6.0
Wildland
1–2 hours
Time
Check
Cost
Dramatic
Feel
Why it's Wildland
6.0A small sandy cove beneath white chalk cliffs, with sea caves and Kingsgate Castle looking down from the headland.
Kingsgate Bay earns its appeal through a close meeting of chalk cliffs, sea caves and a secluded-feeling sandy cove. The steep access and the changing tide are part of the visit’s character, but also mean it is worth planning carefully.
Dramatic · Secluded
Find your way
Open mapKingsgate, Broadstairs, Kent, CT10 3QH
Opening map…
Know this place a little better?
The experience
Explore the sandy cove and look up to the chalk cliffs, sea caves and Kingsgate Castle. Keep an eye on the tide: the beach can be cut off at both ends.
Things to do
Explore the chalk-cliff cove
Walk the sandy bay and take in the high chalk cliffs around this approximately 150-metre-wide cove.
1–2 hours
Look for the sea caves
Kingsgate Bay is noted for examples of sea caves in the Thanet cliffs; observe them from a safe, accessible position.
Take in Kingsgate Castle from the bay
Look up to the clifftop castle, built in the 1760s and now divided into private residential properties.
Make a day of it
Quick escape · 1–2 hours
Quick cove visit
- 01
Check tide and weather conditions before setting out.
- 02
Use the steep steps to reach the bay, if they are suitable for you.
- 03
Explore the sandy cove and look for the sea caves in the chalk cliffs.
- 04
Allow time to leave before the tide cuts off the beach.
Half day · Half day
Make a coastal half day of it
- 01
Visit Kingsgate Bay and take in the cliffs, caves and view of Kingsgate Castle.
- 02
Continue to nearby Joss Bay or Botany Bay; Visit Thanet says each is around a 15-minute walk away.
- 03
Use the nearby public toilets at Joss Bay or Botany Bay if needed.
- 04
Consider a stop at The Captain Digby pub or a café or restaurant at Botany Bay or Joss Bay.
Verified history
The bay was originally called St Bartholomew’s Gate. Visit Thanet records that King Charles II landed here with his brother, the Duke of York, in 1683, after which he ordered the name changed. Kingsgate Castle was built in 1763 by Lord Holland as a stable block for his nearby residence, Holland House. Sir John Lubbock, who introduced the Bank Holiday Act 1871, later lived at the castle. It operated as a hotel until the 1950s and is now divided into private residential properties.
Hidden details
The bay’s former name — Before it became Kingsgate Bay, the cove was known as St Bartholomew’s Gate.
When to go
· No best time of day is established by the supplied sources. Check tide tables and weather before visiting.
The supplied sources do not identify a best season.
Check the weather and tide tables before visiting. There are no lifeguards at Kingsgate Bay, and the beach can be cut off at both ends by the sea.
Worth pairing with
Joss Bay
A nearby bay around a 15-minute walk away, with RNLI lifeguard cover and public toilets according to Visit Thanet.
Botany Bay
A nearby bay around a 15-minute walk away, with RNLI lifeguard cover, public toilets and cafés or restaurants according to Visit Thanet.
The Captain Digby
A nearby pub identified by Visit Thanet.
What to look for
Look for the sea caves in the chalk cliffs and the view of Kingsgate Castle above the bay.
The story
Royalty
Best time to go
Check local conditions before visiting; the supplied sources do not establish a best season.
No specific best time is established by the supplied sources. Check tide tables and weather before setting out.
How long to spend
1–2 hours
Perfect for
Photographers · Walkers · Dogs
Before you go
Address
Practical information
Opening & access
The bay is reached by steep steps. The beach can be cut off at both ends by the sea, so check tide and weather conditions before visiting. Check current access before travelling.
Check before visiting
Parking
Check before visiting; parking information is not confirmed by the supplied sources.
Check before visiting
Toilets
No public toilets at the bay. Public toilets are available at Joss Bay and Botany Bay, around a 15-minute walk away.
Food & drink
The Captain Digby pub is nearby; cafés and restaurants are available at Botany Bay or Joss Bay.
Dogs
Dogs are allowed all year round, according to Visit Thanet.
Accessibility
Access is via steep steps, so the beach may not be suitable for visitors who cannot manage them. Check conditions and access before visiting.
Check before visiting
Cost
Check before visiting
Check before visiting
Water
Sea
Gallery
Place photographs
Keep exploring
Around Kingsgate Bay
Within 50 km · approximate straight-line distances
