Samphire Hoe Beach

Although the beach may always have been here in some form Samphire Hoe itself is a fairly recent creation. The area dates back to the 1980s and 90s when it was built using nearly 5 million cubic metres of spoil from the Channel Tunnel excavations. The site, beneath the white cliffs of Dover, was carefully chosen and has been developed as a multi-use nature reserve.

The beach here is a largely pebble and shingle affair which becomes rocky as the tide drops away. This makes it a great spot for rockpooling, but not so for swimming / paddling.

Beachgoers are well catered for at Samphire Hoe as the site was developed as a place for people to use. There are toilets and a cafe along with plenty of parking (paid, but reasonably priced). The hoe area is very wheelchair friendly and there are educational facilities for school use.

Walking, cycling, fishing off the seawall (daily license required) and bird watching are some of the activities available. The park is open between 7am and dusk and entry is free.