Birchington

Sea air mingles with hops at Shivering Sands Brewery and Tap Room, where craft ales flow just yards from Birchington's clifftop. This unassuming Thanet town doesn't shout about itself, but it's got proper character and some cracking stretches of coast.

Minton's china fortune built much of what you see today - grand Victorian villas that cascade down towards Minnis Bay's sandy shore. The beach here is a corker, especially at low tide when rock pools emerge and families spread out without the Margate crowds. Walking west, you'll hit the chalk stacks and caves that make this stretch of Kent coast properly dramatic.

St Augustine first landed somewhere around here in 597 AD - Caesar's Invasion Site marks another historical landing spot, though the Romans got a rather different reception. The White Tower stands as a Victorian folly with views across to France on clear days, while St Augustine's Cross commemorates that momentous Christian arrival.

Golf enthusiasts are well sorted with St Augustine's Golf Club offering clifftop fairways and Manston Golf Centre providing a more relaxed round. Families with younger ones should make for Quex Adventure Golf - it's proper fun and the kids won't moan about being dragged around heritage sites.

Birchington-on-Sea station connects you directly to London Victoria in around two hours, making this a surprisingly accessible coastal escape. The new Thanet Parkway also opens up High Speed 1 connections. From Canterbury, it's a 20-minute drive through Kent's gently rolling farmland.

Staying at one of the nearby holiday parks makes perfect sense for exploring this quieter end of Thanet. You're close enough to nip into Margate or Broadstairs when you fancy the buzz, but far enough away to enjoy proper seaside peace.