SUP Chalkwell Beach, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex
As possibly the nearest sandy beach to London, Chalkwell can get understandably busy on a sunny summer’s day – and the eye-watering parking charges certainly reflect that! But time it well and it can be a decent place to paddle in the right conditions – it’s just 20 minutes or so up to the pubs in Old Leigh, keep going for the 10km ‘super-lap’ round Two Tree Island and back, or stay put for some splashing about straight off the beach…