Coastguards Lookout

Coastguards Lookout Holiday Cottage, Jury's Gap

Wake in comfort to the sound of the sea, explore the misty brooding Romney Marsh, then warm up in the many atmospheric pubs with intriguing histories, resident ghouls, roaring fireplaces, cracking ales and tasty pub grub, walk along our pebbled beach, look out across the shimmering blue sea and you’ll feel like you’ve discovered another world.

Stay at Coastguard’s Lookout and discover a landscape full of myth’s and legends, surrounded by the haunting loneliness of Romney Marsh. A flat, open landscape of wide skies and fields crisscrossed by a lattice of drainage ditches, where yellow waterlilies float in early summer, it offers the opportunity to wander quiet lanes and paths and to visit some of its famous medieval churches and the vast stretch of historic invasion coast.

Built in this secluded spot, to help guard against smuggling and invasion, this beautiful renovated coastguard cottage is the perfect location for a holiday away from the hustle and bustle of modern life.

Coastguards Lookout Holiday Cottage

Find your next cosy bolt-hole at Coastguards, set in a splendid semi-wilderness you wouldn’t expect to discover just under two hours from London. Barely a moment’s walk to the beach, Coastguards’ Lookout is the end-unit of the three-unit Coastguard Cottages, built 1875.

With miles of often-empty beach, a towering sky overhead and wind fresh with Atlantic salt, ‘Coastguards Lookout’ is all about relaxation. Kick off your shoes, shake the city dust from your hair and wander back to that bit of yourself that gets lost in the hustle and bustle of modern life.

Quite wild, yet intensely peaceful, with dramatic views in every direction, Coastguards Lookout has been fully and carefully renovated. It retains all of traditional features and is enhanced with modern furnishings and finishes, such as fibre broadband, and decorated in a playful seaside style.

Dog friendly Coastguards Cottages

Dogs love to have a good sniff around a beach – space to run, water to splash in, interesting smells to discover and plenty of other dogs to play with. So when you bring your four-legged friend to Coastguards, it’s good to know that the dog friendly beach is right on your doorstep. They will be in hound heaven!

This dog friendly holiday cottage is the perfect place to bring your faithful furry companion. A beautiful beach at the back door, lots of great places to go for walks, and even dog friendly pubs so that you can both enjoy a relaxing drink after a day of sniffing about the atmospheric Romney Marsh!

Eat & Drink

Good food is an important part of a great holiday, so rest assured of eating well during your stay. From the simple pleasure of fresh fish and chips to local produce menus that the many character-filled taverns and restaurants serve. Whether you prefer cosy inns with roaring fires to luxurious beach restaurants, you will be spoilt for choice.

Being close to the sea and surrounded by farmland it’s little surprise that the food served in some of these fabulous buildings comes from only a few miles away. The famous Romney Marsh Lamb, Rye bay Scallops and Dover sole all feature on the menus as well as traditional English pub dishes using locally sourced ingredients such as Rye Bay fish, fruit, veg and meat from the local farms along with our award winning sparkling wines to give you a taste sensation.

Fancy yourself as a chef then colourful farmers markets, and delis are where you will be able to source all you need to produce your own gourmet meals in the kitchen of this coastguard holiday cottage.

What to see and do at Coastguards Cottages

Nestled on the border of 1066 Country and The Garden of England with their stunning coast and countryside, ancient towns and historic sites, a holiday at Coastguards Cottages can be exactly what you want it to be.

Seasonal Activities

Spring and summer evenings are best spent gathered around the BBQ after a day of exploring the coast and countryside. Autumn, the ‘season of mists and mellow fruitfulness’ (to quote Keats) is a time for fantastic seaside sunsets bursting into turquoise and pink, and the countryside sprinkled with gold and auburn. It’s also a time of food and drink festivals, and a time to scare yourself silly on a ghost walk in Rye!

A winter break at Coastguards Cottages is an unsurpassed experience. Revive your senses with an invigorating walk, then warm your toes in front of the log burner with a good book and a glass of wine.

Walks & Hikes

Keen walkers will be in hiking heaven with the diverse natural landscapes to explore on your doorstep, such as Romney Marsh with its colourful history of invasions, threatened attacks and smuggling. As one of the most important nature conservation sites in Europe, this patch of pristine wetland covers a whopping 100 square miles and is packed with wildlife, including birds, plants and insects.

From the back of Coastguards, follow the beach to Dungeness, a shingle foreland on the tip of Kent. Home to a nuclear power station and two lighthouses, and designated a National Nature Reserve, Dungeness is often described as ‘the end of the earth’. Be sure to check out Prospect Cottage, where filmmaker Derek Jarman once lived – its prettiness presents a jarring and fascinating contrast to its hauntingly desolate surroundings.

The Royal Military Canal Path runs for 28 miles along the entire length of the Royal Military Canal from Seabrook, Kent to Cliff End in East Sussex. The route treads a path between the vast openness of the Romney Marsh and the old cliff line with its wooded hills and quiet villages.

Kitesurfing

If that sounds too tame, we also have the kitesurf centre just five minutes’ walk away. When you think about it, strapping yourself to a small plank of wood while a huge kite pulls you through the water is probably bonkers. But then again, they said similar things about snowboarding too – and look how much fun that is!

Day Trips

Ideally situated for day trips into or out of London, the region’s beautiful gardens and vineyards, historic castles and picturesque medieval towns and villages offer so many attractions that you will no doubt be tempted to stay on longer.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many guests does Coastguards Lookout sleep?

Coastguards Lookout sleeps up to 4 guests across 2 bedrooms. The master bedroom has a super king-size bed with expansive views over the Romney Marsh, and the second bedroom has two zip-link 3-foot beds — ideal for children, or pushed together for a couple.

Is Coastguards Lookout dog-friendly?

Yes, Coastguards Lookout is fully dog-friendly. The dog-friendly beach is right on the doorstep — just 80 metres away — giving your four-legged friend miles of often-empty beach to explore. There are also dog-friendly pubs and walks across the atmospheric Romney Marsh nearby.

How far is Coastguards Lookout from the beach?

Coastguards Lookout is just 80 metres from the beach — barely a moment’s walk. Step outside and the sea is right there, with miles of often-empty shingle and sand stretching in both directions.

Does Coastguards Lookout have a garden?

Yes. There is a wood-decked south-facing rear garden decorated with buoys and featuring an extraordinary fence made from reclaimed sea-groynes, complete with a dining table and benches outside the back door. Coastguards Lookout also benefits from access to an extended garden — a large area of grass beside the cottage perfect for ball games or relaxing in the sun.

Is there parking at Coastguards Lookout?

Yes, Coastguards Lookout has off-road parking available.

Does Coastguards Lookout have a log burner?

Yes. The snug lounge features a log-burning stove — perfect for warming up after a walk on the beach or an evening exploring the Romney Marsh.

Can you see the sea from Coastguards Lookout?

Yes. The second bedroom has sea views, and the family bathroom has views across the bay and sea. The master bedroom overlooks the Romney Marsh, and the attic room — home to a freestanding bath — frames the sea’s horizon beautifully.

Where is Coastguards Lookout located?

Coastguards Lookout is situated at Jury’s Gap, the quieter eastern end of Camber Sands beach in East Sussex. It is the end unit of the three-unit Coastguard Cottages, built in 1875, and is surrounded by the vast open landscape of Romney Marsh — just under two hours from London.