To ask about quieter beaches in Kent?

[Flower34]

Last time the weather was this good, all the popular beaches were absolutely crowded. We struggled to find parking and then to find some space on the beach.

Please can I ask if there are any quieter beaches in Kent? We don’t need any shops or restaurants nearby, just some space on a nice sandy beach.
Herne bay?

Bumping for responses ...

Minnis Bay never gets particularly crowded, and is a lovely sandy beach. Need to check out tide times though, as at high tide there is no beach.

Botany Bay is gorgeous and sandy, busier than Minnis, but not really crowded except for perhaps on a blazing bank holiday. I think there's a few others in that area (Joss Bay?) but I've not been there yet, so can't comment on their crowdedness.

Places like Seasalter or Tankerton are pebble beaches, but generally quieter.

Next time I want to sit on a beach for the day I'm paying to go to sandwich private beach. It was £7 last time I checked and you could go in and out all day.

Stone bay in Broadstairs, Botany Bay. Westbrook. The tidal pool at Walpole bay, Margate.
Depends whether you want to swim. Pegwell bay. Deal is quieter than Thanet mainly.
Hythe, Dymnchurch and Dungeness. Hythe is long and sandy. Dungeness wild and pebbly.

Herne bay is pebbles . But a very long beach and I sure you could find a quiet bit .
Westgate is a huge beach when tide is out .

Joss Bay

www.thebeachguide.co.uk/south-east-england/kent/joss-bay.htm

St Margarets

www.whitecliffscountry.org.uk/Explore/Beaches-and-Coast/St-Margarets-Bay.aspx

and lots more !

www.visitkent.co.uk/visit-kent-blog/kents-quiet-and-quirky-beaches/

I'd avoid going into Thanet (Minnis Bay round to Ramsgate) as the traffic in and out is awful on sunny weekends and school holidays.

There are sandy-ish bits between Herne Bay and Reculver when the tide is out and fossil hunting too. Look for the free car parks in Beltinge or Bishopstone and walk down the cliffs/downs.

If you go early to Thanet and avoid the traffic, Botany Bay or Joss Bay are great.

Dymchurch is always possible. As well as the large Martello carpark, you can drive further along and go into St Mary's car park, then back along towards Dymchurch (seriously large car park) You are parked within feet of the beach.
Great stones is good although I heard tell there are plans to build over the carpark at the Coast Drive/Dunes Road end (like we need more luxury apartments...)

If availability of chips n burgers is not an issue, then perhaps Jury's Gap might fit the bill. Care needed here as it's very near to Camber, rips a possibility.

Ramsgate has a lovely beach. From the Thanet Way drive through the town and there's a large carpark accessed down a hilly side road. Again, a few steps to the beach.

Between Folkestone and Sandgate lies The Leas Coastal Park, parking at either end and a lovely mix of beach and shady foresty playparks etc.

Hythe is large pebbles. Parking along the prom between the Hythe Imperial and the canoe centre at the MilitaryCanal is quite easy. Beware the sudden depth. You can go from knee to neck swiftly at times.

Thanks all !

@Eliza9919 : pls can you tell me where this private beach is? Is that £7 per person ?

@Flower34 No, it's per vehicle. It may have gone up since, but it was only last year I think I went.

You have to drive through a private estate to get to it. To get there you follow the road through sandwich, round the salutation (Gogglebox Stef & Dom's place) and then just follow the road I think. If you Google sandwich private beach you might get a postcode.

Everywhere will be fairly crowded. Camber sands is big enough that even though there are loads of people there's still space. Botany bay is gorgeous but does get heaving. (Pro tip use a parking app - just google rent my drive and pay in advance to use someone's drive). St Margaret's bay and the beaches around Dover only get busy in the height of summer. Herne bay is nice and not usually as crowded as the others. Hythe (pebbly) gets busy but not ridiculous. The town is quite sweet and quaint.

As nice as Whitstable is I'd avoid unless you go super early as the traffic is bloody ridiculous. Last time I tried to go on a sunny day I saw the queues to get off the dual carriageway and carried on to Botany bay instead.

At the end of the Thanet Way, as you approach Birchington, detour right to Acol. Miss sitting in 20 minutes of traffic. Quietest beach is St Mildred's at Westgate on Sea. Only ever used by locals as all the tourists flock to every single Thanet bay mentioned on this thread!

Oh, and Deal beach is all pebbles btw.

The one where you drive through the tunnel in Dover to the reclaimed land. Beach is pushing it, but we enjoyed looking around there.

Broadstairs is nice.

Tankerton is lovely.

Gth1234. That’s Samphire Hoe

Westgate-on-sea has great beach that’s never too crowded. Loads of free parking on the roads around it and a nice cafe with a nice enough loo!

My shortlist is

1. Westgate-on-sea
2. Private beach - Sandwich bay
3. Joss Bay (is this small? Can it get really crowded today?)
4. Camber sands

Sandwich bay would have been perfect for us - but no toilets :(
Lots of kids with us today they WILL need toilets every 5 mins Are there any public toilets nearby within short driving distance?

I thought there was toilets there?

There are toilets at the car park by the river and in the co-op. Those might be too far though.

Don't go to Camber Sands! Traffic in is horrendous on a sunny day!

Dymchurch is our favourite and you can just go further along if you want it quieter.

I would avoid camber as getting in and out will take ages
Opposite Romney sands caravan park is a great beach and normally quiet
Near dymchurch

@Eliza9919 : How far? Walking distance or car ride away? Is there anyway we could make this work? Like setting up nearer to coop or toilets - around 5 min walk - is this possible?

There are definitely toilets at Sandwich Bay, blocks along the road by the beach. Not sure how nice they are though.

No co-op and the river is a drive.