Days out

The Victorians’ love of seaside resorts inspired a developer to try and build a ‘mega resort’ for the rich and powerful of the time, but many of the plans for this seaside town never came to fruition

Victorians loved the seaside. Time at the beach was the perfect antidote to the dirty, smoggy cities that were rapidly expanding, and the sea air was touted as a cure for everything from respiratory problems to exhaustion.

Another thing that was expanding at the time was Britain’s railway lines, and entrepreneurs were quick to build seaside resorts to accommodate Victorians’ love of beaches. One such visionary was Sir Robert Perks, a politician who looked at a stretch of Kent coast and decided it would make an incredible resort for the wealthiest in society at the time.

The spot was given the name Littlestone-on-Sea, named after a nearby headland called Little Stone, and initially it comprised of a home for Robert, accommodation called the Grand Hotel, a church, and some terraced houses. However, the Grand Hotel didn’t turn out nearly as grand as planned, and it was just the first project that didn’t quite live up to the vision.

Robert teamed up with a surveyor named Henry Tubbs to launch Littlestone Golf Course in 1888, which is still open to this day, and at one end there’s a distinctive local building the Littlestone water tower, which was supposed to supply fresh water to the golf course and the impressive seaside town that was envisioned.

Unfortunately, the water from the 120ft tall tower was too salty to use, and over time it was abandoned. However, in the Second World War, the structure found a new purpose. It became a lookout post that protected Kent’s shores, and the addition of platforms meant guards could keep lookout from many levels. Nowadays, it has been turned into a unique home.

Other plans for Littlestone included a large housing development, a lively promenade, and a favourite of Victorians – a pier. However, parts of the design for the pier were eventually used in Eastbourne, so it wasn’t a total waste of time.

Nowadays, Littlestone is far from the bustling resort that was imagined by the Victorian entrepeneurs, but it certainly has its own charm. Its vast shingle beach is lined with colourful beach huts, and the long flat promenade is popular for families and dog walkers.

From the shore you can spot the Mulberry Harbour Phoenix Caisson, a temporary breakwater that was built during the D-Day Normandy landings in World War 2. Few of these structures remain, making it a popular site for those interested in military history.

The town itself has a handful of shops, cafés, and restaurants. There’s a small selection of seaside hotels, as well as a caravan park that’s much loved by families looking for a peaceful break at the seaside.

So, while Littlestone may not have become a playground for the rich, it developed its own character over time and is still much-loved by visitors who want a more low-key seaside experience.

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Brits now prefer taking multiple UK-based micro-cations throughout the year and EV savings make cost-effective short breaks even cheaper.

More than four in 10 Brits now favour taking several UK-based micro-cations throughout the year – rather than a single annual holiday, according to new research. A survey of 2,000 adults revealed they would rather put the money a big getaway would cost towards multiple short breaks spread across the year. A fifth are planning one of these short trips – within 100 miles of their home – this bank holiday weekend.

According to the findings, 44% are now taking more micro-cations than they were five years ago. Three quarters enjoy these types of breaks as they have helped them uncover more historical landmarks, coastal towns, and greater swathes of the British countryside.

The study, commissioned by Smart Energy GB, found 49% have taken a micro-cation in the past year alone, while 58% agreed micro-cations are now firmly part of their annual travel plans. For 44%, they have become a first-choice option.

Victoria Bacon, director at Smart Energy GB, said: “With household budgets under pressure, shorter breaks closer to home offer the chance to relax, recharge and create lasting memories without travelling far and often at a lower cost.”

The research also revealed that 69% agreed a micro-cation was more affordable than heading overseas, and of those who have swapped a foreign holiday for a micro-cation, 67% did so to save money.

Of those who’ve cut costs by taking this type of break, 34% have used the extra cash to enjoy more short trips, while 47% put it straight into their savings.

The research also surveyed 593 EV drivers and discovered that almost half (47%) said owning an electric vehicle has made them more inclined to take a micro-cation.

Two in five (39%) appreciated the ease of setting off from home with a fully charged car, without having to hunt down a service station or public charging point.

Based on publicly available data verified by New Automotive, a 200-mile round trip costs £36.57 in fuel in an average family car. By contrast, it costs as little as £14.92 to charge an EV at home on a standard electricity tariff to cover the same distance – a saving of 59%.

Meanwhile, smart meter owners can trim costs even further by charging overnight on a flexible EV tariff – bringing the cost down to just £4.57 on average. It turns out that 37% of electric car drivers are already doing this, compared to just 14% who opt for public charging points.

