The Best Beaches in the UK

Thousands of miles of coastline and hundreds of beaches abound in England. The best beaches in England are a diverse assortment of sandy coves located throughout the country and catering to any niche: isolation, family-friendly fun, frequent surf surges, etc.

The coastline of England includes areas of extraordinary natural beauty, including steep sea cliffs, yawning bays, and some genuinely spectacular beaches. These magnificent swaths of golden sand may be found all across the country, fronting towns and cities, surrounding estuaries and countryside, and adorning both large and tiny islands.

These beaches, which are incredibly diverse in terms of environmental makeup, provide limitless vacation choices for anyone wishing to spend time by the sea. Many of these beaches are served by hotels, restaurants, and first-rate leisure services, including an abundance of superb water sports facilities. Some are off the beaten path and provide excellent retreats for people looking for serene coastal tranquilly. Others, on the other hand, are situated near historic sites, structures that contribute to their character and feeling of place.

Here are the nicest beaches in England.

Durdle Door

Durdle Door, Dorset - Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site

Water smashed through a stack of rocks on the Jurassic Coast over 10,000 years ago, becoming one of the most beautiful landforms in the UK. Durdle Door is now a magnificent archway that frames the sparkling waters beyond it.

Durdle Door is a popular image on Dorset fridge magnets and postcards, but nothing compares to experiencing it in person. The beach, which is known for its limestone arch, was designated as the UK’s first natural UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001.

Pebbles and shingle make up the beach itself. Swimming is permitted, however swimmers should exercise caution because there is no lifeguard on duty. The greatest way to appreciate Durdle Door’s beautiful surroundings is from the cliff-top viewing point above, which also has a small snack and souvenir shop.

Bournemouth

Coworking Office Spaces in Bournemouth, United Kingdom - Coworker

Bournemouth is one of England’s best beaches, with wide, silky golden sands that spread for seven award-winning miles. Although the English Channel isn’t recognised for its warmth, Bournemouth is blessed with a microclimate that produces some of the warmest seas in the UK.

Beach activities like as kayaking and paddle boarding are available, while Bournemouth Pier features unusual attractions such as a zip line and a climbing wall. The end product is a bustling beach resort that is both enjoyable and appealing.

In and around Bournemouth, a popular south coast vacation location since the Victorian era, an extensive entertainment sector has developed up. The town centre and the esplanade are adorned with theatres, performance halls, cafés and restaurants, cinemas, and various hotels.

Bournemouth Beach is known for its iconic pier, but it also has a variety of family-friendly attractions such as a thrilling pier-to-shore zipline, a supervised Kidszone for toddlers, Happylands Amusement Park, and the adjoining Bournemouth Oceanarium.

Fistral Beach

Fistral Beach Webcam | The Headland

Fistral Beach, known as England’s best surfing beach, feels remote and serene yet being only a few kilometres from Newquay, a major seaside resort. Soft sand and craggy hills characterise this beach. The swells can be fairly big at times, attracting a large number of weekend surfers, however there is a lifeguard tower for added safety.

A concentration of restaurants and bars near Fistral Beach’s far end makes for a wonderful spot to eat and drink. Looking down on the beach, the Headland Hotel and Spa provides a particularly nice view.

Fistral is a year-round resort, although the summer months are the most colorful and lively. This is when you can really appreciate the beach-goer and pro-surfer-friendly attractions, such as stylish boutiques packed with bright beachwear and unique restaurants surrounding the boardwalk, including one named after British celebrity chef Rick Stein.

Woolacombe

Woolacombe Beach - 2021 What to Know Before You Go (with Photos) -  Tripadvisor

Woolacombe is a beast of a beach with miles of continuous golden sand — get into epic sandcastle building and play hide & seek in the dunes at one of north Devon’s most popular hangouts. This gorgeous harbor is popular with surfers and families, and it also offers rock pools for children to explore.  At low tide, Woolacombe Beach is extraordinarily broad, providing an infinite view of sand and sky. Families, surfers, and dog walkers frequent the beach, which is divided into two sections. It’s a busy beach in the summer, with plenty of amenities like changing rooms, lifeguards, restaurants, ice cream trucks, and even bouncy castles. Grab a bite to eat at one of the seaside cafés, or travel to nearby Ilfracombe for a more substantial meal. The Antithesis, a hip wine bar with a weekly changing menu and breezy design that is the antidote to Devon’s stodgy tea rooms, is the finest location to end a beach day.

Blackpool Sands

Campsites near Blackpool Sands

Blackpool Sands, despite its unappealing moniker, is really located in South Devon, which is a delightful surprise. A drive through pine woods, evocative of the Amalfi Coast, leads to a beautiful stretch of beach.

Despite its name and appearance from afar, the beach is made up of the smoothest small stones, which results in crystal-clear water. (It has received honours for cleanliness; dogs are not permitted.) When the warmth rises, the pontoon floating off the shore is the coolest place to be, perfect for plunging into the bay’s azure waters.

