The UK’s only ‘desert’ – with one of the warmest beaches in Britain and Hollywood stars love it
THE idea of a desert often conjures up images of Egypt and Morocco, with rolling sand dunes and soaring temperatures.
But the UK has its own ‘desert’ – and it is right next to the sea.
Dungeness, along the coast of Kent, has been previously called a desert, and is the only one in the UK.
It remains mild throughout the year – it is one of the warmest beaches in the spring with highs of 18C – and the highest ever summer temperature was recorded at 29C although averages around 22C.
It has one of the largest shingle beaches in Europe too, and has been likened to a desert due to being so barren with little plant life.
Sadly, the Met Office debunked calling it a desert back in 2015, as they need to have little rainfall and large differences in day and night temperatures, neither of which Dungeness has.
However, this hasn’t stopped people calling the area “Britain’s only desert” – and still attracts tourists who want to see it for themselves.
More than one million tourists visit it every year, despite having little to do across the vast landscape.
Previous visitors have praised the unique beach, saying it was like nothing else in the UK.
One tourist wrote on TripAdvisor: “It’s very peaceful – a bit off the beaten track. At times it feels like a forgotten about film set.”
Another said it has an “End of the World feeling”.
It is a protected conservation area, as it is called a Special Area of Conservation (SAC), a Special Protection Area (SPA) and a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
It is one of the best places to find rare bugs including bees, moths and spiders, as well as being home to 600 kinds of plants.
If you fancy visiting yourself, the first place you should visit is the Grade-II listed Old Lighthouse, which has views for miles over Dungeness.
If you need something to eat there is the Snack Shack which serves fresh catches from the fishing boats, while the best fish and chips is found at The Pilot Inn.
Try a local beer from Ales by the Rails, found in the train station.
One popular attraction is the inky black Prospect Cottage, once the home of film director Derek Jarman, and many compared to a Wild West setting.
The beach is also home to the nuclear Dungeness Power Station, which makes the sea waters some of the warmest in the country.
Other famous faces include Ed Sheeran, who bought a converted railway carriage in Romney Marsh for £650k, while Dungeness has been used by Pink Floyd, The Prodigy and Nicki Minaj for filming and even featured in episodes of Eastenders and Doctor Who.
Or head to the Denge Listening Ears, which were used as an early warning system for enemy sightings, although you will need to book a guide to visit them.
You can even stay the night at Dungeness, with around 30 converted homes to choose from.
The Shingle House is one of the most popular, as it has some of the best views of the beach, with the modern home designed to look like the fisherman’s huts.
Inside are four bedrooms and three bathrooms, as well as a huge open-plan kitchen and living area.
It will set you back around £315 a night, but sleeps eight although it is often booked out months in advance.
Sun Online Travel visited Dungeness – here is what you can expect.
Also near Dungeness is Lydd Airport, also known as London Ashford Airport, which could soon resume passenger flights.
Scheduled passenger operators ceased operations back in 2018 but the airport operator’s David Hainsworth confirmed that flights would be going ahead again this year.
Destinations will include Le Touquet in France, and other holiday hotspots yet to be revealed.