As temperatures are set to soar again this weekend, Londoners will no doubt be dreaming of cooling sea breezes and an escape to the seaside. Fleeing to Kent, Sussex or Essex by rail has never been easier, with many direct train services to some of the UK’s prettiest coastal towns, all within a two-hour journey time.
For those in search of a nostalgia-stirring, retro day out, you can’t beat Broadstairs for simple bucket-and-spade pleasures (plus a 1950s ice-cream parlour that knocks up the finest knickerbocker glory). Wildlife enthusiasts should head to Walton-on-the-Naze to visit the 250-strong grey seal colony, and for those who enjoy a sprinkling of history with their fish and chips, you need look no further than Sandwich (one of the UK’s best-preserved medieval towns), Deal (with its castle built by Henry VIII in the shape of a Tudor rose), or Hastings (ever synonymous with a certain battle).
