Two of The Times’ best beaches that are within a two hour drive of London as UK braces for another heatwave

The Times have released the best beaches in the UK, with just two on the list being within a two hour drive of London.

With the hot weather, one of the best and most fun things to do is spend the day at the beach, where you can relax, eat ice cream and cool off in the sea.

Heathrow recorded a temperature of 40.2C in July, which is also the first time the weather has surpassed 40C in the UK.

This period of record breaking weather also coincided with the driest July on record since 1935, with many lakes and reservoirs completely barren or running extremely low on water.

With the hot weather, one of the best and most fun things to do is spend the day at the beach, where you can relax, eat ice cream and cool off in the sea.

Here are the best beaches within a two hour drive of London.

What are the best beaches within a two hour drive of London?

Unfortunately, there aren’t many beaches that close to London, with Kent providing a couple of beaches that are within a two hour drive.

Dymchurch was the regional winner, and is described as one of the nicest beaches in the UK, with the whole shore getting a fresh wash when waves crash in, making it the perfect beach for cooling off and for building sandcastles.

Dymchurch, Kent - Drive time: 1 hr 55 minutes

Stone Bay, Kent - Drive time: 1 hr 57 minutes

Can I get to the beaches by train?

If you don’t drive or wish to have a few drinks at the beach, getting the train is an option.

To get to Dymchurch Beach, it will take a big longer than a car, and will take 2 hrs 29 minutes.

The journey from London will start at London Bridge, where you can take the Jubilee line to Stratford and then take the DLR to Stratford international, and then take the overground train to Folkestone Central.

A ticket to Folkestone from Stratford international will cost you £36.70 and can be purchased from Trainline.

To get to Stone Bay via the train you have to get an overground from Stratford towards Margate and off at Broadstairs and walk 23 minutes. Tickets cost £29.90 from Trainline.

What is the weather like in London this week?

From Thursday, London is set to endure four days of hot weather with the peak temperature surpassing 30C, with an amber warning issued for extreme heat.

The weather will peak at 32C on Thursday, 31C on Friday, and 32C on both Saturday and Sunday before dropping back below 30C to 28C on Monday, and 25C on Tuesday.

The amber weather warning is in place until Sunday at 11:59pm, and will first come into play on Thursday at midnight.

What is the long range forecast for the UK?

From Monday, 15 August to Wednesday, 24 August the Met Office says: “This period will see the breakdown of the hot, sunny and dry weather of recent days, with conditions becoming more unsettled across the UK.

“Showers will spread from the west and south next week, sometimes heavy and thundery, though drier periods with sunny spells are still likely between them.

“At the same time, temperatures will gradually decrease to closer to normal for August. Later in the period, the more changeable weather will prevail with a risk of heavy showers or thunderstorms continuing, but clear and dry spells in between too.

“Returning to warm or very warm towards the end of the period for much of England and Wales, perhaps becoming locally hot in parts of the south and southeast.”

What is a heatwave?

The BBC describe a heatwave as ‘above average temperatures being reached for three days or more’

There are parameters for this, as in the north, the threshold for a heatwave is anything above 25C, whereas in the south the minimum temperature threshold for a heatwave is 28C, with London experiencing at least three days of temperatures above 28C, it is formally recognised as a heatwave.

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