SANDS GREAT

English beach named one of the best in the world is home to the ‘UK’s only desert’

And the other best beaches in the world

A BEACH in England has been named one of the best in the world thanks to its unique landscape.

With the summer finally in full swing, people up and down the country will be heading to the seaside to make the most of the warm weather.

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Dungeness Beach has been named as one of the best beaches in the world by the TelegraphCredit: Alamy

Located on the Kent coast, Dungeness Beach has been named as one of the best beaches in the world .

Travel writer Xenia wrote: "The unique landscapes of Dungeness have kept me in their thrall since the first time I visited.

"The UK’s only desert, Dungeness, seems desolate and eerie, like something from a vanished world, yet I have never found it anything but perfectly beautiful.

“Located on the tip of the Romney Marsh peninsula, this huge expanse of shale is interrupted only by an abundance of wildlife, lighthouses and abandoned boats.

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“Autumn and winter deliver their own delights, and the melancholy that makes Dungeness magical.”

Dungeness has been previously called a desert, and is the only one in the UK.

Sadly, the Met Office debunked calling it a desert back in 2015, as they need to have little rainfall and large differences in day and night temperatures, neither of which Dungeness has.

However, this hasn't stopped people calling the area "Britain's only desert" - and still attracts tourists who want to see it for themselves.

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More than one million tourists visit it every year, despite having little to do across the vast landscape.

It is a protected conservation area, as it is called a Special Area of Conservation (SAC), a Special Protection Area (SPA) and a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

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    • It is one of the best places to find rare bugs including bees, moths and spiders, as well as being home to 600 kinds of plants.

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    If you fancy visiting yourself, the first place you should visit is the Grade-II listed Old Lighthouse, which has views for miles over Dungeness.

    If you need something to eat there is the Snack Shack which serves fresh catches from the fishing boats, while the best fish and chips is found at The Pilot Inn.

    Try a local beer from Ales by the Rails, found in the train station.

    The beach is also home to the nuclear Dungeness Power Station, which makes the sea waters some of the warmest in the country.

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    Also near Dungeness is Lydd Airport, also known as London Ashford Airport, which could soon resume passenger flights.

    Meanwhile, earlier this year, The Times' Best 50 beaches were revealed, with Towans in Hayle, Cornwall was named the overall winner.

    The Telegraph's Best 50 UK beaches

    Best for wildlife

    • Nihiwatu, Sumba, Indonesia
    • Calblanque, Cartagena, Spain
    • Playa Gemelas, Manuel Antonio National Park, Costa Rica
    • Wharariki, South Island, New Zealand
    • Dungeness Beach, Kent, England
    • Starfish Beach, Panama
    • Bahia Gardner, Española Island, Galapagos Islands

    Best for views

    • Three Cliffs Bay, Gower, Wales
    • Praia da Marinha, Algarve, Portugal
    • Reynisfjara Black Beach, Iceland
    • Second Beach, Washington, United States
    • Holkham, Norfolk, England
    • Maya Bay, Phang Nga, Thailand
    • Cannon Beach, Oregon, United States

    Best for atmosphere

    • Ipanema, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
    • My Khe Beach and Non Nuoc Beach, Vietnam
    • Palm West Beach, Dubai
    • Playa Coral, Varadero, Cuba
    • Hamdeok Beach, Jeju, South Korea
    • Playa de La Concha, San Sebastián, Spain

    Best for luxury accommodation

    • Dhigurah Island, Maldives
    • Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman
    • Le Morne Beach, Mauritius
    • Princess Diana Beach, Barbuda
    • Pink Sands Beach, Harbour Island, Bahamas
    • Île Sainte-Marguerite, Cannes, France

    Best for remoteness

    • Elafonisi, Crete, Greece
    • Freshwater Bay, Providencia, Colombia
    • Whitehaven Beach, Whitsundays, Queensland, Australia
    • Santa Carolina, Mozambique

    Best for being active

    • Waikiki Beach, Hawaii, United States
    • Tai Long Wan, Hong Kong
    • Agadir Beach, Morocco

    Best for families

    • Zlatni Rat, Brac, Croatia
    • Pacific Beach, California, United States
    • Porthcurno Beach, Cornwall, England

    Best for swimming

    • Seychelles, Ikaria, Greece
    • Nilaveli Beach, Trincomalee, Sri Lanka
    • Bondi Beach, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

    Best for the ‘hidden gem’ factor

    • Frenchman’s Cove, Jamaica
    • Cala Tuent, Majorca, Spain
    • Le Dune Piscinas, Arbus, Sardinia
    • Saly, Senegal
    • Petani Beach, Kefalonia, Greece
    • Long Beach, Cape Town, South Africa
    • Svinklov, North Jutland, Denmark

    Best for sunsets

    • Marimegmeg Beach, Palawan, Philippines
    • Grand Anse, Grenada
    • Shichirigahama Beach, Japan
    • Sarakiniko, Milos, Greece

    And a beach in Wales was named as one of the best beaches to visit this year by Lonely Planet.

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    The Sun's Deputy Travel Editor Kara Godfrey has been to two of the best beaches in the world - but here's one in the UK she says is just as good.

    Dungeness has been previously called a desert, and is the only one in the UKCredit: Alamy
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