THE SOUTH COAST

One thing that visitors to the Kent, Sussex and Dorset coasts can be assured of is variety: you are never too far from a vineyard, castle, pier, beach, downland walk or slice of heritage coast. You could also find yourself sleeping in a woodland cabin, windmill, wine lodge, tree house, converted lighthouse or oast house.

Use your imagination, cast your net wide, be flexible (arriving on a Monday can help), mix and match locations and take advantage of local train and bus routes to get around.

Snuggling up to the North Foreland Lighthouse on the Kent coast, above Broadstairs, are two dazzling cottages. They share a lawned garden, and nearby are Joss Bay’s sandy beach and a golf course. Khina, one of the pair, sleeps four and costs £1,220 per week in August (coolstays.com/property/ khina-cottage/17988).

Bisected by Pellingford Brook, Wowo Campsite (wowo.co.uk; adults from £14 per night) has yurts, shepherd’s huts, bell tents and geo-domes. There is an intriguing forest glade spa and children can go on foraging trails and get involved in circus workshops. Nearby distractions include Lewes Castle, the Bluebell Vineyard, horse riding in the Ashdown Forest and bike trails in Deers Leap Park. To arrive at Wowo in style, take the train to East Grinstead and pick up the heritage Bluebell Railway.

Pubs with rooms aren’t just for winter weekends. At the Bell in Ticehurst (thebellinticehurst.com), on the KentSussex border, there are garden lodges and stylish rooms. One lodge has stairs

that spiral to a mezzanine, complete with record player; another a balcony overlooking its stunning garden, which recently featured on Gardeners’ World. There is availability this summer, with mid-week doubles from £165 a night.

Got the New Forest and Jurassic Coast in your sights? Green Valley Yurts (greenvalleyyurts.com) ships its latticeroofed “gers” from Mongolia, and the site is on an organic smallholding near the Dorset village of Cerne Abbas. The roomy tents have wood-burning stoves, decks, and outdoor fire pits with bench

seating. Spotless communal areas include solar-heated showers and a timber-clad kitchen. Three-night weekend or four-night mid-week stays in a fiveperson yurt cost from £399 during the school holidays.

Whisper it, but there is even affordable hotel accommodation in Brighton. Facing the West Pier and rocking the coastal vibe with a palette of cheery colours, Selina offers three-night weekend stays in late July from £438 for a double or £778 for a family room (selina.com/uk/brighton).

i For all seasons: pubs with rooms, such as the Bell in Ticehurst, aren’t just for winter