SUP Thorpe Bay, Southend, Essex
Just east of Southend, Thorpe Bay is a useful mid-tide spot in lighter or northerly winds. Although it’s a good sandy beach lined with upmarket beach-huts, in high summer it’s usually way less crowded than Chalkwell Beach. On an ebb tide, as long as you’re confident the sea breeze won’t build, either hug the shore into Southend and back – or if it’s really reliably flat calm, take on the loop around the end of the pier?