Best 10 Beaches Near Lonodon

                                             All within 90 minutes drive of the capital

We advise you to always travel responsibly - remember the fragility of the beautiful environment you are visiting.

 Here are the best beaches near London that you can reach from London in an hour and a half. 

1.Whitstable Beach, Kent 

Watch the last rays of the sun sink into the sea on a beautiful west-facing pebble beach, one of our top days trips from London. Despite the area's recent gentrification, there's a traditional feel here, with old weatherboard houses, beach shacks, wooden jetties and old fishing boats moored on the sands. is included, grab a bag of chips or sample Whitstable's famous oysters. For something a little more daring, head to the Old Neptune Pub (known locally as Nappy), which is right on the beach and retains a great atmosphere of its seafaring past. A further walk down the coast past Neptune leads to the more secluded West Beach, surrounded by wildflowers and empty skies. Stay days at Tides Cottage, our beachfront Airbnb.

Driving time from London: 65 minutes

Find it: Park at Gorrell Tank Car Park, Westgate Terrace (CT5 1BZ), and then walk along Harbour Street until you reach the sea. If you arrive by train, it’s only a 10-minute walk from Whitstable rail station. 

Whitstable Beach, Kent

2. Birling Gap, East Sussex

At the foot of the chalk cliffs of the Seven Sisters, this wild, rocky beach is accessed by a steep staircase beneath a faded hotel. At low tide, a narrow strip of sand stretches between rock pools and the clifftop National Trust Cafe. From here you can also head east to explore Beachy Head, Britain's highest sea cliff, or head west to visit Cuckmere Haven at the mouth of the Cuckmere River. Stay at the Port Hotel on the coast in Eastbourne.

Driving time from London: 90 minutes.

Find it: Signed from Friston (A259). Park at the NT café (BN20 0AB).

Birling Gap, East Sussex

3. Isle of Grain Beach, Kent

Said to be one of the closest real beaches to London, this coast of the Phu Peninsula feels like it's at the end of the world. Located between the Thames and Medway rivers when the Thames begins to open into the estuary, it's perfect for escaping the crowds. You can see Essex across the Thames estuary on a clear day, with lush forests and wildflowers in the background, and your choice of sand or pebble. During low tide, you can collect rocks and look for glasswort. Continue along the coast to the well-known All Hallows Beach.

Driving time from London: 60 minutes

Find it: Head all the way to the end of the B2001 on the Isle of Grain, past St James Church, to reach the Grain Coastal Park car park (ME3 0BS).

Isle of Grain Beach, Kent

4. Church Norton, Selsey

This is one of the wildest beaches on the south coast, but it's just a stone's throw from Bognor Regis. The pebble beach stretches for well over a mile (1.6 km), and the spit juts out into the blue waters. Beyond is the tidal flats of the Pagham Harbor Nature Reserve, a paradise for thousands of migratory and wading birds. The walk to the beach passes through the ruins of St. Wilfred's Chapel and the mounds and moat of Norman Castle.

Driving time from London: 90 minutes

Find it: Turn off the B2145 for Church Norton on the bend shortly before entering Selsey. Park by the church (PO20 9DT) and follow the path to the right, walking alongside the natural harbour/mud flats to the shingle beach.

Walk in: 15 minutes.

Church Norton, Selsey

5. Shoreham beach, West Sussex

On warm weekends, Brighton Beach is packed with people while Shoreham, right by the road, is rarely busy And it's much easier to park here. This cobbled and cobbled expanse is ideal for picnics and beach walks. Stroll east along the promenade to historic Fort Shoreham or follow the Coastal Path west to Lancing. Famous for kitesurfing, it is also a designated local nature reserve.

Driving times from London: 90 minutes

Find it: From the A23, take the A27 towards Worthing, then the A283 towards Shoreham. Continue straight to the Ropetackle Arts Centre (BN43 5EG) and follow the A259 for Shoreham Beach. Turn left at the roundabout by the petrol station on to The Saltings. Park at Widewater Lagoon carpark (BN15 8LH) for the footpath to Lancing, or on Beach Road/Old Fort Road for the fort (BN43 5HY).

