Kingsgate Bay Beach

The sandy curve of Kingsgate Bay stretches out between chalk cliffs just outside Birchington, and it's the sort of beach that rewards you for bothering to find it rather than heading straight to the busier Margate seafront. Walk down from the clifftop and you get proper sand - the kind kids can actually build things in - backed by those distinctive white cliffs that define this stretch of Kent's coast.

It's busy with families in summer but never feels rammed. The bay itself is sheltered, which means the water sits relatively calm even when the Channel's being temperamental. Rock pools appear at low tide, and there's enough space that you can actually spread out without treading on someone's towel.

The walk down isn't steep, but the return journey back up the slope will test your calves if you've done a full day in the sun. Allow a couple of hours minimum, longer if you've got young ones who want to exhaust themselves properly. The beach is free, obviously. Best visited midweek outside school holidays if you value a bit of peace.

If you're staying at Birchington Vale Holiday Park, this is a ten-minute drive away - much closer and more manageable than fighting for parking at the main seafront attractions. It's the sort of place that slots nicely into a Kent coast trip without needing any planning whatsoever. Just turn up with a bucket and you're sorted.