One long day takes you from St Pancras to Dover’s medieval keep, through evocative WWII tunnels and out onto the wind-swept White Cliffs. Sensible shoes, tide checks and a light daypack turn this fast-train trip into a restorative coastal escape.

Late-summer in Rye means crooked cobbles, a climbable church tower with views to marsh and sea, and a compact riverside keep. Spend a day wandering Mermaid Street, climbing St Mary’s, and — if you’ve been before — catching a Camber Sands sunset.

Less than 75 minutes from London, Brighton packs Regency exotica, independent lanes and a lively pebble beach into one brilliant day. Start with lunch in the Lanes, tour the Royal Pavilion, soak up the seafront with fish’n’chips, then catch sundowners on Madeira Drive.