Try an awesome Autumn beach walk!
There’s nothing like a day at the seaside, and with Kent boasting so many beautiful beaches, Dawn Kingsford has been out and about dipping her toes at some of the best resorts around…
Kent’s 350-mile coastline is full of surprises offering something to suit all tastes in every season. Now it boasts more Blue Flag beaches than anywhere else in the country.
Picking up 11 flags and nine seaside
awards in this year’s fight for flag status, it has prompted a fresh wave of interest in visiting the coast closer to home. In fact, Keep Britain Tidy, which runs
the rewards scheme, reckons the Cornish coast could be in for some welcome competition, after Kent walked away with more awards than any other county in the country. Commenting on the record haul, a
spokesman for the environmental charity said: “Move over Cornwall — Kent might just have the edge when it comes to award-winning beaches.” And while most of us are only a short
distance from our nearest beach, it might be time to consider casting our net a little further to see what Kent has to offer, whether your passion is for
surfing, skimming stones, hunting for fossils, or simply walking on the sand. Kent’s beaches boast a diverse range
of backdrops, from the fishing town of Whitstable to the world-famous White Cliffs. According to Visit Kent’s marketing director Jennifer Yard, its success in the Blue Flag awards is already making the county more appealing to holiday-makers — good news when the UK’s coastal economy adds £8 billion to the coffers and sustains 210,000 jobs. This year 143 English beaches
achieved Blue Flag status or a Seaside award, with Thanet keeping its seven, along with beaches at Tankerton in Whitstable and Sheerness on the Isle of Sheppey. Also on the island, Leysdown Beach regained its flag and Minster Leas picked up one for the first time. The Blue Flag scheme, launched in
1987, and the Seaside Awards recognise English beaches achieving high standards of management and water quality.
Botany Bay, Broadstairs A wonderful sandy bay, with stunning views of white cliffs and these beautiful chalk stacks (above). When the tide is out, it’s a great place for fossil hunting and rock pooling. Facilities include: First aid point Deckchair hire Lifeguards (seasonal) Toilets (seasonal)
Stone Bay, Broadstairs Said by many to be the best beach in Broadstairs, with its pleasant sandy shoreline backed by a promenade lined with beach huts. Fabulous rock pools, with the high chalk cliffs providing shelter from the breeze and a feeling of seclusion. Stone Bay almost disappears at high tide, so check times. Facilities include: Beach hut hire Toilets Lifeguard
West Bay, Westgate-on-Sea A sandy beach with rock pools, backed by chalk cliffs that separate West Bay from its neighbour of St Mildred’s Bay. Its cafe stays open for evening meals, providing the perfect place to watch the sunset. Facilities include: Toilets Disabled access Lifeguard service Crazy golf Beach hut hire
Tankerton Beach - Whitstable An old-fashioned shingle beach with pretty multi-coloured beach huts and sailing boats passing by. The beach is backed by a promenade and grassy slopes, perfect for children to play on, and at low tide you can walk out to sea on the natural causeway known as The Street. Facilities include: Nearby skatepark Lifeguard service Dogs allowed Sailing Toilets Disabled facilities
28 Mid Kent Living
Images: Top left - Minster Leas Sheppy; centre - Botany Bay; bottom left - Sheerness; bottom right - Joss Bay.
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