Camber Sands beach

Best for: windswept romance and adventure
The most easterly of the top five, in East Sussex is the seven miles stretch of soft golden beach known as Camber Sands. Clamber down the dunes which form a protective mountain created by the wind whipping the sand off the beach and building up; look out for the skylarks that dive and swoop on the winds across the vast expanse- it can be a mile and half to the sea when the tide is out. A great place for long walks, kite flying, strolling or horse riding in the surf or, at the end of an action packed day, cuddle up behind a wind breaker at the quieter western end of the beach and watch the sunset.

Camber Sands beach, England, UK by davharuk

Brighton Beach

Best for: trendy weekend break or traditional family fun at the seaside
A speedy ninety minutes south of London by car or train sits the groovy town of Brighton in Sussex, recently voted within the top 10 best weekend break destinations. Popular since the 1960s as a seaside getaway, Brighton remains charmingly retro with lines of Vespas parked along the seafront; the famous and well maintained Victorian pier is packed with amusement arcades and fairground rides not to mention the obligatory candyfloss and sticks of Brighton rock. Daytime family fun is guaranteed on the pebbly beach dotted with stripy deck chairs and couples or groups of friends will find the promenade and The Lanes well stocked with cool bars and night clubs, excellent seafood restaurants as well as a huge range of hotels and B&Bs for those making a weekend of it.

Brighton Beach, England, UK by Alpha

Studland Bay

Best for: peace and quiet and getting back to nature
Studland bay is four miles of beautiful white sand lapped by calm water which is generally warm in summer, attracting swimmers and seahorses. The beach backs onto a protected nature reserve of dunes and heath, conserved by the National Trust and home to many varieties of wildlife. There are three sections of beach, the very northern tip, near to the Sandbanks chain ferry, is a designated naturist spot; Knoll Beach is the main section with a cafe and boat hire and further down is the smaller, shadier South Beach. Walkers will enjoy a stroll east for about a mile along the cliff path to catch excellent, dramatic views of Old Harry’s Rocks, great chalk chunks that have broken away from the cliff and now stand alone in the blue waters.

Horse riding at Studland Bay, England, UK by jennicatpink

Salcombe Sands

Best for: fashionable sailing-club life and water sports
The charming town of Salcombe is a summertime home from home for many city dwellers in need of some relaxation; it is packed with trendy shops, cute cafes and superb restaurants serving fresh seafood. Salcombe South Sands is in a little sun trap of a cove, with rays and water as warm as the Mediterranean in summer. Around the headland- an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, is North Sands. Both beaches are extremely popular with water-sports enthusiasts with canoes, kayaks and catamarans for hire, the waters are packed with windsurfers and sailing boats. It is possible to book on to power boating and sailing courses and even go scuba diving around nearby shipwrecks.

Salcombe Sands, England, UK by yellow book

Porthcurno, near Land’s End

Best for: magical mysterious hideaway bay
At the very westerly tip of the Cornish south coast, near to Lands End, Porthcurno bay is surrounded and protected by granite cliffs; it has soft, pristine white sand and turquoise waters. When the tide is out, explorers can walk around to neighbouring beaches including a nudist one, look out to sea to spot pirates or search for dragons in the caves. Up above on the cliffs sits the famous Minack Theatre, home to open air dramatic productions and, on the other side stands Treryn Dinas, the formidable Iron Age fort from which the ocean views are unrivalled.

Porthcurno Beach, Cornwall, England, UK by Karen Roe

About the author: Ashley Auckle works with B+B Weymouth, a boutique Bed and Breakfast in Weymouth, Dorset: https://www.bb-weymouth.com/

The post Top 5 beaches on Britain’s South Coast appeared first on Europe Explored.

To experience some genuine typically British experiences then try this list of five – there’s something for everyone.

1. Eat fish and chips. Ideally in the north of England or Scotland where the best ‘chippies’ are to be found, and – very important this – you must eat it sitting outside from the paper it comes wrapped in rather than from a plate. Go heavy on the salt and malt vinegar, absolutely delicious.

2. Try crown green bowling. A version of this genteel game has been played in the UK since the 13th century and it is as much a sport of kings as horse racing. Perhaps one for the older set think English country villages and a cream tea and you are along the right lines.

crown green bowling by Jenny Poole

3. Hop across to a European party island. If you visit Britain in the summer months and are struggling to cope with the unfortunate reality of almost continuous rain then grab a cheap flight and holiday in Ibiza, Majorca or Tenerife for a long weekend. Get ready to party hard this is not for the faint hearted – or your Mum!

4. Take a donkey ride on the beach. Get back to basics with some family fun at the seaside. Indulge yourself with ice creams a plenty and give the kids a treat with a donkey trek on the sands, they’ll love it. Also look out for traditional Punch & Judy puppet shows, crazy golf and amusement arcades: all essential tourist attractions at British coastal towns.

5. Go and see a football match. Soak up the atmosphere on the terraces and get engrossed with the action on the pitch. Some of the world’s greatest players play soccer in the UK so take the chance to see them close up and discover this exciting sport for yourself.

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Pleasure Beach in Great Yarmouth, UK by Jeremy Thompson

Chief attractions

Once you enter the park you are sure to be tempted to enjoy a ride. Besides the exciting Scenic Railway Roller Coaster there are lots of other rides to cater palpitating pleasure at every moment. Even children find ample scope of great attractions as there are various amusement arcades, ice cream and sweet shops. If you have time you can eat what you like in the cosy corner of the park. Initially just after the inauguration there were only two rides in the Pleasure Beach. Now there are countless ones ranging from the Segway Grand prix to Cups and Saucers especially made for the children. Amid all the thrilling rides there is of course another special attraction for the park visitors, the ferris wheel, popularly known as the Yarmouth Wheel.

Special one

Keeping aside the rides if you want to taste something special you have to wait for a year or two. ‘The Edge’, a multiplex comprising a cinema hall, hotel, bowling alley and obviously a casino within it is going to raise its head adjacent to the park to add colour to tinge the Pleasure Beach.

However there is free entry to the park you need to pay for the rides which is between £13 – £25 for unlimited rides for the day priced depending on childrens ages. Opening times vary and depend also on the weather. There is a car park which is free if you buy a ride ticket.

For more information about Great Yarmouth seafront visit: https://www.yarmouthnorfolk.co.uk/.

The post The Pleasure Beach in Great Yarmouth – the ideal pasture for rides | United Kingdom appeared first on Europe Explored.