Date: June 29th
Category: Vintage Travel | Coastal Escapes | Antique Guidebook Series
Flat shoes on. Thermos packed. Sand-shielding umbrella secured. We’re taking a trip to Camber Sands, a place the 1957 British Railways Holiday Guide calls:
“A pleasing stretch of coastline ideal for quiet bathing and contemplative rest, especially suitable for families, readers, and the less rambunctious sort.”
In other words: if you’re after discos and dodgems, keep moving. But if you want sky, sand, and the smell of seaweed in the air — Camber still delivers.
Let’s see how this iconic East Sussex retreat stacks up, 68 summers later.
🚂 Getting There: Then vs. Now
1957:
- Take the train to Rye, then a local omnibus or taxi to Camber Sands
- “Modest, yet sufficient transport,” according to the guide
2025:
- Still no direct train to Camber itself — but Rye station is charming, with good signage and a café called “Platform Toast”
- Buses run regularly in summer, and many visitors cycle the route past fields, sheep, and the occasional bemused pheasant
🏖️ Camber Sands – Then & Now
Then (1957)
- Famous for its wide sands and rolling dunes
- Bathing huts for hire, with modest privacy screens
- Limited amusements — mostly deckchairs, ice cream, and walking
- Described as “invigorating yet unshowy”
Now (2025)
- The sands are still wide — some of the best in the country, in fact
- Dunes perfect for windbreaks, picnics, and children disappearing dramatically during hide-and-seek
- Kite surfers and sandcastle competitions now add a touch of chaos
- Still very little in the way of commercialisation — and that’s exactly why people love it
✅ Verdict: Camber has aged like a classic straw sunhat — weathered, relaxed, and utterly charming.
🧳 Accommodation Notes from 1957
“The visitor will find cottages and chalets aplenty, along with boarding houses most obliging. Early booking is encouraged, particularly during ‘Factory Fortnights’.”
We stayed in a converted 1950s chalet, now an Airbnb with fibre-optic broadband and its original pine wardrobe. Delightful.
Nearby, we spotted several vintage signs still intact:
- “NO SWIMMING DURING THE TEA HOUR”
- “WASH SAND OFF BEFORE RETURNING TO THE BOARDING HOUSE”
(We obeyed both, out of respect.)
🍦 Dining, Delays & Dunes
- Fish and chips eaten from newspaper? Yes.
- Ice cream flavours not invented in 1957? Also yes (salted caramel and lavender, anyone?)
- Tea served in thermoses, with Rich Tea biscuits still managing to turn to mush at the mere scent of sea air? Classic.
🧁 Best find of the day: A pop-up tea stand in a wind-weathered caravan, with hand-written signs and sponge cake so light it floated off the plate.
📚 Want to Know More?
- Sand Between the Pages: British Coastal Resorts Revisited by Lucy Lethbridge
- Camber Sands: From Smugglers to Surfers by Neil March
- Railway Rambles in Sussex by Julian Holland
- Disused Stations: Rye–Camber–Dungeness Line
💬 Did You Holiday at Camber?
If you’ve ever been to Camber — in 1957 or last week — we want to hear from you.
Tag @TimeTravellersGuild with #1957SeasideSpecial — we’ll feature your stories, vintage snaps, and beachy wisdom in our Summer Scrapbook on Sunday.
