West Wittering
Positioned on the western coast of the Manhood peninsula, West Wittering beach provides family-friendly sands and glorious views of Chichester harbour and the South Downs, plus it’s one of the best-loved blue flag beaches in the country. Try your hand at windsurfing, kitesurfing and standup paddleboarding with lessons (or just equipment hire, if you’re a pro) from 2XS; then bed down at the Old House at Home, one of West Wittering’s best-loved pubs with rooms, or in one of Beach House B&B’s cute bedrooms. Treat yourself to some superb seafood, served on the terrace. If you’re thirsting for a city-grade almond flat white, venture to The Drift-In Surf cafe on Shore Road. And for a bit of distant history, why not take a short trip to Chichester Cathedral? Dating back to 1075, it’s one of Britain’s most rewarding cathedrals to visit.
Travel from Bournemouth to Chichester costs £14.70 for one adult with a 26-30 Railcard (save £7.60)*
Margate Sands; Cafe Barletta (below)
Margate
In recent years, this Kentish town has emerged as one of the most fun-loving and hip seaside destinations in Britain, with plenty to offer daytrippers and weekend mini-breakers alike. Turner Contemporary’s Seaside Photographed exhibition runs until September, after which it exhibits the Turner prize. Get a taste of superlative British seafood at Angela’s and its little-sister winebar, Dory’s, or keep it simple with fish and chips from Peter’s Fish Factory, best eaten on the steps overlooking the harbour arm.
To escape the weekend crowds of daytrippers on the main sands, wander up the coast to Walpole Bay, where the 1930s tidal pool is overlooked by the quaint Victorian Walpole Bay Hotel. For vintage shopping, dip into Handsome Freaks or Madame Popoff’s, and get a fix of retro amusement park vibes at Dreamland (two-for-one entry when you travel by train), which now hosts the marvellous Cafe Barletta, presided over by head chef Jackson Berg, formerly of Xiringuito and Kettner’s Townhouse. Train travellers get the added bonus of two-for-one entry.
Travel from London to Margate costs £16.65 for one adult with a 26-30 Railcard (save £8.55)*
Hastings
Forever associated with the Norman invasion of 1066, Hastings went on to be one of the Victorian era’s most fashionable seaside resorts. Today, the town is enjoying a cultural and economic resurgence, with a new creative community of urban émigrés setting up home here. The £4m Jerwood Gallery – now renamed the Hastings Contemporary – set within the medieval hotchpotch of the old town, exhibits work by Roy Oxlade and artist patron Quentin Blake. George Street, the main drag between the seafront and Hastings’ picturesque old town, is fringed with cool cafes, quaint sweet shops, antique shops and quirky restaurants. The Thai cafe at Boulevard Books is a perennial favourite, while Penbuckles Deli serves Monmouth coffee and everything you could desire for a top-drawer picnic on the beach. The award-winning high-end B&B Swan House is just a five-minute walk from the Hastings Contemporary, and a 10-minute walk to the castle.
Travel from London to Hastings costs £20.15 for one adult with a 26-30 Railcard (save £10.35)*
Hastings beach; the Hastings Contemporary gallery
Oban
This historic resort makes a perfect base for exploring the nearby islands of Mull, Iona and Staffa, but there’s also plenty to do in town. Stroll along the seafront to the dramatic ruins of Dunollie Castle then reward yourself with a tasting tour at Oban Distillery – or the Oban Chocolate Factory shop, if cacao is your poison. Aulay’s Bar is a favourite with locals and visitors alike, serving classic Scottish pub lunches – all without a hint of tartan twee. The dinky Whisky Vaults Hotel, set in a three-storey townhouse, puts you right in the middle of things, and is just a few minutes’ walk from the railway station.
Travel from Glasgow to Oban costs £20.35 for one adult with a 26-30 Railcard (save £10.45)*
Oban seafront; Dunollie Castle; Oban distillery
Berwick-upon-Tweed
England’s northernmost town is one of the most picturesque stops along the Edinburgh-London mainline railway route, and well worth lingering in for a long weekend. With medieval town walls, Elizabethan ramparts and a Georgian town hall, it’s a mishmash of architectural delights dating back centuries. Robert Stephenson’s Royal Border Bridge, a Grade I-listed railway viaduct, built in 1845, is the town’s true icon, and Berwick Barracks, built in the early 18th century and designed by Nicholas Hawksmoor, now houses a brilliant museum that gives a thorough overview of the town’s industrial heritage. Head to “Little Beach”, north of the town’s pier and picturesque lighthouse, for a photogenic stretch of sand that leads to the Berwickshire Coastal Path; keep walking and you can cross into Scotland.
The Royal Border Bridge
Back in town, the Barrels is a quaint place to sink a pint, while the Curfew, a deservedly popular micropub, has a more interesting collection of cask ales. Some of the most atmospheric digs in town are found at The Walls B&B, a stylish townhouse hotel in the heart of the old town.
Travel from London to Berwick-upon-Tweed costs £96.65 for one adult with a 26-30 Railcard (save £49.75)*
To find out more about getting a third off your train travel with a Railcard, visit railcard.co.uk
*Prices based on standard return travel off peak on weekend of 31 August, as checked on 4 August.