The Venus Café, located at the far end of the beach, is a cut above your ordinary beach shack, serving ethically sourced seafood and local cuisine, including lobster and steak on a regular basis; it’s open for breakfast, lunch, and supper every day.

Brighton

Brighton 2021: Best of Brighton, England Tourism - Tripadvisor

Brighton has a fantastic 5.5-mile shingle beach and is one of England’s liveliest and most culturally varied towns. As a result, Brighton and its beaches have been named among the world’s top ten city beach break locations. Because the ground is rocky, wear shoes and bring a thick towel or beach chair.

With the historic Brighton Pier as a backdrop, the attraction draws beachgoers from all over the country, as well as water sports enthusiasts attracted by kayaking and stand up paddleboarding, as well as traditional beach activities like volleyball and extreme Frisbee.

The Palm Court Restaurant, a big, domed arcade, the classic Helter Skeleter slide, and a variety of theme park attractions and activities are all located on the pier. The kids will have a great time here.

The Grand Hotel, which opened in 1864, and the Volks Railway, Britain’s oldest electric railway, which debuted in 1883 and is still in service today, are two of the beach’s historical attractions. Crowd-pullers like the British Airways i360 – the world’s largest moving observation tower – and Sea Life Brighton, an aquarium teeming with really happy fish, add to the area’s sophisticated, cosmopolitan air.

Brighton is recognized for Cliff Beach, Britain’s first naturist beach, as well as a diverse choice of restaurants, sports facilities, amusement arcades, and year-round entertainment.

Whitby Beach

Whitby Beach - Enjoy Miles of Uninterrupted Sand

Whitby is a charming coastal town with quayside arcades, stunning scenery, and some of the country’s best fish & chips. The community may be little, clinging to the shore on the edge of the North Yorkshire Moors, but it is full of personality.

You can visit at any time of year, but outside of peak summer, the North Sea can be quite frigid. The settlement of Sandsend, located at the further end of Whitby Beach, is a favorite spot for sunbathing. During the summer months, traditional British beach activities such as donkey rides, ice cream carts, and colorful beach huts may be found in and around Whitby. Surfing, kite flying, and fossil finding are all popular activities on the beach.

Pentle Bay

Pentle Bay - Beach Tourism UK

The white sand and deep blue sea of Pentle Bay give it a tropical feel, but it’s actually in the Isles of Scilly, around 30 miles south of Land’s End. The beach is an excellent site for gathering sea shells or just lying on the sand, and the water is safe for swimming, which is enticing given the Isles’ exceptionally warm climate for Britain. The island’s clean waters make it ideal for water sports, and amateur ornithologists and archaeologists will find plenty to keep them occupied. The New Inn is a cut above your typical bar, with an AA Rosette-awarded restaurant and modern, comfortable rooms, some with their own sun terrace overlooking the swimming pool, and is located on the opposite side of the island yet only a 20-minute walk from Pentle Bay. Rooms start at £175 a night

Bigbury-on-Sea

Bigbury-on-Sea | South Devon Beach Bible | Coast & Country Cottages

The small community of Bigbury-on-Sea is nestled within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, a gorgeous canvas enhanced by the presence of Burgh Island, Bigbury’s iconic landmark located 270 yards offshore. The beach, South Devon’s largest sandy beach, is fronted by a vacation resort that, even in the middle of summer, has an old-fashioned feel about it.

At low tide, an open causeway connects the island to the island, which is known for its Art Deco hotel, which has been featured in various movies and television programmes. Tourists may still travel to Burgh on a special “sea tractor,” which trundles slowly across the small harbour to a landing platform below the hotel, even at high tide.

Surfers, bodyboarders, and windsurfers cluster along the beach in windy conditions to take advantage of a restless sea, but Bigbury-on-Sea is primarily a destination for couples and children wanting a tranquil seaside break on one of southern England’s most attractive coasts.

Bamburgh Beach

Viking tales and untamed beaches: Welcome to England's wildest shore

On the northeastern coast of England, it can get a little chilly, which is partly why its huge lengths of beautiful shoreline have been criminally disregarded by tourists. The immaculate 1.5-mile-long white sand beach of Bamburgh is one of the best in the country, and it rests beneath a towering eleventh-century castle.

This is a great area to go for long seaside walks and to get away from the contemporary world. The North Sea here, 20 miles south of the Scottish border, is often frigid, but you may still go for a quick swim in the summer. The wind is very strong off the coast, making it a favourite surfing site. The location is also great for boat journeys to the Farne Islands, which are close off the shore, where you may see seals, puffins, and possibly even dolphins, as well as the charming mediaeval village and the RNLI’s Grace Darling Museum.

A visit of Bamburgh Castle, which includes fascinating tales of Viking invasion and Scottish rebellions, is fun for all ages in addition to relaxing on the beach.

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