Kessingland Beach

Kessingland Beach is a long, wide stretch of sand and shingle backed by low cliffs on the Suffolk Heritage Coast between Lowestoft and Southwold. It is one of the more unspoiled stretches of coast in the county, partly because it lacks the infrastructure of the busier resort beaches and partly because its rural position means it rarely feels crowded even on summer days. The beach is protected from the worst of the erosion that afflicts the Suffolk coast further south thanks to marram grass successfully established on the dunes by the writer Henry Rider Haggard, who owned a clifftop house here in the early 1900s: a local road, Rider Haggard Lane, commemorates his connection to the village. At the southern end of the beach, the Benacre National Nature Reserve begins, and the area is a recognised dog friendly beach destination well known among Suffolk dog owners. A small cafe and the Sailors Home pub are located at the beach front, and the village of Kessingland, home to Africa Alive wildlife park, sits just inland.

Dogs are welcome at Kessingland year-round with no seasonal restrictions, which is one of the key reasons it is so popular with local dog owners and visitors from further afield. The wide open beach offers excellent off-lead space, and at low tide it is possible to walk south along the sand all the way to Covehithe, though this requires careful timing around the tide. The dunes behind the beach are also accessible. Parking is available on Church Road and surrounding streets in the village, a short walk from the beach. Facilities at the beach include a small cafe, the Sailors Home pub and toilets near the promenade.