camp on the sandy stretch of the beach, you can escape the high-summer crowds by heading up to the Botany Bay area. But, being closer to the main drag means you’re within easy reach of all the brilliant shops, cafés and bars nearby, as Margate’s food scene almost rivals that of London’s. The Harbour Arm is a lovely beachside area to head to first, with Sargasso being the hot-spot here – day-trippers make a beeline for its natural wines and considered small plates. Angela’s is another exemplary bistro, focusing on simple, local seafood, while Faith In Strangers combines 'good food, good people' and an impressive sound system – it's the best place to watch the sunset over the sea, which is gorgeous enough to make you consider your own move to the coast.
Best fish & chips: Peter’s Fish Factory
Best ice cream: Follow The Swirl
More travel and restaurant inspiration
The UK’s best kept secrets: 6 underrated destinations to visit this summer
Best burgers in London
The best afternoon tea in London
Best restaurants in Edinburgh
The best kids afternoon tea in London
The best afternoon teas outside of London
The best themed afternoon teas
Best bakeries in London
Best food markets in London
Best ice cream parlours in London
source https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/travel/uk/8-best-beach-day-trips-from-london-to-make-this-summer
Comments
Post a Comment