In their words...
why we love The South East
Starting in Hastings and following the winding of the South East’s coastline, this region is one of our smallest and takes in the famous white cliffs of Dover, the surfing beaches of Broadstairs, the great waterways of the Thames and its estuary and the popular resort of Southend-on-Sea before finishing on Mersea Island, the most easterly inhabited island of the UK.
Famous for wind-based watersports (Camber Sands), power stations (Dungeness), ferries (Dover), surfing (Joss Bay) and seaside resorts (Southend), this region offers an eclectic coastal experience. From the desolate wasteland of Dungeness National Nature Reserve with its varied wildlife, sheer scale, abandoned huts, huge gravel pits and power station to the metropolitan ports of Dover, Folkestone and Ramsgate; the glitz and bright lights of Southend, home to the largest pleasure pier in the world, to the urban sprawl of London and on to the estuary of the River Blackwater with its many designations; two National Nature Reserves, a Site of Special Scientific Interest, Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Interest, Special Protected Area and Geological Conservation Review site.
This is an area with a long maritime heritage linking it to the coast; fishing was and is a large industry down here and Hastings is home to the largest beach-launched fishing fleet in Europe; transport is also important with the Dover to Calais crossing being one of the main sea routes to France and the Channel Tunnel the only under-sea method. This combined with beautiful, sandy beaches has led to a fantastic coastal community spirit and a desire to protect what is so important to the region.