Camber Sands Beach Zone K

Three miles of sand stretches out from Camber, a proper working beach rather than a theme park version of one. The dunes here are genuine - proper tall ones - and you can actually walk on them without some ranger telling you off. Zone K sits in the middle of the action, which means it's the busiest bit, but there's a reason for that: solid facilities, reasonable access, and enough space that even in summer you're not tripping over families every five paces.

The sand itself is wide and firm, the sort that doesn't give you that ankle-twisting feeling. Waves come in most days worth bothering with, so swimmers and the occasional brave soul with a boogie board don't feel ignored. There's a lifeguard presence in season, which matters if you've got kids.

It's free, obviously. Allow a couple of hours minimum if you're actually going in the water, half that if you're just mucking about building things. Summer weekends get rammed, obviously - head here on a grey Tuesday in May and you might have half the beach to yourself.

From Rye it's a short drive south, making this a natural pairing with Romney Meadows Caravan and Camping Park - that's only six miles away. The park itself is solid enough, though the beach is the real draw. Camber's the sort of place you come back to, not somewhere you feel obliged to photograph for Instagram.