Camber Sands Beach Zone A

Three miles of flat, sandy beach that stretches along the Sussex coast like something from a seventies postcard - all space and sky and the sort of light that makes you squint. Zone A is the managed section nearest Rye, where the beach huts cluster in neat rows and families actually outnumber the shells.

What you're getting is straightforward seaside done well. The sand stays firm and wide enough that even in summer you won't feel cramped. Shallow water for paddlers, room to spread a towel without your neighbour's radio invading your book, proper fish and chips available at the seafront. The eastern stretch feels less developed than the western side - quieter, better if you want to walk without dodging deckchairs every ten paces.

Kids will run about here for hours. Walkers use it as a launch point to head towards Winchelsea or eastward toward Greatstone. It's not dramatic - no cliffs, no rock pools to explore - but that's partly the appeal. Sometimes a beach just needs to be a beach.

Parking's straightforward and the promenade has the usual facilities. Come September when the school holidays finish and you'll have the place nearly to yourself. August is rammed. Check conditions after winter storms as the sand does shift, but generally it's reliable.

Stay at Parkdean Resorts Camber Sands Holiday Park just back from the beach - walking distance - or base yourself in Rye proper and drive over. Both work, depending on whether you want seaside convenience or a proper medieval town to explore in the evenings.