Of these new homes, 10% are set to provide affordable ‘Discount Market Rent’ to help meet local housing need. Once complete, the scheme will include 227 new one and two-bedroom riverside apartments, which will be just a 10-minute walk from Gravesend train station and its high-speed 24-minute route to London St Pancras. A start-up business hub at Pier Works, as well as 2,600 square metres of new public realm and the creation of over 100 long-term jobs, are just part of Quinn Estates’ plans for breathing new life into the historic Victorian pier and reconnecting Gravesend and its residents with the Thames. Also visit Folkestone Warren to escape from the crowds and experience a contrasting, wilder beach.The decision by the planning committee represents the culmination of over 18 months of work to create a proposal which delivers significant regeneration benefits and reflects the feedback received during consultation.Īt the centre of the scheme is the £2.9 million restoration of the derelict West Street Pier, which has been in disrepair for half a century. At the rear of the beach is a strip of portico archways which are perfect for taking shade under.

The waters are good for paddling but it does get deep as the beach shelves at low tide, however the waves are gentle and Sunny Sands enjoys a sheltered position.

It’s a good spot for sandcastle building and playing. Most of Folkestone’s shops and amenities are up the hill, but the climb is short and relatively easy from the beach. There are plenty of eateries, especially seafood takeaways at the harbour, as well as one or two cafes close to Sunny Sands. Located right next to Folkestone Harbour, you can sit and watch the fishing boats come and go. Sunny Sands is a cute example of a town beach that still has an olde-worlde feel to it.

Stay at: Old Stone Cottage | Sleeps: 4 guestsįolkestone is home to some of the best beaches in Kent and this is why it is one of Kent’s most popular seaside resorts.

Local information: Pay and display parking, public WCs, shops and pub close by.

Book a tour of the Dungeness’ Nuclear Reactor (the only one in the UK where the core is visible). Be sure to visit RSPB Dungeness and the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway, where you can catch a 15-inch narrow gauge steam train (weekends only in the autumn and winter). Thousands of people venture here for the open spaces, the peculiar landscape, the wildlife and the awesome views. Voted one of the nation’s favourite remote beaches in Which? Magazine, it’s certainly an acquired taste. This Kent beach stretches from The Pilot pub at Lydd-on-Sea around to the bird hides behind the twin power stations, Dungeness A & B.

A private estate located at the end of Europe’s largest shingle bank, it is characterised by its acres and acres of sparse vegetation, clapboard houses and fishing boat haulouts. If you have a pet in tow, why not check out our guide to dog-friendly beaches in Kent so you can avoid the ones with seasonal restrictions? And if you are planning a trip here after you’ve read our guide, take some time to browse our collection of self-catering coastal cottages in Kent by clicking the button below.įor more ideas on places to visit all over Kent, from the coast to the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, read our Discover Kent guide.ĭungeness is a unique coastal location. We’ve selected 10 of our favourite beaches in Kent, perfect for family days out or quiet strolls with your loved ones. Many of Kent’s beaches are simply stunning from the incredible and wild shingle bank of Dungeness to the oyster beds of Whitstable, the wide sandy arc of Folkestone Bay and the traditional English seaside resorts of Margate and Ramsgate, there is a wide choice of contrasting beaches for you to discover. For most visitors to the UK via a ferry across the English Channel, it is the first county that they encounter, so it’s not surprising that it’s home to some fantastic countryside and beaches, many of which make perfect backdrops for a great coastal walk. Kent is known as the Garden of England, and it certainly is a pretty part of the UK.

Public slipways in kent