Some say that the UK seaside lost much of its appeal with the advent of low-cost commercial air travel. We say that anyone who thinks that simply isn’t going to the right beaches.
The UK, being an island and all, has thousands of beaches. It’s physically impossible to get an exact measure of the length of our coastlines, thanks to tidal patterns and Scotland’s obscene number of islands, which means that we’re spoiled for choice when we want to be by the sea.
If you don’t already have a favourite, it can be hard to know which cove to explore next. Luckily, Chris Haslam, a journalist at the Times and beach enthusiast, has done the hard graft for you. He visited more than 500 beaches across the entire country in order to discover the best.
According to him, the country’s best beach is… the Towans in Hayle, in west Cornwall! Congratulations to the Towans, which came first out of 543 thanks to fantastic sunsets, water sports equipment rental and two excellent cafés.’ Nothing too fancy, just high quality sand and sea. Sometimes less really is more.
The Times split the country into seven regions, each of which had a winner. The Towans obviously also came first in the south west category, which was very hotly contested. In the east, Sheringham in Norfolk, a town which Haslam described as ‘like driving into the 1930s’ took the gold. Its beach, which is set against lush hillsides, is quite something and definitely worth visiting if you’re nearby.
In the north, once home to some of the nation’s favourite seaside resorts, it was Beadnell Bay in Northumberland which impressed above all else due to ‘offer[ing] shelter on an otherwise exposed coast.’ Southbourne in Dorset was the southern champion, a spot where ‘9.5 miles of soft sands’ meet the channel, and you’re more likely to get good weather down there too.
Welsh beachgoers should make their way to Pembrokeshire’s Freshwater West, a beach which is especially good for surfers thanks to its raucous waves and lifeguards stationed. Gullane Bents in East Lothian was Scotland’s best, while Ballycastle is the place to be in Northern Ireland.
If you’re interested in seeing where else the Times recommends, or details on any of the beaches mentioned, you can read the newspaper’s full roundup of the country’s top 50 beaches here.
Get your beach fix
We know beaches too. Why not plan a trip to one of Time Out’s pick of the best beaches in the country, or this beach which was just named the country's cleanest? If you’d rather go a bit more off the beaten track, we’ve got a list of the most beautiful hidden beaches too.
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