Camber Sands is one of the best stretches of beaches on the South Coast, with miles of golden sand and numerous local attractions it's hugely popular for sports enthusiasts, wild-life lovers, families and holidaymakers alike while also being a critical flood defense for the Romney Marshes and nationally important site of scientific interest and wild life preservation.

Geography

The dunes provide an important element of coastal flood defenses for large parts of the Romney Marsh and are carefully managed with continuous work carried out to stabilise the dunes. The Environment Agency, East Sussex County Council and Rother District Council working in partnership to minimise disruption to the fragile landscape by visitors straying from marked paths; removing wind-blown sand from paths and the front of the dunes, and maintaining fencing used to trap sand and further direct visitors from walking across the dunes and creating gaps in the dunes which wind can then erode.

Tourism

This influx of tourists, up to 25,000 during peak days in the Summer, creates a difficult balancing act for dune managers both encouraging visitors while minimising the damage to the fragile geomorphology, and in particular vegetation that stabilises the dunes, they may cause. Fences and signs guide and direct visitors, guiding them to use the paths provided raising awareness of the wildlife and plants they may see.

Geological Formation

The dunes have formed over the last 350 years and continue to grow each year as sand, deposited from nearby River Rother or created by the action on waves upon the extensive shingle banks further along the coast, is dried at low tide and then blown inland. This process, known as saltation, results in 7,500 cubic meters of sand being deposited every year.

Wind blown sand drifts inland. Where it meets plants and other obstacles, it builds up becoming a dune – reducing wind speed leading to further sand deposits.

Things to do and places to stay in Camber

Alongside the family friendly Blue Flag rated beaches at Camber there are plenty of other activities within a short distance of Camber and numerous places to stay. Attractions include an golf course - one of the top ranges in the country, the world famous Romney Hythe and Dymchurch Railway is also just a few minutes away in Dungeness, from where you can see and ride on a scaled down, but fully operational, steam railway. For the historically minded, the are several National Trust attractons within travelling distance, notably Bodiam Castle; For the most active, kite surfing is a popular activity on Camber beaches, while of the top three Karting racing tracks in Europe - LIR is just a few miles away as is Action Watersports which offers Jet Skiing, Water-Skiing, and Wakeboarding. Even more can be found here.

Last update: 19-05-2008 11:12