The 'worst' part of the UK's longest coastal path is actually a pleasant surprise

Our writer Sadie Whitelocks was unsure at first (Picture: Sadie Whitelocks) It has repeatedly been branded one of the UK’s worst seaside town. Several surveys have seen it slated for its scenery and noise pollution. But, as I recently discovered, lurking behind Skegness’ fish-and-chip-shop-strewn high street and its dubious reputation is natural beauty that’s unfairly overlooked. It was my mum’s idea to go for a refreshing stroll to Skeggy. We live around 40 minutes away in the same county, Lincolnshire. Admittedly, I was surprised when she suggested it, but I took her lead and hopped in the car. Our destination was part of a coastal walk that weaves through the Gibraltar Point National Nature Reserve. Covering around 1,100 acres of pristine coastline, the reserve was established in 1948 to protect the sand dunes and the coast. This stretch is part of the recently opened King Charles III England Coast Path — now the longest managed coastal walk in the world. King Charles III meets passersby as he walks the King Charles III England Coast Path as he inaugurates the Seven Sisters National Nature Reserve in Seaford (Picture: Chris Jackson/PA Wire) However, it is currently not accessible as part of the walk, only as a separate section, as a £1.8 million bridge is under construction and due to be completed later this year. As we drove through Skegness, we were greeted by the iconic ‘Welcome to Fabulous Skeg Vegas, not in Nevada,’ sign, erected in 2022 by a local businessman to the tune of £36,000 to honour the town’s nickname, ‘Skeg Vegas’. The hope was to attract more tourists, but on the day we drove through, Instagrammers were in short supply. A few twists and turns later, we couldn’t have been further away from the UK’s answer to Sin City as we entered a gravelled car park at the Gibraltar Point National Nature Reserve, framed by shrubbery. Bracing and beautiful (Picture: Sadie Whitelocks) Consulting a map, we found a trail leading from the parking spot to the beachfront, and a man cycling past us confirmed the route. ‘It’s quite beautiful, I’ve just come from there – enjoy,’ the lycra-clad man cheerily said as he pedalled on. From there, we were amazed to find ourselves the sole explorers on the meandering path. There was a flurry of wildlife activity, however, with skylarks darting in the blue skies above, butterflies fluttering amid the purple-hued shrubbery of the salt marshes, and bees buzzing about. A haven of biodiversity (Picture: Sadie Whitelocks) When we reached a wooded area, the trail wound through a shaded patch where we spotted little huts designed for insects. A sign read ‘how to make an insect hotel’ in a bid to inspire the next generation of entomologists, and there were tree stumps placed here and there with instructions ‘to lift’ to see what creepy crawlies were nesting there. After about 30 minutes, we reached the coast and found the Gibraltar Point Visitor Centre and café, which is a far cry from the jaded architecture of Skegness’ high street. It is slick, all modern design. A side of Skegness few get to see (Picture: Sadie Whitelocks) Mum and I opted for a cooked breakfast on the outside deck, with glass balcony panels allowing us to feast on the sweeping views along with what was on our plates in front of us. The Skegness coast left such an impression that we returned for another trip a few weeks later to explore a different nook, Hutoft Beach (also known as Moggs Eye). And unlike the Gibraltar Point Nature Reserve, this stretch of the coast – which is also part of the King Charles III walk – welcomes dogs year-round. The day we visited, we met a couple of families who had parked their camper vans to have dinner as the sun set. Lincolnshire is a beautiful country with a diverse landscape ranging from the expansive 124-mile coast path to charming rural villages (Picture: Sadie Whitelocks) This peaceful beach is perfect for long strolls, with a sweeping shoreline. In the winter months, it is also popular with thick-skinned surfers, thanks to offshore winds from the west. Like the Gibraltar Point Nature Reserve, Hutoft has a café boasting floor-to-ceiling windows and a rooftop viewing platform, but unfortunately, it was just closing up on the day we visited, so we found a decent pub instead. Thanks to my mum’s invitation to explore Skegness, my opinion of the area has completely changed, and I have recommended it to friends since. Skeg Vegas has an unfair reputation (Picture: Getty Images) Other people in the county agree that this stretch of coastline is underestimated by those who have never visited. Rachel London, who runs Hype Worthy Lincoln, a channel which documents hidden gems in and around the city of Lincoln, told Metro: ‘The unfortunate thing about Skegness, which the town cannot shake, is the negative ‘Skeg Vegas’ connotations which have become heavily ingrained over the years. ‘The idea that everything Skegness offers falls under that same kitsch umbrella. ‘As a result, people miss the hidden beaches that surround it. Anderby Creek and Huttoft are two stretches of coastal landscape that we often run away to. ‘We’ll take a picnic and lap up the English rugged seaside scenery, complete with wild grasses, colossal cloud-filled skies, and lively, freezing sea waters – and very often find we are the only ones there. ‘The sand is soft and clean enough to allow you to lose your shoes for the entire day and run around on the unspoilt beach with the dog.’ In the end, what began as a sceptical trip to one of the UK’s most maligned seaside towns turned into a quiet reminder not to judge a place by its reputation alone.  Beyond the arcades and bright lights, Skegness reveals a slower, softer side, one of open skies, empty beaches, and wildlife-filled paths that feel a world away from the crowds.  It may not shake its ‘Skeg Vegas’ label any time soon, but for those willing to look beyond it, there’s a stretch of coastline that speaks for itself.