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ALL AT SEA JANUARY 2022
Life’s a beach
Steve Philp looks at stress free beach holidays in the UK as the staycation trend continues into 2022.
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lready on an upward trend, seaside staycations soared last year as UK holidaymakers shied away from the Covidinduced stress and uncertainty of travelling abroad. Travel experts believe staycationers now recognise that most British coastal resorts have so much to offer in terms of quality as well as stress free travel compared with the Spanish Costas and Greek islands; perfect for low stress breakaways, catering for an influx of new visitors seeking a relaxed seaside or ‘café culture’ holiday. Here we look at some top UK seaside getaways you might choose to moor up nearby to this year.
Broadstairs, Kent
While its Isle of Thanet neighbour Ramsgate is enjoying a bicentennial revival, just up the coast, Broadstairs never lost its appeal to many, largely due to links with Charles Dickens. This Victorian town has a relaxed and Bohemian vibe plus an international reputation for its annual international folk festival, Dickens Week and the acclaimed Broadstairs Food Festival. The harbour area has a Cornish feel now, enhanced by a new seafood restaurant at the pier end. The quaint town streets have many independent shops and restaurants, and some overlook the harbour and main sands.
The numerous beaches, many with blue flag status, are famous for spectacular sunrises – usually followed by scenic breakfasts – and several offer watersports equipment and lessons for surfing and paddleboarding. Broadstairs also offers the same walking, cycling, golfing and nature-watching activities as Ramsgate. Nearby Moorings: Royal Ramsgate Marina
St. Ives, Cornwall
This beautiful town grew around its picturesque harbour, and the quaint cobbled streets are lined with fishermen’s cottages, but there is a rich artistic heritage, highlighted by the Tate St Ives gallery hosting many exhibitions and events. Seasonal high points include the St Ives Food & Drink Festival (13 – 15 May). Quieter than its ‘party-time’ neighbour further up the coast, Newquay, St Ives has four main beaches with Porthmeor the most popular, facing the Atlantic and backing on to the Tate. Surfing is popular and suitable for beginners – most beaches in the area offer hire equipment and lessons. With freshly caught fish available on its doorstep, St Ives also has some famous eateries too, such as the award-winning Porthminster Beach Café. Nearby Moorings: St Ives Harbour and a little further: Portleven Harbour, Penzance Harbour, Penlee Marina, Portreath Harbour
Ramsgate, Kent
Last year it celebrated the 200th anniversary of its status as the UK’s only Royal harbour, enhancing a heritage including architecture designed or influenced by the great Victorian architect Pugin, who lived in the area and created the Houses of Parliament. It was also home to a young Queen Victoria. The beachfront is being redeveloped alongside the famous Royal Harbour, including the £50 million Royal Sands Ramsgate beachfront project, enhancing a café and dining out culture on the waterside and in the town highlighted by the Royal Harbour Brasserie, a seafood restaurant overlooking the historic harbour – the gathering point for ‘The Little Ships’ so pivotal to World War II’s Dunkirk rescue mission. Family-friendly award-winning beaches, the 32-mile Viking Coastal Trail, Pegwell Nature Reserve and many top golf courses – including the nearby Royal St. George’s in Sandwich, which hosted the 2021 Open – add to the town’s bicentennial rebirth as a top resort. Nearby Moorings: Royal Ramsgate Marina, Sandwich Marina
Newquay, Cornwall
Newquay can claim to be ‘Britain’s Surfing Capital’ thanks to great Atlantic Ocean waves and four Aussies who put board to surf for the first time here in 1964. The stunning beaches offer many other watersports and there are great coastal walks, golfing and the new ‘coasteering’ sport (the exploration of a coastline by using various means including climbing, cliff jumping, swimming and scrambling). Town attractions include the Blue Reef Aquarium - with an underwater tunnel through a coral reef tank alive with pufferfish, sharks and rays while Newquay Zoo and its tropical gardens are a short drive away.
Many of the eateries and restaurants offer splendid views and the town hosts several food and drink festivals. Nearby Moorings: Padstow Marina and a little further: Portreath Harbour, Newquay Harbour
