One delightful UK seaside town is often overlooked, but this place has sandy beaches, historical attractions – and you may even spot a seal. The charming town with its three unique beaches is often eclipsed by two other neighbouring seaside hot spots, meaning there may be more space for your towel on a summer’s day.
What’s more is this pretty coastal town is less than 90 minutes away from London – and it’s steeped in fishing and farming history with a timeless kind of vibe. There’s even an unusual and highly-reviewed tourist attraction with wartime underground tunnels to be explored on rainy days or if you are looking to escape the summer heat. Ramsgate in Kent is an underrated seaside town, when you consider the popularity of its neighbours Margate and Broadstairs, but it’s described as having a ‘lovely clean sandy beach’.
There are three beaches edging the town, Ramsgate Main Sands, Western Undercliff Beach and Ramsgate East Cliff Promenade and Beach – and all three have top-rated reviews on TripAdvisor.
Western Undercliff Beach is described as being a ‘stones throw’ from the Royal Harbour Marina in Ramsgate and one visitor said it’s a ‘lovely sandy beach with no facilities’, adding that this was a bonus, making it ‘better for seclusion and quietness’.
The Royal Harbour Marina in Ramsgate was named by King George IV in the 1800s – and still to this day it’s the only harbour with official royal status in the whole of the UK.
Offering a huge stretch of golden sand is Ramsgate Main Sands and the East Cliff Promenade and Beach which fringed the town, one visitor described the spot as ‘great for kids’ in a review online.
The visitor described the beach in a TripAdvisor review: “Lovely clean sandy beach, lovely sunny day – lots of families have a typical day on the beach – great to see.
“We walked along the beach back to Dumpton gap, please note that if the tide is in – you will need to take the steps up to the cliff top, lovely views & worth it.”
While some reviewing the area said the beaches can get busy, by walking away from the town it’s possible to find a more ‘peaceful’ spot even when the day is hot and sunny.
Ramsgate is also home to the largest Wetherspoons in the country, if you fancy a pint or some family food, but there’s also heaps more to do in this classic seaside town.
Boat trips, including some by company Sea Searcher offer wildlife and seal spotting trips, there’s even a wind farm tour via a boat trip and 3-hour fishing trips to enjoy.
The labyrinth of underground tunnels date back to the Second World War, they were built in 1939 to shelter thousands of locals from bomb raids, it became an underground refuge, known as ‘Tunnel Town’.
Ramgate has also been visited historically by the likes of writer Jane Austen and artist Vincent Van Gogh – and these days the town has an up-and-coming creative scene going on.
There’s several independent restaurants and pubs or bars to get food and refreshment from in this bustling seaside spot – and for Londoners it’s an easy day trip, you don’t even need to take the car.
From St Pancras International a high speed train will get you to Ramsgate in an hour and 14 minutes, driving can take up to 2 hours, depending which part of the capital you’re setting out from.