Ditch all your preconceptions about Skegness and the Lincolnshire coast. In fact, turn them on their heads entirely. It takes quite a lot to surprise us these days, but when we stumbled upon this hidden hideaway, we well and truly ate our hats.
Just a few miles up the coast from Skegness lies Anderby Creek, an untouched, 10-mile stretch of sandy beach often touted as one of the UK’s best undiscovered beaches. At the back of it, an ultra-contemporary, off-grid beach house. Designed by award-winning architect Jonathan Hendry, The Sandy Feet Retreat is entirely bespoke and incredibly high-spec. Built from a ruin using eco-friendly materials like clay and recycled glass, the look is clean, minimalist and very cool. With three bedrooms (two kingsize, one bunk), a full kitchen, a patio leading directly to the beach, and a boat house with kayaks and surfboards to borrow, it’s a dream for free-range families.
This section of coast forms part of a 60-acre nature reserve so the surroundings are rugged and beautiful. Sand dunes smothered in wildflowers border the beach, swaying marram grass leads directly to the sand, and wildlife is abundant: look for birds of prey overhead and dolphins or porpoises out at sea. Thanks to its east-facing position, sunrises are stunning, but evenings are equally magical: unpolluted skies make it a great stargazing spot (binos included), and there’s an enormous fire pit to keep you toasty. One of our all-time favourite British beach houses!
Highs
- Set within an AONB nature reserve, Anderby Creek is wild and untouched – considered one of the best beaches in the country
- The house is an architectural marvel – Grand Designs, eat your heart out!
- Brilliant for families: a bunk room for kids, a full kitchen, a snug with Netflix and games, and watersports equipment to borrow
- Very eco-friendly: natural materials, off-grid, renewable energy, supports local environmental schemes, no single use plastics
- Short breaks are available (min 3 nights)
Lows
- The location between Skegness and Mablethorpe might sound off-putting, but Anderby Creek really is worlds apart from its infamous neighbours, and actually we preferred it to much of Cornwall!
- The spartan design might not be to everyone’s taste
- This is a wild stretch of coast; be prepared to drive along a sandy access track (or walk the last part)
- The house is the owners' pride and joy, so they understandably have restrictions on groups (no stag or hen parties, no pets) and a hefty security deposit (£1000)
Best time to go
The Lincolnshire coast is wild and the weather can be unpredictable. Like everywhere in the UK, June-August are the warmest months; Anderby Creek is away from the busy parts of the coast so is often quiet even in summer. Of course it can rain at any time, but the east coast is generally drier than the west and centre of England. Strangely, February is often the driest month of the year, so this could be a great time for a winter escape - the house is a lovely cosy bolthole.
Our top tips
Visit the Cloud Bar, the UK’s first cloud-spotting site, located 300 metres from the house. There are menus to help you identify clouds, and mirrors that reflect the sky. It’s also a really good spot for watching sunsets. Don’t expect to be served any drinks though!