Victoria Bacon added: “By using a smart meter to access an EV tariff that fits your needs best, you can save a significant amount on travel costs by charging during cheaper, off-peak periods.”

Double Olympic champion and EV enthusiast, Helen Glover OBE, said: “Some of our best family adventures haven’t involved travelling hundreds of miles – they’ve been spontaneous trips that are less than a couple of hours away by car.

“Whether it’s the rolling countryside of Devon, the dramatic coastline of Cornwall or the peaceful trails of Dartmoor, there are so many hidden gems waiting to be discovered.

“As an EV driver, those local adventures can be more affordable, convenient and sustainable too.”

TOP 10 REASONS BRITS ARE PACKING FOR A MICRO-CATION:.

1. Explore more of the UK
2. Discover places closer to home
3. Lower travel costs
4. Avoid hassle of overseas travel
5. More travel flexibility
6. Easier to organise than a longer trip
7. To make holiday budgets go further
8. Easier to fit around work
9. Spend more time exploring
10. Easier to fit around family commitments

They left the UK earlier this year with their sons aged six and four

A couple ‘retired’ by 33 and 32 ditched the UK to travel the world with their kids – spending just £60 a day.

Ryan Blackley, 35, and wife Jess, 34, headed out to Chang Mai, Thailand, on February 24, 2026, with sons Noah, six, and Bodhi, four. They had travelled together back in 2016 before having children and say they knew their future would “lie outside the UK”.

By renting out the two flats and family home they still own, the pair class themselves as retired and can fund their new lifestyle with the profits. The original plan to move to Portugal and travel Europe changed when they realised the climate would be warmer in the winter months in Asia, making the jump to move 5,800 miles away.

Leaving with just two suitcases and a backpack each, the couple reckon they spend an average of £1,800 each month compared to their £2,200 per month costs in the UK. They also bring in an estimated £2,500 monthly from their rentals.

They don’t plan to return to live in the UK and have a five-year Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) – which allows them to both live and work remotely there. With plans to continue world-schooling their sons, so far they say they are “thriving” in their new life.

Ryan, originally from Cambridge, said: “We had a plan basically of how to get out of the UK and that was through property. But I think we obviously had a good life in the UK, but it got to a point where I guess we felt that the UK wasn’t the right place for us to live and bring up kids.

“The cost of living is insane. We’ve got two boys and at some point they are going to want to go out on their own and we don’t feel the UK is a safe country anymore because knife crime is massive and I don’t want one of the kids being a statistic of knife crime anymore.

“The school system is a very outdated system. For us, the whole concept of life is backwards because you’ve got to go to school, work and then enjoy life when you’re 68 years old.

“Who knows one, if you’ll be alive then and then two, health-wise what that will be. This way we’re teaching the kids everything.

“They know how to read, write, maths, English etc and then learn the skills they don’t get taught at school. We both class ourselves as retired because the property work requires minimal upkeep and effort.”

Mum Jess said they got caught up in the “monotony” of school runs back in the UK. “Every time I’d pick Noah up from school I’d ask ‘how was your day blah blah blah’,” she said.

“He’d say ‘these kids were naughty today’ or ‘these kids got their names on the board’ and I never heard positive things. I thought ‘what’s the point?’.

“I feel like a lot of the school day is spent controlling the class and troublesome kids. How much is actually spent learning?”

After buying her first flat at 20 for £120,000, Jess rented it out and the couple bought their second flat for £145,000 after they saved up some money while travelling and working abroad for two-and-a-half years – visiting 27 countries. They went ahead and sold it for £183,000, before buying another two-bed flat £190,000 – and finally buying their four-bed family home in 2021.

Renting them all out either through Airbnb or with private tenants, they have been able to retire early after bringing in £2,500 per month.

“Obviously we still have the house in the UK and if this all fails, we’ll simply go back,” Ryan said. “We’ve done nearly six months already and I don’t see us ever returning, not in a living capacity but literally just to visit the family.

“It’s crazy we lived in the house and all we travel with is two large suitcases and a backpack each. It makes you realise you don’t need much in life.”

Flying out in February to Chang Mai, after their 60-day tourist visa expired they crossed the border to Laos and applied for their five-year DTV. Since then, they have travelled around Thailand, including visits to Chang Rai, Bangkok, Udon Thani and Kanchanaburi. Currently in Koh Samui, they plan to visit Malaysia and Singapore next.

