The Daily Telegraph - Saturday - Travel
Best for crabbing
A comely village green, fine Georgian houses, a handful of pubs and tearooms, an olde-worlde feel – Walberswick is an English coastal throw back. The delightful sand-and-shingle beach feels wilder than that of neighbouring Southwold, and is edged by dunes and Walberswick National Nature Reserve. The British Open Crabbing Championships are no longer held here but you can still have a go – local shops sell crabbing kits. Also, buy snacks at the Black Olive Deli, which is graffitied with The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse illustrations – artist Charlie Mackesy lives nearby (theblackdogdelis.co.uk).
The highlight The church, which sits within the vast ruins of the previous building; look out for memorials to fishermen lost at sea.
Best viewpoint Gliding across the River Blyth from Southwold aboard the row-boat ferry, which has run here since 1236 (walberswickferry.com). How to do it The Anchor (01502 722112; anchoratwalberswick.com) has B&B doubles from £120 a night. Plan the perfect holiday in Suffolk with our guide (telegraph.co.uk/tt-suffolk-guide).
Best for nature
Named after a Christianity-spreading princess shipwrecked here in the 7th century, St Abbs is a wee fishing village with a big claim to fame: it was the filming location for New Asgard in Avengers: Endgame. Usually, though, it is quiet. There isn’t even a pub here, though Ebbcarrs harbourside cafe serves super crab sandwiches. For good sand, head to Coldingham Bay, located to the south. For something a little wilder, explore St Abb’s Head National Nature Reserve – a rugged stretch of coast that is home to a cacophony of seabirds, plus seal pups (in autumn), dolphins and minke whales.
The highlight The water, which lies within Berwickshire Marine Reserve – St Abbs Charters offers scuba diving, sightseeing, snorkelling and swimming trips (stabbscharters.com).
Best viewpoint Just to the north, within the nature reserve, Pettico Wick offers epic views of the coast.
How to do it There are four self-catering properties at St Abbs lighthouse (cottages.com); Lightkeepers Cottage, sleeping four, costs from £445 a week.
Walberswick, Suffolk
little cluster of thatch and Purbeck stone sits within folds of green, just inland from the coast. Here, you can feast on field-to-fork fare at Clavells (clavellsrestaurant.co.uk) and view the Etches Collection (theetchescollection. org), a mind-boggling display of Jurassic marine life. A footpath lined with information panels about the area’s ancient aquatics leads to the bay itself, one of the UK’s most important geological sites. It offers safe swimming, world-class rock-pooling and, in summer, warden-led events.
The highlight Snorkel the underwater nature trail – information and snorkel hire available at the Fine Foundation Wild Seas Centre (dorsetwildlifetrust. org.uk/wild-seas-centre).
Best viewpoint From near Clavell Tower, up on Hen Cliff. Or from the tower itself: it is rentable via the Landmark Trust (landmarktrust.org.uk). How to do it Kimmeridge Farmhouse (01929 480990; kimmeridgefarmhouse. co.uk) has B&B doubles costing from £150 per night. £95 per night. Plan the perfect holiday in Cornwall with our guide (telegraph. co.uk/tt-cornwall-guide).
The highlight Take the short walk west along the coast path to explore the wild exotics in Ventnor Botanic Garden (botanic.co.uk).
Best viewpoint From a table outside the Cove Coffee Shop (steephill-cove. co.uk/cove-coffee-shop).
How to do it Steephill Cove Luxury Self-Catering (07980 444425; steephill-cove.co.uk) has three rental properties. The Beach Hut, sleeping four, costs from £550 for four nights.