White Cliffs of………Dover, right?
Well, yes and no. White cliffs are not exclusive to Dover. All along the coast of Kent you will find white cliffs. Of course, Dover’s White Cliffs are iconic, probably the most famous, the first landmark for incoming seafarers and the last to wave to when you leave “home”. We have all read and heard about them since we were kids. But the best views are further along the coast. At some places the white cliffs are more impressive and more accessible than the ones at Dover. Here’s what we found.
The main issue is that you cannot really see the vertical cliffs in most places if you are at the top. To really feel the grandeur of the cliffs, you have to look up at them from the beach, or from the sea. But alas, it is often not easy to do either.
BIRLING GAP
Birling Gap offers a tranquil and pebbly beach alongside the towering Seven Sisters – seven white cliffs in a row. You can get to the beach via a metal staircase. You can also take in the classic cliff-top walk that gives you another grand view and the sight of the famous Beachy Head, ending in the elegant town of Eastbourne. Yes, there is a bit of climbing to do, but the charming scenery makes you forget the effort. Care, stay away from the cliff edge, it is known to crumble suddenly! The official warning – keep 5 metres away from any cliff edge – is regularly ignored by summer tourists.
BEACHY HEAD
Beachy Head, at 531-feet, is the highest sea cliff in Britain. It is possible to see it from the beach below but it is difficult to reach there and time is limited because of tides that rise quickly to seven feet or more.
If you are in the mood for a leisurely drive, take the beachy road and keep going as far as you like, past green meadows dotted with white sheep. There are a couple of lighthouses, too, one more accessible than the other. Beachy head lighthouse can only be seen from above, but the Belle Tout lighthouse is unusual – a quirky B&B in a restored lighthouse!
ST MARGARET’S BAY
St Margaret’s Bay, tucked away at the end of a narrow and winding descent, is a charming little beach – very beautiful and peaceful. A lovely long walk, with tea and bacon sandwiches at the cafe (a toilet, too!) – the perfect morning. You could also visit the beautiful Pines garden, Museum and tea room. The best part of visiting this bay is that you can get very close to the imposing white cliffs here!
DUMPTON GAP
Dumpton Gap is one of the seven bays in Broadstairs and a great place for a long walk on a sandy, pebbly beach, but only at low tide. This secluded bay boasts a promenade and a kiosk, and a very nice view. Plus, need I say, white cliffs. If you fancy a rather long walk, you can take the beach-level promenade round to Louisa, Viking and Stone Bays.
BOTANY BAY
Botany Bay in Broadstairs, Kent is another hidden gem. If you keep walking along the cliff top you will discover the ever-changing views of white cliffs and beautiful chalk stacks. Perfect place for a photographic buff.
No, we haven’t forgotten Dover – an absolute “must see”. As we said, these cliffs are not the greatest. However if you are more interested in the historical aspect, especially from a castle point of view, then Dover is the place. Descriptions of this 300-foot high chalk facade are futile.
The cliffs are probably grander from the sea than from land. Dover tour safari is an option for tourists to view the white cliffs from the sea. You’ll view the famous white cliffs from the unmatched vantage point of the sea. Alternatively, you can take a day trip across the 21-mile English Channel to Calais, France, and back!
Beautiful photos and great tips for other things to do too! Hopefully, we’ll get to that area when we go to England.
I have never seen anything like this, so beautiful! 🙂
Seems like a great spot for a picnic!
I live about an hour away from this part of England so know the walks and cliffs very well. I hope you stopped at the Birling Gap cafe for tea and cake. Yummy.
I love your tips on getting the best views! The white cliffs are high on my bucket list so this is a fab post for me! Thank you 🙂
I’ve always wanted to see the white cliffs up close! I’ve flown over them into London, and even from a distance, they look impressive. Your photos are stunning!
Such a great idea for a post. I’m often frustrated that you can’t actually see the cliffs that well from land so this is really helpful. Pinning for future reference.
Oh this is wonderful. I had no idea! Great photos and info. Makes me want to go back to England.
The south of England is a favourite part of my travel world, but I have not yet seen this gorgeous area.
This seems to be an amazing experience to visit White cliffs. Never experienced this in my country though. Shall surely have in my bucket list
Reading this makes me want to take a vacation on this side!
I’ve always wanted to visit the White Cliffs! I didn’t know about St. Margaret’s Bay, so I will keep that mind. I would definitely walk down the staircase to Birling Gap. You’re pictures are so beautiful
It was interesting to read that the white cliffs are not exclusive to Dover. I agree that you really need to be below them (or further away at sea) to see the scale of the sheer cliffs. I love that view of the cliffs at Beachy Head. And would not want to get caught on the beach if the tide rises quickly. A boat trip would be amazing to see the different cliffs along this shore.
I have always seen white cliffs of England in Travel TV shows and wanted to visit them. Beachy head looks stunning as it is really high vertical cliff. Also it would be great to visit Botany Bay in Broadstairs, Kent which is hidden gem.
Really beautiful photos and I hope I can visit there some day! Great inspiration!
I can’t believe I actually haven’t seen these cliffs yet, at least not in the way you describe. I love the idea of your walks along the coastal path to see the best views & there are some great tips here. Thanks for sharing, hopefully, get there at some point after we come out of lockdown!
Beautiful photos of the white cliffs! I’ve never ventured to the South coast to see them but I definitely need to make the trip, they look beautiful! It looks like there are some great hidden gems to be discovered too for the best views. Thanks for the great guide!
Beautiful photos and great tips on how to get the best views and other hidden gems to see in the area. I can’t wait to explore this part of the UK, as I’ve only been exploring the north of England.
I always wanted to see these cliffs! They look so beautiful! This is such a helpful guide on how to see them. 🙂
I love those white cliffs. I think my favorite part hiking along them is at Shakespeare’s Cliff…as you can get a good view down along the cliffs for miles!
For some reason I hadn’t considered that there were more white cliffs other than Dover. This is great to know though! Definitely going to visit a couple when I head down south.
How beautiful! I would absolutely love to see the cliffs looking up from the beach, like you recommend! They are definitely a place on my bucket list!
Wow, it never occurred to me that it might not be easy to see the white cliffs from above, and you have a great list here of places and alternate suggestions for anyone looking to visit the white cliffs. Thanks for the super helpful post.