Hove Beach

The pebble beach at Hove stretches wide and purposeful, nothing like the sandy shores you might expect. It's all flint and smooth stones underfoot - proper seaside in the old-fashioned sense, the sort of place where Victorians came to promenade and the well-to-do still take their coffee in seafront cafes. You get the full works: beach huts painted in cheerful pastels, a working pier with amusements, and enough space to actually find a spot without tripping over someone's beach towel, even in summer.

What makes Hove different from Brighton's chaos is exactly that - the relative calm. Families do well here because the pebbles keep the riff-raff at bay somewhat, and there's room to breathe. Walkers appreciate the promenade, which stretches proper far in both directions. The water's cold as you'd expect on the English coast, but people swim year-round if you're that brave.

There's no charge for the beach itself, though the pier and various amusements cost a few quid. Allow a couple of hours minimum, more if you're settling in for the day. Summer weekends draw crowds; autumn mornings are genuinely lovely and far less hectic.

Staying at Foot of the Downs or Eastern Sands puts you within easy reach - both are about six miles inland. You're close enough for an afternoon, but far enough away that you get proper downtime too. It's a straightforward trip from either base.