Book Now

excitedtocreate

10 Top Beaches In Kent

by
Top 10 Beaches Kent

Kent’s coastline was voted among the 10 top regions to visit in Lonely Planet’s ‘Best in Travel 2022’ list — our gorgeous county was the only UK destination mentioned, gaining 4th place in the coveted list. 

Here are some of our favourite beaches in Kent — all ideal for our holiday rental guests, whether for a sunny summer’s bucket-and-spade day or a breezy winter’s coastal walk, and , all an easy drive from Barnfield House. 

 

DYMCHURCH

dymchurch

A classic seaside town offering a gently shelving sandy beach, safe swimming  —and classic steam engines courtesy the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Light Railway which accords a delightful way to explore 14 miles of the coast in East Kent. 

 

DUNGENESS

Dungeness

One of the most fascinating and other-worldly beaches in Kent, with a broad expanse of undulating shingle, soaring lighthouses, and Derek Jarman’s famed garden…all in the shadow of an old nuclear power station.  

 

GREATSTONE BEACH

 

Sand dunes and sandcastles — two miles of soft sandy beach just perfect for families with young kids, as well as water sports enthusiasts keen on windsurfing and kitesurfing.

 

CAMBER SANDS

Top 10 Beaches Kent

Strictly speaking in East Sussex, but the closest beach to Barnfield House and a favourite with our guests! A fantastic system of sand dunes to shelter or play in, and five miles of sandy beach that stretches to the horizon at low tide. Also a kitesurfing hotspot.

 

FOLKESTONE

A vibrant creative quarter, a historic Harbour Arm with its fabulous harbourfront Rocksalt Restaurant, urban art everywhere (look out for Tracy Emin and Antony Gormley sculptures), Sunny Sands beach with its iconic mermaid, and a funicular railway clinging to the steep cliffs. How many reasons do you need to visit Folkestone! 

 

ST MARGARET’S BAY

An hour’s drive away, this beach is framed by dramatic chalk-white cliffs and far-reaching views of the French coast. Indeed it is England’s closest point to France, and the place where Channel swimmers set out on their 21-mile swim, 

 

DEAL

A striking 50s pier with a stylish cafe at the end overlooking fishing decks defines Deal’s seafront. Elegant Georgian architecture, a Tudor castle, and a lively culinary scene also draw day trippers to this artistic town.

 

TANKERTON

A promenade that makes easy work of walking with buggies, grassy banks sloping down to the shingle beach, colourful beach huts and abundant rock pools to explore make this popular with families. 

 

WHITSTABLE

whitstable beach

A foodie destination famous for its oysters and the fabulous Michelin-starred Seasalter gastro pub. Be sure to plan your trip around a lengthy meal!

 

MARGATE

Explore the retro vibe of Margate Old Town, the quirky Shell Grotto , the penny arcades lining the beachfront — and Dreamland, among the UK’s oldest and best loved amusement parks. Not to be missed is the Turner Contemporary, one of the country’s leading art galleries and a nod to Margate’s connection to painter JMW Turner.

Our Favourite Beach in East Sussex

by
Low tide at Camber Sands

Camber Sands is a lovely place to experience a typical day at the beach. Just half an hour from Barnfield House, this miles-long beach of golden sand is gorgeous in all seasons; the first photo was taken on Boxing Day. In winter we take bracing walks along the promenade, or on the beach at low tide when huge swathes of sand are uncovered, stretching up to a mile out to sea. In warmer weather, kids love building sandcastles, paddling in the shallow water, and exploring the sand dunes. And of course in summer the place is buzzing with families enjoying at typical English day at the beadh! And there’s excellent kite surfing for the water sports enthusiast year-long too.

Kite surfing in winter

Kent and East Sussex offer many more beaches, but Camber Sands is our favourite.  During your day at the beach, do visit Rye and explore the maze of cobbled lanes lined with medieval, Tudor and Georgian buildings (many now pubs and tearooms). We also recommend that you take a short detour to Winchelsea, one of the Cinque Ports built in the 13th Century, and today the smallest town in England to have its own mayor. In medieval times it was a hub for the wine trade; you can book a fascinating tour of the medieval cellars in the summer.

Raise a glass to fine Kent wines

by
vineyard view

English Wine  Week might now be over, but who needs an excuse to  celebrate the excellent wines of Kent and East Sussex?

70 years after the first commercial vineyard was planted in Hampshire in 1952, there are well over 500 vineyards across the UK, of which over 150  — some 75% of the total acreage under vines  – are in South East England. According to WinesGB, the official website for the wines of Great Britain, a  record 3 million vines were planted in England and Wales this past year, equating to an additional 690 hectares of vineyards and a 24% increase in the overall land now under vine… much of it in Kent and Sussex.  Amazingly, this makes the UK one of the world’s fastest growing wine regions.; last year’s hot summer and bumper harvest yielded some 15.6m bottles, making 2018 the UK’s most successful vintage to date.

wine tour of Kent vineyards
JillWellington / Pixabay

With Barnfield House Kent so well placed within a short drive of some of England’s finest vineyards, we can think of no better way to spend a summer day than touring the Kent wineries, sampling award-wining sparking wines, and wending your way through glorious countryside dotted with the country’s distinctive white-cowled oast houses, medieval villages and market towns. Biddenden, Lamberhurst, Hush Heath, Chapel Down… the very names evoke a sense of the timelessness of the Kent landscape and its rich heritage.

For example, England’s leading wine producer Chapel Down near Tenterden offers guided tours (from March to November) that include a visit to the vineyards and winery followed by a tutored tasting of their award-winning range of sparkling and still wines. Hush Heath in Staplehurst offers tutored tastings in a brand new visitors centre. The family-run Biddenden Vineyard offers both private and charity tours. And just across the country line into Sussex, England’s oldest organic wine estate Seddlescomb Organic Vineyard offers guided and self-guided tours as well as a woodland walk.

Visit Kent photo of Chapel Down

To make the most of a wine-oriented day out, and enjoy the freedom to imbibe a glass or three, we suggest you leave the car behind and book a bespoke tour  organised by experts. With Vine and Country Tours, you can look forward to a mouth-wateringly memorable day out in the company of delightfully well-informed guides…and they will pick you up from the front door!.

For more information:

vineancountrytours.co.uk

chapeldown.co.uk

englishorganicwine.co.uk

biddendenvineyards.com

 

Welcome

by

Welcome to our website. Please take some time to browse, then bookmark this page as we’ll be adding lots of interesting information about the area – Kent and East Sussex — in the coming months.