Seaside Serenity: 5 Charming Coastal Spots for a Scent-rich Getaway
Along the British coastline, beauty reveals itself not only in the view - but in the air. The scent of salt-laced breezes, sun-warmed pine, and briny marshland speaks quietly of place and season, stirring memory and calm in equal measure.
At Plum & Ashby, fragrance is our way of capturing the feeling of a moment and few places evoke such sensory richness as the sea. So, we wanted to share five coastal spots where scent leads the way: from gorse-covered cliffs to dune-fringed shores, each destination offers a fragrance all its own.
Holkham Beach, Norfolk
A vast canvas of sky and sand, Holkham beach is nature at its most quietly spectacular - windswept dunes, whispering pines, and miles of golden shoreline meeting the sea in gentle rhythm.
Walk barefoot through salt-laced shallows, watch as horses gallop along the beach, or wander the pinewood trails. The air here is clean and bracing, rich with sea salt, dune grass, and sun-warmed pine.
Holkham’s Scent Profile
Top Notes: Sea salt, fresh air, and eucalyptus.
Mid Notes: Pine needle, marram grass, and coastal wildflowers.
Base Notes: Driftwood, sandalwood, and ambergris.
Lindisfarne, Northumberland
Time slows on Lindisfarne, where tidal causeways reveal an island steeped in history and solitude. Sandstone ruins, heather-cloaked headlands, and hushed tidal flats lend an almost sacred stillness.
Meander coastal paths, listen for seabirds, or explore the ruins of the priory. The scent is quietly earthy - sea thrift, lichen-covered stone, and briny air infused with moss and salt.
If visiting Lindisfarne in late spring or summer, take time to wander the castle’s walled garden - a quiet, cultivated haven designed by Gertrude Jekyll, one of Britain’s most beloved horticulturalists. Here, amidst the salt air and silence, you’ll find a gentle tapestry of scent and colour - a fragrant counterpoint to the island’s wild, weathered soul.
Lindisfarne’s Scent Profile
Top Notes: Ozone, sea thrift, and dewy grass.
Mid Notes: Heather, lichen-covered stone, and wild chamomile.
Base Notes: Miss, weathered wood, and salted amber.
Kynance Cove, Cornwall
Turquoise waters swirl around dark serpentine rock at Kynance Cove - a place of wild Cornish beauty where sea and cliff meet in dramatic harmony.
Sunbathe on the soft white sand, clamber over tidal islands, or simply listen to the sea’s rhythm echo off the cliffs. The air is fresh and vibrant, carrying notes of wild gorse, salt spray, and warmed seaweed drying on sunlit stone.
Kynance Cove’s Scent Profile
Top Notes: Sea spray, crushed mint, and citrus peel.
Mid Notes: Wild gorse, rock rose, and coastal thyme.
Base Notes: Serpentine stone, driftwood, and soft musk.
Winterton-on-Sea, Norfolk
A place of gentle quiet, Winterton-on-Sea is all rolling dunes, wild grasses and the sound of waves folding into the shore.
Walkers follow sandy paths past a lighthouse, seals bob in the surf, and early risers greet the day beneath a sunrise sky. The scent is one of quiet wilderness - soft, saline breezes drift through marram grass and low bramble, tinged with the cool, earthy hush of sea mist.
For a stay that feels quietly extraordinary, spend a night at the lighthouse. Here, sweeping views of the coastline unfold with every shift of light, while the garden, thoughtfully designed by RHS Chelsea Gold Medal winner Christopher Moss, offers a serene sanctuary shaped by beauty and intention.
Winterton-on-Sea’s Scent Profile
Top Notes: Sea breeze, wet sand, and bergamot leaf.
Mid Notes: Marram grass, bramble leaf, and coastal rose.
Base Notes: Driftwood, earthy musk, and dune heather.
Studland Bay, Dorset
Studland’s golden arc of sand is fringed by heathland and calm, shallow waters - a place of stillness where land, sea and sky blend in muted tones.
Paddle through glassy shallows, picnic beneath ancient dunes, or explore chalk headlands steeped in natural beauty. The air is delicate and fresh, perfumed with sea salt, warm sand, and the herbaceous green of coastal heath and flowering gorse.
Studland Bay’s Scent Profile
Top Notes: Salted breeze, bergamot, and coastal rain.
Mid Notes: Wild gorse, bay laurel, and heather bloom.
Base Notes: Worn sandstone, soft amber, and sun-dried wood.
As the tide retreats and the last light settles on the horizon, what lingers most from these coastal retreats is not just the view - but the fragrance. Each place leaves an imprint: salt on the skin, gorse in the breeze, the hush of pine or stone warmed by sun.
At Plum & Ashby, we believe scent holds the power to transport - to distil memory, place, and feeling into something lasting. Whether through the wild air of the English coastline or crafted fragrance of our candles, we hope these shores stay with you, wherever you find yourself next.