Concord Beach

The Thames estuary gets a bit rough and ready around here, and Concord Beach is where you feel it. This is a proper working waterfront, not a postcard-pretty seaside spot - there's actual history in the mud and the industrial backdrop. The beach itself is shingle and sand, stretching out with views across the water towards the Kent shore. On a clear day you can see the refineries and power stations that make this stretch of the Thames what it is: functional, real, unvarnished.

Benfleet, just inland, is the nearest town and serves as your base if you're staying at one of the local glamping sites. The beach works best for adults who like their landscapes a bit weathered and honest rather than family groups after ice cream and paddling pools. It's the kind of place where you walk the foreshore, think about maritime history, spot the occasional cargo ship, and appreciate that not everything needs to be prettied up.

You can access it freely and spend as long as you fancy - an hour or two is realistic unless you're genuinely into industrial archaeology or bird-watching. The shingle can be hard work underfoot, so proper shoes are essential. Timing matters: check the tide before you go, especially if you want to explore the lower shore where the interesting stuff lives.

Stay at Essex Glamping nearby and this becomes a nice contrast to manicured parks - a bit of grit in your holiday diet, really.