Day at the beach

[Susan]

Planning ahead now that summer is here! looking for feedback on the best beaches for day trips from East dulwich.

Ideally sandy with some facilities, cafe etc

thanks

Susan

[Jules-and-Boo]

Margate is a nice sandy beach and easy to get to from Herne Hill

[bawdy-nan]

very nice day out at Whitstable this bank holiday monday. Did it by car but have done Broadstairs easily by train (station a very short walk to the beach)

[Norfolkvillas]

Folkestone is glorious - sandy beach, blue seas, France on the horizon, the Leas coastal park with amazing outdoor adventure playground right on the coast and tonnes of lovely places to eat and drink - lots of regeneration going on in the creative quarter, and on the harbour arm http://www.folkestoneharbourarm.co.uk/, plus award winning fish and chips at http://thesmokehousefolkestone.co.uk/

about 1 hour 20ish in the car from ED or it's on the high speed rail link (53 mins from St Pancras, not sure if it's possible to connect without going up and then out again). We are big fans (in case you couldn't tell!)

[SR]

Broadstairs: sandy beach, kids stuff, trampolines, bouncy castle, decent restaurants, ice cream parlours but will be busy. Joss bay less busy and less amenities. Don't eat your fish and chips on the beach though! We saw a family do so and had to help them fend off the seagulls.

[yeknomyeknom]

I don't suppose there is a beach that is just one train ride from East Dulwich or nearby train station?

[Susan]

Now that would be amazing, maybe the new Lord Mayor can build us a special train line!?

Looked at Margate by train this weekend but there are rail works which mean lots of changes according to Southeastern rail and replacement bus.

Norfolkvillas you are really selling Folkstone, 1 hr 20 mins by car not too bad at all

Thanks

Susan

[canela]

if you check times of trains you can go from East Dulwich to East Croydon with just one change, and then from there to many places on the south coast - Eastbourne, Brighton, Shoreham?.

[Saffron]

Not the seaside, but has anyone been to the manmade beach at Frensham Great Pond?

[DaveR]

Botany Bay, between Margate and Broadstairs. Beautiful sandy beach backed by chalk cliffs. There's only a small cafe/shop but it's right on the beach, and after a few hours there you can always nip to Broadstairs or Margate for fish & chips and minigolf.

[bobbsy]

Saffron, yes have been to Frensham Great Pond. It's quite a nice space - but gets extremely busy on a nice day, and i mean EXTREMELY busy. Ok to park if you get there early. The "pond" itself is fairly sedamenty/brown/shallow/muddy for swimming...shared with the sailing centre so marked swimming areas only.

[shoshntosh]

Camber Sands is beautiful -- about two hours' drive.

[keane]

Fenchurch street direct train to Chalkwell beach in Essex takes 55 mins and nice beach you can get the 40 from east dulwich to Fenchurch street from

memory - I did this as a summer day trip couple years ago with kids & it was great & I felt less hassle to get to than Brighton etc.

[Susan]

Just to feedback, we ended up going to Folkestone for the day which was lovely. Great restaurants on the harbour arm (including a champagne bar at the end!) we also went to the Smokehouse for excellent fish and chips and had seafood snacks from the local vans.

It took us 1hr 20 to get there but we did leave at 730 in the morning.

Word of warning, its worth checking the tide times as when the tide comes in the sandy beach goes, which it did between 1230 and 230pm on Sunday

Enjoy x

[sanity girl]

Sounds great- tempted to take the kids down there over the bank holiday weekend. Do you usually stay down there or just go for the day?

Norfolkvillas Wrote:

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

> Folkestone is glorious - sandy beach, blue seas,

> France on the horizon, the Leas coastal park with

> amazing outdoor adventure playground right on the

> coast and tonnes of lovely places to eat and drink

> - lots of regeneration going on in the creative

> quarter, and on the harbour arm

> http://www.folkestoneharbourarm.co.uk/, plus award

> winning fish and chips at

> http://thesmokehousefolkestone.co.uk/

>

> about 1 hour 20ish in the car from ED or it's on

> the high speed rail link (53 mins from St Pancras,

> not sure if it's possible to connect without going

> up and then out again). We are big fans (in case

> you couldn't tell!)

[Norfolkvillas]

@Sanity girl, sorry only just saw your question - we usually just go down for the day, but I have previously looked at Air BnB and there look to be some very nice, very reasonable places available. There's also a new boutique hotel currently being restored in the West End (the posh, late Regency, end of the Leas) but not sure how family-friendly it will be - opening July, they say.

Very pleased to hear others have enjoyed their visits!

[Sazzle30]

You can go to Bournemouth from Clapham Junction/Waterloo lovely sandy beaches