Coastlines of England
There are many coastlines in England where you can explore, be at peace with yourself and with nature. The sound of children playing on a crowded beach can be a powerful form of nostalgia, and the sound of nothing but the waves crashing onto a lonely shoreline can touch the soul and stimulate the mind putting utter calm and a sense of excitement side-by-side in blissful harmony. for more information about beaches in England visit www.britishresorts.co.uk
East of England
The coastline in the East of England region covers 250 miles (402 kilometres), from The Wash (England's largest tidal estuary) to the wide expanse of the River Thames. Unspoilt sand and shingle beaches, low crumbling cliffs, wide estuaries, unique shingle spits, quaint fishing villages and Britain's best mudflats and saltmarshes can all be found here, along with a huge diversity of flora and fauna.
Discover the Sunrise Coast - from the friendly resort of Lowestoft at Britain's most easterly point, to the classic seaside town of Southwold. Enjoy North Norfolk with its ever-changing coastline, award-winning beaches, dramatic skies, classic seaside resorts and little harbour towns. Much of it is designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It is also internationally known for its wildlife. With 40 miles of Heritage Coast, and also set in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty - the Suffolk Coast (Aldeburgh and Felixstowe) provides an immense feeling of peace and tranquility, even at the height of summer.
North East England
Time and space to ourselves is precious. Make the most of it on one of the breathtaking beaches in North East England, several of them within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, with golden sand as far as the eye can see beckoning you to kick off your shoes, have a paddle and run about. Looking to build a sandcastle? There are plenty of real castles to provide you with inspiration – Bamburgh, Dunstanburgh, Tynemouth and Lindisfarne (Holy Island) all boast ancient fortresses poised on dramatic coastal perches where it’s easy to imagine the sieges, heroic deeds and battle cries of Border skirmishes past.
Alternatively, a stroll along Boulby Cliffs, in Tees Valley, is sure to send your spirits soaring. Delicious smells of sea air, smokehouses and tasty pub cooking mingle in the traditional fishing villages of Amble, Seahouses and Craster, while Saltburn-by-the-Sea combines a resplendent Victorian pier with a thriving surfing scene to create its own unique style. The coastline abounds with wildlife, from the kittiwakes and cormorants on Marsden Rock at South Shields to the puffins on the Farne Islands – you can take a boat trip to see them from Seahouses. Durham Heritage Coast has 11 miles of footpath by the shore and is renowned for its limestone cliffs as for the plants and wildlife that inhabit them.
South East England
The White Cliffs of Dover are one of the best known sights – and songs – associated with this South East corner of England. But with 350 miles of dramatic and diverse coastline, there is plenty more on offer. A long ridge of sand dunes leads down to the beach at Camber Sands in Kent. This is an important area for wildlife and is also very popular with visitors. For a complete contrast, explore the wild shingle beach at Dungeness.
The Isle of Wight is known as Jurassic Isle and there have been a record amount of finds on the beaches here. It is ringed by some of the loveliest beaches you’ll ever see; some sandy and sweeping, some wild and windswept and some perfect, tucked away treasures.
Climb up Tennyson Down, named for the Poet Laureate who loved it so much, or go to Alum Bay and collect some of that famous coloured sand. There’s no beach at Beachy Head but it is the most dramatic sight on the Sussex Coast and the highest chalk cliffs in England. With its lighthouse, it’s an important landmark for sailors. In Hampshire, the South Hampshire Coast is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the famous double tides of the Solent have helped make Southampton the sea-port it is today.
Folkestone is having a multi-million pound make-over. Imaginative regeneration and refurbishment schemes are transforming the town centre, Old Town and harbour areas, providing superb shopping and leisure amenities which, added to those it already possesses, will undoubtedly make Folkestone one of South East England's premier resorts. For more information go to www.discoverfolkestone.co.uk
Yorkshire
Filey is unspoilt, traditional and full of surprises. Open miles of sandy beaches lay hidden away between the safe arc of Filey Bay and the rugged splendour of Filey Brigg. While the old medicinal baths of Filey have long since gone, the proud Victorian houses of the Crescent overlooking the colourful, manicured gardens still mingle with the fishermen's cottages.
Whitby, maritime town, fishing port and seafarer's haven is unspoilt, bursting with character and quite unique. Dominating Whitby is the abbey built on the site of the older abbey of St Hilda, home of Caedmon, the recognised 'father of English sacred song'. Little has changed since the days of young James Cook and the Scoresby family.
Only a couple of miles down the coast from Whitby and seemingly perched on the edge of a cliff and trapped in a bygone era sits the picturesque and ancient fishing village Robin Hood's Bay. Here you’ll find hidden narrow cobbled streets with higgledy piggledy houses whispering tales of smuggling antics. With rock pools, cliffs and sandy beaches, Robin Hood's Bay is still a thriving community but a treasure for those who wish to get away from it all. A good holiday is one spent among people whose notions of time are vaguer than yours. J.B. Priestley.