As southern Europe endures frightening heat this summer, suddenly England’s seaside towns look all the more attractive. From Hunstanton to Eastbourne, here is our selection of five English seaside towns, perfect for those either looking to move for a quieter pace of life and lovely sea air or a second home to escape from city life.
Southern European has experienced alarming heatwaves, with peaks reaching 44°C. The Foreign Office has issued travel warnings to Britons travelling to Spain, Greece and Italy. Analysts have revealed that many have shifted their holiday plans away from sun-drenched south of France and up north, according to the Times. So, as global warming makes the Med too hot to handle, we’ve found five alternative locations in the UK that are ripe for a holiday renaissance. Find your alternative to Malta, Mykonos, and the Costa Blanca right here in the UK…
1.“Sunny Hunny”, Hunstanton
Hunstanton Lighthouse.
In 1846, a man called Henry Styleman Le Strange developed a coastal village in Norfolk into a seaside resort. Today, Hunstanton still retains much of its Victorian charm. The Golden Lion Hotel was the first to be completed (you can still stay there today), with the rest of the resort forming around it.
Moreover, Old Hunstanton has a quieter, slower atmosphere, populated by old cottages and traditional pubs. Hunstanton is famous for its striped cliffs, sandy beaches, and clear, shallow water. The beaches are suited to those with varied confidence and experience in the water. You can build sandcastles, take a toddler for their first run-in with the ocean and participate in water sports. The beaches also make for fantastic dog walking locations, though be wary of restrictions in some areas. Hunstanton has great choices for those who love a spot of greenery with the Esplande Gardens and the Boston Square Sensory Park.
If you have children or are hoping to entice the grandkids to visit, there is a Sea Life, with an exceptional sea hospital. The Rainbow Park, a fun fair, is also right next door. For more activity (and somewhere to head when the rain pours), the Alive Oasis is a sports and leisure centre on the seafront with a squash court, warm water swimming pool, bowling alley and outdoor skating rink.
Other popular attractions including the Princess Theatre, which is a fantastic choice for seeing live theatre. There’s also a little bit of history to explore, with the old Lighthouse and the ruins of St. Edmund’s Chapel.
Price of property: According to Rightmove, the overall average price for a home in Hunstanton was £333,216 in the last year.
2. Southport
Grab your Southport swan.
Southport is a seaside town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside. Just ten minutes away from the train station, Southport Beach attracts people of all ages. It is home to one of the most undeveloped dunes in the UK with a plethora of flora and fauna to discover. Nearby Ainsdale Beach is a well-known destination for extreme kite activities. While Marshside RSPB is favoured by bird watchers.
As well as boasting of beautiful beaches, Southport is often referred to as the floral capital of the Northwest. Just a few minutes from the city centre, the Botanic Gardens date back to Victorian times. It has an aviary, children’s play areas, mini golf and a café. The Botanic Gardens have been awarded a Green Flag for their excellence as a park.
Furthermore, in the last ten years, King’s Gardens located on Southport’s promenade have been restored to its former Victorian beauty. Special features include: historic 9 Cast Iron shelters (grade II listed), boats in summer, a Venetian bridge and a model village. With a home in Southport, your new favourite place for coffee and cake might become the vintage Kings Gardens Tea Room.
As well as picnics on the grass (or sand), dog walks and bike rides, Southport hosts fantastic festivals throughout the year. In June, you can tuck into homemade chutneys, hot pies and pongy cheeses at the Southport Food and Drink Festival. In August, Southport hosts the UK’s largest independent flower show. For a different vibe, there’s the Southport Air Show and the Southport Comedy Show.
Price of property: Rightmove’s data shows that the overall average price was £238,70, over the last year.
3. Eastbourne
Eastbourne Pier at sunrise.
If the heat of the Med is putting you off but you would love a big dose of sunshine, then Eastbourne is the place for you. It is one of the sunniest places in the UK. Eastbourne has an average of 1,888 hours of sunshine a year, for comparison, London has 1,675.
