South East England secret beaches
You may have thought that secluded beaches with fine sand, crystal clear water and just the cry of the gulls for company were long gone, but they're not. Tucked away in the nooks and crannies of the South East England coast are any number of unspoilt hidden gems where you can enjoy a little peace and quiet.
Here at the Beach Guide we have compiled a list of your favourite hidden beaches in South East England that are just far enough off the beaten track to never get too busy.
Of course escaping the crowds may not be your only reason for visiting these little known spots. Not only are they a little tricky to find and get to, they are also some of the loveliest beaches in South East England.
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1. Irlam's Beach
Harwich, Essex
Whilst Dovercourt Bay in Harwich is a popular spot with its own caravan park, Irlam's beach just along the coast is virtually unknown. Backed by dunes and marshes this is a quiet spot to relax and take…
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2. Cart Gap Beach
Happisburgh, Norfolk
Set between the better known beach of Happisburgh and ever popular Sea Palling is a somewhat unspoilt gem - Cart Gap beach. Located at the end of a narrow, single-track lane the beach here is somewhat…
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3. Samphire Hoe Beach
Dover, Kent
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…
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4. Trimingham Beach
Cromer, Norfolk
Trimingham is a secluded beach, largely owing to the challenge of finding and accessing it. Located at the end of a steep narrow lane it is easier to park at nearby Mundesley and walk along the coast.Despite…
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5. Kingsdown Beach
Deal, Kent
Located just up the coast from the White Cliffs of Dover, Kingsdown has a secluded shingle beach, with plenty of benches suitable for picnics. At low tide some areas of sand are exposed as well as a chalk…
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6. Seasalter Beach
Whitstable, Kent
The small town of Seasalter sits just across the mouth of the River Swale from the Isle of Sheppey. It is a fairly quiet, laid back town that spills right down to the long sand and shingle beach. Seasalter…
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7. Sandwich Bay
Sandwich, Kent
This long, somewhat featureless, stretch of sand and pebble beach is backed by three golf courses and a private estate. This makes actually getting to the beach a little more complicated than it look…
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8. California Beach
Great Yarmouth, Norfolk
A little slice of California in Norfolk! Well it's a lovely sandy beach, surf isn't too great and the sun doesn't always shine, but besides that... Located just down the coast from the less exotic sounding…
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9. The Naze Beach
Walton-on-the-Naze, Essex
The Naze is a peaceful stretch of sand that is a world away from neighbouring Walton-on-the-Naze. Backed by crumbling cliffs it can feel quit exposed being on the Naze as it juts out into the sea. This…
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11. Dunwich Heath Beach
Minsmere, Suffolk
A remote sand and shingle beach backed by the dunes, heathland and lagoons of the National Trust owned Dunwich Heath. The area is also home to RSPB Minsmere and is home to a range of interesting wildlife…
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12. Birling Gap Beach
East Dean, East Sussex
The beach at Birling Gap is set at the base of the imposing, sheer chalk cliffs known as the Seven Sisters. Despite being set between the well known seaside resorts of Eastbourne and Brighton this is…
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13. Cuckmere Haven Beach
Seaford, East Sussex
This quiet pebble beach is dominated by the white chalk cliffs of the Seven Sisters just to the east. It sits at the mouth of the meandering Cuckmere river. One of the best known views of the beach is…
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14. Brancaster Beach
Titchwell, Norfolk
This expansive stretch of flat golden, unspoilt sand is a year round favourite. With literally miles of beach there is plenty of room for summer picnics and romantic winter walks. As well as being a good…
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15. Littlestone Beach
New Romney, Kent
The wide beach at Littlestone is largely shingle above the shoreline with wooden groynes disappearing into the sea. However, when the tide goes out a vast expanse of rippled sand is revealed. To the back…
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16. Fairlight Glen Beach
Hastings, East Sussex
Fairlight Glen is a popular naturist beach, also enjoyed by non-naturist visitors. It is found in a suitably secluded location overlooking Covehurst Bay a mile or so east of Hastings. Whilst people do…
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17. Snettisham Beach
Kings Lynn, Norfolk
The expansive sands of Snettisham are in fact Norfolk's only west facing beach. Given that Norfolk is generally considered to be on the east coast this is worthy of mention. This, of course, means it…
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18. Titchwell Beach
Hunstanton, Norfolk
Titchwell is generally known for the RSPB nature reserve which comprises the large swathe of saltwater marshland and freshwater lagoon. This important habitat is a twitchers paradise with its reedbeds…
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19. Church Norton Beach
Selsey, West Sussex
Six miles south of Chichester the shingle bank of Church Norton beach forms part of the Pagham Harbour Nature Reserve.The parking nearby at St Wilfrid's Chapel is very limited, and combined with the 1/2…
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20. The Warren Beach (Folkestone)
Folkestone, Kent
This sandy beach, near Folkestone, has rocks and some good rock pools. The beach is quite popular with fossil hunters as over the years some interesting specimens have been found here. Behind the beach,…
Please note: we would have preferred it if these beaches could have remained secret forever and would like to make it clear that the Beach Guide would never be the first to publish the details of any hidden beach.