Escape to the seaside!

[stuartbowden]

Desperate to get to a beach (pretty much any beach) this weekend. What are the fastest ways to get to an acceptable bit of the coast by either train or car??

[Michael Palaeologus]

A2, A20, train from London Bridge or Victoria?

[SeanMacGabhann]

All permutations discussed here before - click me

you should find what you are looking for there

[woofmarkthedog]

Brighton

Via Victoria or East Croydon

Bout 1 hr 15 mins ish

W**F

[PeckhamRose]

Hit the A2 then M2 then A2 then A299 and in 80 mins get to the little roundabout at Birchington, turn left, then a bout a mile down take a right and find thecoast then with the sea on your left, just follow it round all the way to Ramsgate and pick a bay, (in not the right order) you'll find Minnis Bay Westgate, Broadstairs, Viking Bay, Louisa Bay, Joss Bay, (great Captain Digby Pub restaurant on the cliff above), Palm Bay, Walpole Bay Cliftonville (Newgate Gap) and there are the beautiful beaches aplenty. And they constantly win the Blue Flag clean beaches award, probably mainly because no-one goes there anymore since everyone started going to Spain for their summer hols! Just get to the far end of the A299 where it hits .

[womanofdulwich]

we went to whitstable last sunday . m20, a289 to the a2 to whitstable. took 1 hr 20 mins.

[daizie]

(Hope) you're not thinking of doing a Reggie Perrin stuart ?.

[SteveT]

....or a John Stonehouse.

[PeckhamRose]

Whitstable has crap beach though. No sand.

Thanet is fab for sand.

[charliecharlie]

http://www.whitstableholidayhomes.co.uk/mediac/400_0/media/TE$20Row$20Huts.JPG

I'm fond of Tankerton... pebbles but just loverrrlllyy none the less

[PeckhamRose]

Just look at the sand in those Broadstairs Bays!

OK SOME have a few bits of rock and rockpools, but mostly sand.

And Kingsgate Bay has great caves and that fab pub on the top.

Might go meself.

No, wait, I did that last weekend!

[Santerme]

I get in my car and drive the 12 miles to Weymouth, or preferrably the 18 miles to West Bay.

Great fish and chips!

[womanofdulwich]

i completely agree PEckham Rose, Whitstable is closest but Thanet nicer. However there is a lovely strip of shingle at WHitstable and you can be surrounded by kite surfers and that is quite exciting. They look a bit like the milk tray man when they are all lycred up and land on the beach in front of you;-)

[katie1997]

stuartbowden Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Desperate to get to a beach (pretty much any

> beach) this weekend. What are the fastest ways to

> get to an acceptable bit of the coast by either

> train or car??

I know how you feel - its very therapeutic to escape from the city and see the sea again! Yay!

Why not hit the Essex coastline - Walton-on-the-naze, its fab but will prob take a bit longer to get to than Brighton/Whitstable/Broadstairs.

PS. there is NEVER any parking in Whitstable at weekends. Ever.

PPS. Bridport in Dorset is EVEN better :) Take Monday off too!

[womanofdulwich]

i parked on a street near the seafront for free last weekend, and as it was so cold there was plenty of parking.

[cate]

Anyone been to Deal or Sandwich and can recommend pubs etc?

[charliecharlie]

http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/s/15/15552/Ship/Deal

http://img01.beerintheevening.com/41/41f9c6adddef0f9e1c2edf9be7bad244.jpg

this is a nice cosy pub (if it is the correct one that I am thinking of... pretty sure it is though)

think they also have a bit of live music at the w/e

near the sea too

the other one that is fab it the Zetland Arms at Kngsdown, just along from Deal... it is ON the beach (not by it)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2445/3753074592_c8ce568161.jpg