With a mix of shingle and sand, Eastbourne’s stunning beaches offer a variety of activities, from rock pooling to cycling to skating to windsurfing. Most flock to the Grand Parade Beach, as it is large, protected by lifeguards and its shallow waters are suited to swimmers of varied ability. Plus, Eastbourne Pier has its own Victorian Tea Rooms, shops and fish and chips. It is a popular filming location and featured in the film Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging (2008). If you fancy watching live music or a kids’ music, head to Eastbourne’s art deco band stand.
Eastbourne will also be your getaway to South Downs National Park. A terrific place of rolling hills, river valleys and ancient forests. For more leg stretching in Eastbourne, you could take the Blue Plaque Heritage Trail or the Seven Sisters Trail.
For fun days out, you can visit Towner Eastbourne, an impressive collection of contemporary art. While the Eastbourne Minatare Steam Railway will excite anyone with a hearty interest in locomotives. And if you really love trains, you can hop on Eastbourne’s seafront mini train.
Eastbourne has excellent options for shopping. For high-street brands, head to the Beacon. While Chelsea Street maintains a quaint Victorian atmosphere.
For a noisier, busier, more youthful vibe, Brighton is a 45-minute train ride away.
Price of property: According to Rightmove, properties in Eastbourne had an overall average price of £335,620 over the last year.
4. Ramsgate
Ramsgate’s Royal Harbour.
On a fast train, Ramsgate is just a little over an hour out from London. You’ll find it in Thanet in east Kent. It is home to the UK’s only Royal Harbour, it is beautiful and sweeping, lined with colourful majestic-looking boats. When he visited in 1820, King George IV was so impressed by it that he gave it this distinction. Ramsgate has stolen the hearts of many famous faces, including Vincent Van Gogh, George du Mauirer and Jane Austen.
Ramsgate has played a pivotal role in British history, both in the Napoleonic Wars and the Dunkirk evacuation in 1940, all recorded in the Ramsgate Maritime Museum, situated in the Clock House. For more history, Ramsgate is also home to the UK’s largest network of civilian tunnels, and you can take a tour.
While Ramsgate does not have as many flash boutique style shops as nearby Margate, it does have a lovely selection of charity and antique shops. You could spend many an afternoon eating a pub lunch, strolling around the shops, having a coffee in a café (or something stronger in another pub) and then going out for another wander. Find an old vinyl record, a handmade candle, and a reupholstered chair for your new home. While Ramsgate has many quiet pubs it is also home to the world’s largest Weatherspoon’s in a 11,000 square foot Edwardian building. Plus, the waterfront is lined with restaurants that make the most of being right by the sea, expect the most delicious, high-quality seafood.
Price of property: Rightmove’s data shows that properties in Ramsgate had an overall average price of £335,284 over the last year.
5. Shanklin
The thatched buildings of Shanklin’s Old Village.
Shanklin has the feel of a place that has stood still in time. It offers a life of coastal walks and cake in tearooms with a lively smattering of crazy golf. The seaside resort town stands on the southeast of the Isle of Wight. Shanklin is well suited to those seeking more vitamin D as it regularly tops the charts for most sunshine hours in the UK. Once the haunt of Keats and Darwin, Shanklin be the perfect place to get your own creative juices flowing. The focal point is Shanklin Beach with adventure golf courses, an amusement arcade, zorbing and a cliff lift.
For a different atmosphere, head to the Old Village, which transports you back in time. It is made up of mostly thatched buildings and is populated by tearooms, pubs and shops. Shanklin is the perfect place for trinket collectors, it even has a shop called Jingle Bells the Christmas Shop, the only dedicated Christmas shop on the island.
Walkers will love the Shanklin Chine, which has a special monument to the Royal Marine Commando whop trained there in preparation for D-Day landings in the Second World War. In the evenings, Shanklin Theatre has a range of entertainment from comedy to music.
Price of property: According to Rightmove, properties in Shanklin had an overall average price of £285,486 over the last year.
