Author Archives: rsmalley

On the Isle of Sheppey we stopped first at the sea front at Sheerness, parking near the Neptune Snooker Hall. There is a good path around the coast and at low tide there is a sandy bit. Dogs are allowed all year round. Further around is the sea front at Minster which is more popular and you can swim – which means no dogs on the beach in the summer months (but it’s a pebble beach anyway). There are no public loos but there are pieces of gym equipment all along the path for everyone to use and further up there are beach huts (we’ll check those out next time).

There is a pub and cafe along this stretch and local shops not too far away. Here we saw identical twins in their 60s walking arm in arm and wearing exactly the same outfit from head to toe (hair colour and style, sunglasses, handbags, clothes and shoes).

A sandy beach that allows dogs all year round. We parked for free on Wear Bay Rd then followed a path behind the restaurant (friendly staff, take away coffee and bathrooms), past the martello tower and through the bushes, along a well trodden path, to get to a concrete path along the beach.

It was a little weird as there were people camped right by the path/on the beach, screaming and swearing at their kids who were too close to the edge of the path (at this point there is a bit of a fall to the beach – the girl was also in pink pyjamas). Further down it is easy to get to the beach and although others were camping the beach widens out so you don’t have to go near the tents. Luckily there was a pipe with clean water flowing as I forgot Couscous’s water bottle but otherwise there are bins and nothing else. There appeared to be a camping ground behind the bushes but it wasn’t signposted so who knows. Nice view of chalk cliffs and generally a good half-day trip.

We drove to sandy Camber late on a Saturday and got there just as many were leaving. Still it was busy and we parked just past Camber village on the side of the road. It’s a bit pebbley but the water’s edge is sandy so Couscous went wild. We then drove round to Dungeness which has a lovely, cosy feel. There is a path over the reserve area to allow the sea cabbages to grow. It’s very stoney so we didn’t go past the end of the path. I have been told that if you leave your car there it may be broken into – as you have to walk some distance to get to the water so cars aren’t ‘supervised’. You’d be ok on weekends but out of season may be different.

There is a concrete path by the sea from Grenham Bay to Epple Bay and once you get to Epple Bay (quite small but sandy) dogs are allowed on the sand all year round. Further round towards Westgate on Sea dogs are not allowed on the sand in the summer but, again, there is a concrete path to wander along. You can park along the road at Grenham Bay. It is a weird walk but I liked it. It’s as though there were fortifications that are now disbanded so it has a rough appeal. We walked back around the houses with ease.

See Couscous play on the beach – click here for a small video.