UK coastal town with 'world's largest shingle bank' and own famous lighthouse

17 March 2024 , 15:28

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Dungeness is one of the strangest places on the coast of Britain (Image: Getty Images)

Kent is home to plenty of towns which are perfect for a weekend break, and the tiny fishing town of Dungeness, which is found at the southernmost point of the county, is no exception.

Dungeness combines a mix of shingle beaches, brazen beauty and unique ecosystems. The 23km nature reserve is a special place to visit on the Kent coast. It's been called a site of special scientific interest (SSSI) and a Special Protection Area (SPA). Dungeness provides a habitat with less common plants, insects and birds that have made adaptations to such a challenging environment.

It's shingle beach has evolved over thousands of years because of the interplay of currents and tides along the coast. This special geography fosters an environment where specially adapted plants, such as the rare yellow horned poppy, can flourish.

An abandoned fishing boat lies in front of an in use boat on the shore near Derek Jarman's Prospect Cottage on March 21, 2020 in Dungeness, England (Getty Images)

The shingle beach at Dungeness is often referred to as a 'desert', and is a geographical rarity - the only true desert in the UK. The exposed area of beach is similar to flint pebble beaches on the continent. When visiting, you can stroll along the beach, watch birds in their natural habitat or observe the unspoiled landscape littered with fisherman's huts, wooden beach shacks and an enormous nuclear power station.

Why not visit Romney Marsh, which is perfectly flat and excellent for cycling. You can hire a bike in Dungeness or New Romney and take in the desert-like scenery of the largest expanse of shingle in Europe. You'll cycle past derelict huts and fishing boats, as well as Prospect Cottage, which is the former home of film director Derek Jarman. You can also admire Dungeness Lighthouse, which was built in 1961.

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It marks the end of the peninsula and is also an important way mark and reference for vessels navigating the Strait of Dover. Since May 1962 the tower has been floodlit to assist identification from seaward - and the floodlighting has cut the bird mortality rate during the migration season.

Charlie Duffield