Summer is on its way. After a long, long, long winter, the sun is finally rearing its head once again, and summer plans can be made without feeling like a pipe dream. If you’re in the mood to enjoy the coming good weather on a beach, but don’t have the cash to jet off to the continent, fret not! The UK has some surprisingly stunning stretches of coast – and we should know, we have Time Out’s definitive ranking of Britain’s best beaches.
And now another publication has chimed in with what it says are England’s best beaches. Condé Nast Traveller named 34 of its fave British beaches in a new list, with the overall winner being Blackpool Sands in Devon.
Overlooking its confusing name (Blackpool Sands is nowhere near Blackpool), the good people at CNT say that the beach, which is hidden by a forest of pine trees, is ‘almost reminiscent of the Amalfi coast’ and feels like a magical retreat with ‘astonishingly clear’ water.
Seven Sisters in Sussex came second, thanks to its ‘dramatic stretch of pristine white chalk cliffs that dominate the landscape’. It has very different vibes to Blackpool Sands, being more for hikers and adventurers than those who want to relax and tan a bit. Cornwall’s first entry was Sennen Cove in third, followed by Walberswick Beach in Suffolk and Pentle Bay on the Scilly Isles rounding out the top five.
You can read CNT’s full list here. Enjoy the beaches, and make sure you always remember your sun cream.
Get your beach fix
There a loads of other drop dead gorgeous beaches in the UK. As the weather starts to warm up, plan a trip to one of Time Out’s pick of the best beaches in the country (and yes, Blackpool Sands is in there). If you’d rather go a bit more off the beaten track, we've got a list of the most beautiful hidden beaches too.
Did you see that pubs will be allowed to stay open late during the Euros this summer – but only on one condition.
Plus: EasyJet has launched two new sunny holiday routes from this major UK airport.
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