Sandwich Bay, Kent facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Designations
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| Official name: Thanet Coast & Sandwich Bay | |
| Designated: | 28 July 1994 |
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| Reference #: | 664 |
Sandwich Bay is a beautiful coastal area in Kent, England. It sits between the towns of Ramsgate and Deal. This special place has wide sand flats, salty marshes, and sandy dunes. The "Sandwich Flats" stretch for about 8 kilometers (5 miles) along the coast. These natural areas are very important for plants and animals.
Contents
Discovering Sandwich Bay
A Special Place for Nature
Most of Sandwich Bay is protected because it is so important for nature. It has many special titles. These include a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). This means it is one of the best places for wildlife in the country.
It is also a Special Area of Conservation (SAC). This protects rare habitats and species. The bay is a Special Protection Area (SPA) for birds. Many birds use it as a safe home. It is also a Ramsar Site. This is an international award for important wetlands.
In 2003, a rare insect was found here. It was the southern emerald damselfly. This was only the second time this type of damselfly had been seen in Great Britain. The bay is also home to the Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory Trust. This group studies birds. There is also the Monk's Wall nature reserve.
Visiting the Bay
The sand dunes near the beach lead to a private road. This road goes through the Sandwich Bay estate. If you are not a resident, there is a small fee to use this road. In 2020, it cost £7.00 for a car and £4.00 for a motorcycle.
Good news for walkers and cyclists: you can pass for free! You can buy a ticket at the toll house. Or you can buy it online if the toll house is closed. The bay usually closes to visitors after sunset. It re-opens before sunrise. But if you like night fishing, you can do it with a ticket bought early. Security teams watch over the area all day and night.
The road itself is built on top of a hidden sea wall. This wall protects the land behind it from waves. The road also separates the beach from the golf courses. From the toll road, it takes only 3 to 5 minutes to reach the historic town of Sandwich.
There are also nice footpaths from the quay in Sandwich. These paths follow the river. They go over the golf course on the dunes to the bay. This walk can take from 30 minutes to an hour. Cycling on these paths is not suggested. But the road route takes only 10 minutes by bicycle.
The Beach and Its Features
The beach at Sandwich Bay is mostly shingle. Shingle means small, smooth stones. It can be quite steep in some places. But when the tide goes out, sandy areas appear.
Towards the north, the River Stour estuary separates Sandwich Bay from the Isle of Thanet. Here, you can find the Pegwell Bay nature reserve. This area has salt marshes.
There are not many facilities right on the beach. You will find a small toilet block. There are also areas near the dunes for parking. Sandwich Bay also has a sea wall. A road is built on top of this wall. This helps stop waves from reaching the low land behind it.
Every spring, the beach gets more sand and shingle. This is called beach replenishment. Materials are taken from the north of the bay. They are moved by the waves to the south. This material is then piled up against the sea wall. This helps protect the wall and the land from wave damage.
