The bleak beauty of Dungeness

Unique habitat

Down by the shore the pounding waves, sharp briny taste in the air and blinding sunlight provided a rich sensory experience – not to mention the burn of leg muscles working double time to navigate the shifting pebbles underfoot. Forget golden sand: the beach here is largely formed of smooth Ice Age flint and is one of the biggest expanses of shingle in the world. Needless to say, it’s not particularly pushchair-friendly.

Being surrounded by countless grey pebbles may not sound like the best beach experience - and yet Dungeness is one of the curious gems of the Kent coastline; indeed, its ethereal setting has over the years provided the backdrop for everything from fashion shoots to scenes in Dr. Who.

What’s more, these shingle ridges form a unique wildlife habitat and support a diverse range of insects and spiders, some of which are found hardly anywhere else in the British Isles. Home to more than 600 species of plants i.e. approximately one-third of all plants found in the UK, it's also an important breeding site for birds and a key migration stopover for swallows and swifts (visit Dungeness RSPB bird sanctuary: TN29 9PN). Offshore meanwhile, common and grey seals are regularly seen along with harbour porpoise and the occasional dolphin.

Cabbages and caterpillars

Insatiably curious about nature and the world around them, our three budding naturalists shot off to explore. “I’ve found a beach cabbage!” yelled middle child, peering at a crinkly-leafed cluster sprouting up defiantly through the bone-dry stones. Green and tinged with purple edges, we later discovered it was a type of edible sea kale.

Next came demands from our eldest to identify the clusters of brown hairy caterpillars he found clinging for dear life in the wind-battered bushes further up the beach. Interested in neither cabbages nor caterpillars, our youngest entertained himself by merrily rolling at top speed down the shingle before sifting one by one through the smooth pebbles for the ultimate skimming specimen.  

Diverse Dungeness

When you’ve had enough of the beach you could wander to Dungeness railway station for a steam-powered ride on the narrow gauge RH&DR (www.rhdr.org.uk), climb the grade II-listed Old Lighthouse for spectacular views of the English Channel (and France on a clear day) or visit the RNLI Lifeboat Station. We opted for a fish and chip lunch at The Britannia Inn (www.britanniadungeness.co.uk), a two-minute walk from the beach, and it was excellent. Highchairs and baby changing facilities available.

If you like a calm cove with golden sand where little ones can build sandcastles, then Dungeness is unlikely to tick any boxes. But if you’re up for a sturdy blast of fresh sea air mixed with a wild expanse of beach for the kids to run wild and let off steam – and possibly spot some rare wildlife – then Dungeness takes some beating. It also officially wins top marks from our youngest for ‘beach with the best skimming stones’.