“The plan still is to travel the world, but having a base in Asia makes it easier,” Ryan said. “We’ve basically got freedom and don’t have to be anywhere by a certain date or time.

“It’s just the four of us and we pretty much go with the flow. It’s just nice being free”.

The couple have stayed in a mixture of Airbnbs, apartments and hotels and only usually book their next spot a few days in advance. They don’t budget, but Ryan said he made a note of everything they spend and they have been eating out for lunch and dinner since their travels began.

“We’re quite fine with the simple life, like eating Thai food,” he said. “We don’t drink alcohol or go to bars or fancy restaurants.

“The rolling average from the last five months is £1,800 for the month for four of us. We were everyday people, just a normal family who had a dream to get out and travel the world and give our kids a different life.

“I can understand it can be scary because it’s going into the unknown and going away from your family and friends, home comforts and everything. But if you don’t try it out, how do you know you’re not going to like it?”

You can follow Ryan and Jess on Instagram and YouTube @blackleysabroad TikTok @travelwiththeblackleys.

Ryan and Jess’ cost breakdown

UK costs per month

Mortgage – £1,459

Bills – £427

Food – £400

Total: £2,296

Thailand costs in July

Accommodation – £790

Food – £350 a month

Other – Days out, transport, miscellaneous- average per month £420

Total: £1,560

Rolling average per month: £1,800

A beach in the UK has been named among the top ten best in the world, beating all sorts of exotic destinations thanks to its white sands and clear turquoise seas that visitors love

If you were aiming to visit one of the world’s best beaches, you might think this would involve an extremely long flight, and possibly a boat to an island or trek through a rainforest to reach it.

But one of the best beaches in the world is right here in the UK, and it has been revealed in a ranking by Big 7 Travel. Its list of the 50 Best Beaches in the World includes many destinations you’d expect, from the Seychelles to Sri Lanka, but only two European destinations made the top ten, only one of which is in the UK.

The list explains the reason for the Cornish beach’s ranking, saying: “Hidden beneath towering granite cliffs in Cornwall, Porthcurno Beach is easily one of England’s most beautiful. The entire Cornish coast is known for its rugged coastline and significantly better weather than the rest of the UK, and with the clear waters and bright sands of Porthcurno Beach, it’s easy to imagine that you’re in the tropics.”

Found just a few miles from Land’s End, Porthcurno Beach is reached by a sloping coastal path and is surrounded by cliffs to protect it from high winds. This bay has soft golden sands and clear blue waters, and during the summer months there are usually safe places to swim marked out by the lifeguards.

When it’s low tide, the sea rolls back to expose a walking route to the neighbouring beach of Pedn Vounder; just be careful to check the tide times for your return, as people sometimes find themselves cut off. Overlooking the beaches is the iconic Minack Theatre, where a variety of plays and family shows are on the schedule, with incredible cliffside views as the backdrop. While it looks like something from Roman times, the theatre was designed by Rowena Cade and opened in 1932.

Another unique creation of Rowena’s was the Porthcurno Wendy House, which she designed for her lucky nieces and nephews. This playhouse was carved into the granite rockface of the cliffs and had a fireplace, glass windows, and two storeys of rooms. Sadly, it’s now closed to the public, but you can still see the exterior when you’re on the beach.

Porthcurno is a small village, which adds to its charm and the remote vibes of the beach. You’ll find a few facilities such as a pub and a couple of shops. But there’s one unique attraction that you might not expect. The village was once home to the world’s largest submarine station, and at the PK Porthcurno Museum of Global Communications you can learn about its role in WWII. You can even explore the tunnels that were built to protect its infrastructure in case of an attack.

Aside from Porthcurno, only three other UK and Ireland locations made it into the top 50. Luskentyre Beach in Scotland was praised for its white sands and rugged mountain scenery, while Keem Beach was named as “one of Ireland’s true hidden gems. Whitesands Beach in Wales was also on the list, with the guide stating: “While the coastline looks its wildest during winter, on a clear summer’s day, the sea views can rival those of any beach in the world.”

Ten best beaches in the world according to Big 7 Travel

1. Anse Source d’Argent – Seychelles
2. Entalula Beach – Philippines
3. Pink Beach – Indonesia
4. Sandy Lane Beach – Barbados
5. Ee Motu Beach – Cook Islands
6. Whitehaven Beach – Australia
7. Matira Beach – Bora Bora, French Polynesia
8. Cala Macarella – Menorca, Spain
9. Porthcurno Beach – England
10. Mirissa Beach – Sri Lanka

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