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Shakespeare Beach

Kent, England


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Shakespeare Beach, located near Dover Harbour, is a long shingle beach set in a bay near Shakespeare Cliff, offering a unique combination of natural features and recreational activities. .

Shakespeare Beach is a long shingle beach situated in a bay near Shakespeare Cliff, just west of Dover Harbour. The beach features deep pools and a wavecut platform towards the cliff end, making it an interesting spot for exploration at low tide.

However, access to the beach is via over 100 steps, which makes it not accessible for disabled visitors. Alternatively, visitors can walk to the beach from the western side of the port near Dover Marina. The beach's location within a bay, near Shakespeare Cliff, also offers stunning views and open spaces.

The beach is a popular spot for swimming, fishing, and dog walking, with dogs allowed on the beach year-round. In fact, Shakespeare Beach is the traditional starting point for swimmers crossing the Channel, with the shortest distance between the UK and France. After severe damage in the Christmas storm in 2015, the beach reopened to the public in 2017. For nearby parking, there is a pay and display at Samphire Hoe just to the west.

Shakespeare Beach is on the Dover-folkestone Heritage Coast.

Shingle

Weather and tides for Thursday 4 June

Today
Chance of rain 92%
Max temperature 18°C
feels like 18°C
Wind 25mph
Max UV Index
Tonight
Chance of rain 44%
Min temperature 10°C
feels like 12°C
Wind 18mph

The tide at Shakespeare Beach is currently rising. High tide will be at approximately 2:19 PM, and the next low tide will be at approximately 9:27 PM.

Today's air pollution levels are forecast to be Low

Detailed weather and tides »

Recommended holiday cottages near Shakespeare Beach

Things to do and see in the area

Samphire Hoe (0.8 miles)
Get Lost Escape Rooms (1 miles)
Dover Sea Safari (1 miles)
The Lanes Micropub (1.3 miles)
Horizon Private Hire (1.4 miles)
Dover Castle (1.7 miles)
Fan Bay Deep Shelter (2.2 miles)
White Cliffs of Dover (2.4 miles)
Kearsney Abbey Gardens (2.7 miles)
Dover Transport Museum (2.7 miles)

Places to eat near Shakespeare Beach

Il Rustico (290 yards)

All distances are approximate

Other beaches nearby

Location: Aycliff,

Location type: Urban

OS Grid: TR307398

Coordinates: 51°6'39"N 1°17'42"E

Mapcode: GBR W1T.B83

What 3 Words: wildfires.vague.arrive

Coordinates and location codes are for an approximate mid-point of the beach, and may not reflect the best access point or the most popular part of the beach.

County: Kent

Country: England

Local Authority: Dover

Parish: Dover

Nearest postcode: CT17 9GE

(for sat-nav purposes only, a beach does not have a postal address!)

Important! Beach information is compiled from a variety of different sources and is correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of compilation. However, information may be incorrectly supplied by our sources or go out of date after publication. BritishBeaches.uk makes no warranty as to the accuracy of any information on this page.

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Visitor information for Shakespeare Beach, Kent, England. Weather, tides, visitor comments, beach facilities, photos, nearest postcode, beach information and nearby accommodation.

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216.73.216.53 Thu, 04 Jun 2026 09:47:42 +0100