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Dumpton Gap


With a thriving community feel, this quiet sandy beach is one of Broadstairs’ less frequented bays. It is 85 minutes from London St Pancras to Broadstairs by High Speed Train and a fast quarter-of-an-hour from the town’s railway station to Dumpton Gap. 

Popular for walkers, Dumpton Gap’s clean stretch of around 150 metres of sand and rocks is a dog-friendly beach all year round, without the time restrictions put into place during the summer months at some of Broadstairs’ main bays.

Protected from the elements with its towering chalk cliffs, despite its semi-remote location marking the halfway point between Broadstairs and the its neighbouring harbour town of Ramsgate, Dumpton Gap still boasts a great selection of amenities and facilities.

Public toilets are easily reached at the top of the entrance slope, and Sam’s café, which the owners describe as ‘The perfect place to watch the sea with a cup of tea and a bacon sarnie’, also serves coffee and ice cream. 

This bay is accessible via a slope sloping path located along the esplanade leading away from Broadstairs towards Ramsgate, and close to the entrance of King George VI Memorial Park.

You can also reach this picturesque spot via the seawall from Viking Bay, passing Louisa Bay and reaching Dumpton Gap at the furthest end.

The bay is a great place for a coastal walk, and a low tide will enable visitors to ramble over sand and rocks to reach Ramsgate’s main beach. Please be aware the tide comes in quickly and it’s very easy to become cut-off, so it’s important to check your timings.
Louisa Bay Broadstairs, Secret Beach
The beach is also a fantastic place to build sand castles, create ‘sand angels’ and clamber among the rock pools for a spot of crabbing. You may also discover dogfish, star fish and several limpets and periwinkles. Shells, stones and mermaid purses (leftover eggs from larger fish) also create a perfect treasure trove of seaside memories, or the perfect decoration for your sand sculptures.

This bay also boasts a claim to fame, after historically making headlines for having its own ‘hermit’ – John Edward Roberts, who lived inside a cave carved into the cliffs on a bed of seaweed and sacks before being evicted in 1912. If you can pull yourself away from the beach, just metres from the bay lies King George VI, Memorial Park.

Another favourite with walkers, the expansive dog-friendly and family friendly park near the beach is one of Thanet’s best picnic spots, with one of the many mature trees providing a much-needed respite from the sun on hotter days, as well as a tea hut serving coffee, ice creams and a selection of snacks.

When summer is over, cold-weather walks along the bay, followed by hot chocolate, are just as appealing as the long summer days, but please be aware the waves can be rough and dangerous at high tide and sweep over the sea walk.
Near to the entrance from the bay, visitors will also be charmed by the impressive structure of the Grade II listed Italianate Glasshouse – a suitable spot for afternoon tea in Thanet.

Dogs on leads are welcome and although the Glasshouse interior is not wheelchair accessible, the outdoor area and café are.
A pathway through the outskirts of the park, which is runner, dog and cycle-friendly, will also lead you out onto the Ramsgate promenade, where the harbour can be reached by foot in around 20 to 30 minutes.

Note: Please take note of the tide times on this beach. Water for dogs is also provided at the café but please bring your own too. Never leave your dog in a hot car.
Louisa Bay Cafe Broadstairs