Shoreham beach, West Sussex

6. Atherington or Climping Beach, Littlehampton

This gravel and sand beach in the gently sloping countryside is perfect for kids - a peaceful island nestled in the built-up residential area of ​​the south coast. There's a swim-up club here, a great little cafe, and if you walk east you'll find sand dunes and eventually the ruins of Fort Littlehampton.

Driving time from London: 90 minutes

Find it: Between Bognor and Littlehampton (A259), sign Climping Beach, then continue past the palm-decked Black Horse Inn to the beach car park. Also reachable via a short walk west from Littlehampton train station across the river bridge to reach the east end, where there is a nature reserve and naturists. 

Atherington or Climping Beach, Littlehampton

7. Dungeness East, Lydd, Kent

This atmospheric cobblestone brooch is eerily beautiful. It is frequented by gulls, terns and gadwalls, as well as artists and philosophers, who have established retreats in old railway cabins and fishing huts on the desolate grounds. The entire block of cobblestone is moving eastward at a rate of two meters a year - or it will be if trucks are not constantly bringing it back to where it came from to make sure the nearby nuclear power plant doesn't crash This is one of the largest pebble beaches in Europe, a unique and sensitive habitat.

Driving time from London: 80 minutes

Find it: From Lydd roundabout follow signs to Dungeness and Pilot Inn, built from shipwreck timber (TN29 9NJ). Drive for 650ft and before the pub turn for ‘RH&DR Dungeness’ and continue to black-and-yellow-painted Prospect Cottage (TN29 9NE). Park beyond and head across the shingle, past old boats and sheds, to reach the sea.

Dungeness East, Lydd, Kent

8. West Dunes, Camber Sands

Very popular, the wide stretches of fine sand and dunes in Camber can be very crowded. Head to the west end and you'll escape the crowds while enjoying the rolling shallow sea on the sun-kissed sands. Be careful as the tides can rise very quickly, leaving you stranded on the offshore sands. There are several fine dining venues, such as the gastronomic bistro Le Gallivant. A little more than three miles, east of Camber, is Broomhill Beach at Jury's Gap, a deserted beach with sand at low tide. Come to Le Gallivant for a weekend getaway.

Driving time from London: 75 minutes

Find it: Approaching Rye, choose the first car park (Western Car Park) and park near the end for the path through the dunes to the beach. Don't swim too near the river mouth.

Stay: The Gallivant, further along on the L, is a trendy place to eat or stay

West Dunes, Camber Sands

9. Shellness, Leysdown, Isle of Sheppey

Not for the ill-fated, a sign at Shellness beach reads 'No clothing should be worn for bathing, sunbathing and casual recreation. There are beautiful seashells, great swimming at high tide, and several cafes on the Leysdown (non-naturalist) side. The vast beach sits on the Harty Island Bike Trail, a 16-mile cycling path that winds past many important sites in aviation history - that's where the Short brothers rode their first lap mile last year. 1909.

Driving time from London: 65 minutes

Find it: Park at Shellness Car Park, just east of Leysdown-on-Sea (ME12 4RJ). There's a beach here or walk 1km further along the shore, past beach houses towards Shellness

Shellness, Leysdown, Isle of Sheppey

10. St Margaret’s at Cliffe, Dover

This cobbled cove sits just below the famous White Cliffs of Dover. It has its own pub, Coastguard, with tables overlooking the sea. Remnants of Napoleonic defensive walls and World War II turrets are found at the southern end of the beach. In fact, the cliffs hide a network of secret tunnels, which can be explored using head torches. Above is the Garden of Pines, with its waterfall, lake and a cafe.

Driving time from London: 80 minutes

Find it: From the A258, head straight through St Margaret’s down Bay Hill to the beach and the Coastguard pub (CT15 6DY).

Walk in: two minutes.

St Margaret’s at Cliffe, Dover

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