At the beach - time you enjoyed wasting, is not wasted.
T. S. Eliot
Whenever June approaches here in the United Kingdom, you'll see people of all ages packing their sunblock lotions and swimming attire while flocking to one common destination — the beach.
Summer’s not just about taking time off; it’s all about having fun in the sun, with sandy walks and beach games taking over from work and school. If you're planning your next beach vacation, here’s a selection of beaches from different regions that cater to various activities and age groups.
| Name of beachside | Location |
|---|---|
| Woolacombe Beach | Devon |
| Bournemouth Beach | Dorset |
| Perranporth Beach | Cornwall |
| Bamburgh Beach | Northumberland |
| Sandwood Bay | Sutherland, Scotland |
| Cullykhan Bay | Aberdeenshire, Scotland |
| Broad Haven South | Pembrokeshire, Wales |
| Robin Hoods Bay | North Yorkshire |
| St Bees Coast | Cumbria |
| Durham Heritage Coast | Durham |
🏖️ Best Beaches in the UK for Families
One of the many reasons the UK is viewed as a popular holiday destination is that it has many award-winning beaches that are family-friendly and well-equipped with facilities for all visitors.
📍 Woolacombe Beach
The Times named Woolacombe Beach the best beach in 2021, praising its three-mile stretch of sand, breathtaking coastal views, and excellent surfing conditions.
Located in Devon, this beach is surrounded by a lively community with restaurants and pubs nearby, while offering a wide range of activities and on-site facilities that visitors of all ages can enjoy. Additionally, it is also pet-friendly all year long, with some restrictions during summer.
Family-Friendly Reasons
📍 Weymouth Beach
Did you know that Weymouth Beach is ranked 20th in the latest Travellers’ Choice Awards Best of the Best Beaches for Europe?
This award-winning beach in Dorset is well known for many reasons. Besides being located at the heart of the Jurassic Coastline, it has many catering outlets and seaside entertainment like the Punch and Judy performance (a traditional puppet show).
King George III made Weymouth Beach a popular sea bathing spot.
As a result, there is a King's Statue on Weymouth seafront as a tribute to him.
Family-Friendly Reasons
🏐 Best Sandy Beaches in the UK for Activities
Now, let's explore some of the most beautiful sandy beaches in the UK and the activities that you can do while you're there.
📍 Perranporth Beach
Located in North Cornwall, Perranporth Beach boasts one of the largest stretches of unbroken golden sand, joining with Penhale Sands at low tide to create a vast, continuous beachfront. You can expect to see lovely sand dunes and rock pools nearby, with some promising opportunities to come across some marine wildlife too. Additionally, there are also lifeguards on patrol while you swim your heart away from 10 am to 6 pm.
One of the major highlights that you must experience in Perranporth Beach is to visit the The Watering Hole. It is the only pub in the UK that is literally built on the sand, and regularly serves great food and shows for visitors!
Some of the top activities that you can enjoy while you're here include:
📍Bamburgh Castle Beach
If you are looking for a pristine, sandy beach with a rich history in Northumbria, you should definitely gear up and head to Bamburgh Castle Beach. As soon as you step on the golden beach, you will be enthralled by the magnificent scenic castle view and also the surrounding Holy Island and Farne Island.
Additionally, Bamburgh Castle Beach is also recognised as one of Britain's whitest sandy beaches to visit, alongside its wide beach for walking, not just during summer but in winter too!
Did you know that the world's first ever lifeboat was developed and tested at Bamburg Castle Beach?
Fun Activities To Enjoy Here
🌴 Best Beaches in the UK for Solitary Moments
Beautiful beaches are not just for gathering crowds during the summer school breaks, but also for solitary rendezvous whenever you need a breather to just soak in the sound of waves and sunset beyond the horizon.
When it comes to exploring hidden gems of serene beaches for rejuvenation and relaxation in the UK, the beaches of Scotland certainly deserve a mention.
📍 Sandwood Bay Beach
Sanwood Bay Beach is widely considered one of the most isolated beaches in the UK due to its remote location. Visitors have to walk over 4 miles from the car park to reach the bay, making the journey extra special if you intend to spend some "me-time" by yourself at the beach.
Managed by the John Muir Trust, this beach is well preserved with its vast, unspoilt landscape, which is surrounded by local wildlife. While surrounded by only the sound of waves, Sandwood Bay Beach is certainly a haven for those who are looking for a quiet space while enjoying the beauty of the sea and the calming breeze with no distractions.
Sandwood Bay is believed to have gotten its name from the Viking name "Sandvatn", which means sand water.
Solitary Activities To Do Here
📍 Cullykhan Bay
If you're looking for a beach in Scotland that's less remote yet still offers solitude, Cullykhan Bay is certainly a top choice! Nestled near the Aberdeenshire coast, this place has easy access with a limited parking space (around 15 cars), making it often quiet and less crowded during the off-season.
The beach is a mixture of pebbly and sandy surface, where many visitors still walk while exploring the caves and coves nearby. If you are a fan of historical exploration with a touch of edge and adventure, you should certainly put on your best boots and experience them all.
Some of the highlights you can explore, whether through mindful walking or even kayaking while enjoying the beautiful coastline, include:
🪸 Top UK Beaches for Rock Pooling & Fossil Hunting
Beach holidays can be more than just for recreation and rest; they can also be educational. If you are a parent, rock pooling and fossil hunting are a great way to foster a love for nature and the marine life among young children. On a side note, it also creates an intriguing time-travelling experience where you attempt to discover fossils from many years ago.
📍 Broad Haven South
In addition to being a wide, sandy beach popular with visitors, Broad Haven South in Pembrokeshire, Wales, is also known for its iconic rocky stack, Church Rock — a striking natural feature shaped over time by coastal erosion and shifting sea levels. Easily accessible by car, there are also surrounding coves and cliffs with rock pools on the north side of the beach.
The fun of rock pooling is best experienced during low tide and on expansive rock platforms, where it's easy to explore a wide variety of coastal and marine life in Pembrokeshire. Just remember to leave everything as you found it after your beach adventure. Here are some preparation tips and examples of the types of creatures you might encounter:
Rockpooling Guide
Step 1
Identify the rocky coastlines of the beach for the rocky pools
Step 2
Check and confirm the tide times beforehand (low tides)
Step 3
Put on footwear with a strong grip
Step 4
Search slowly under the rocks and beneath flat stones gently
Step 5
Return or leave the creatures where you found them
Prawn
Mussel
Hermit Crab
Sea anemones
Periwinkles
Starfish
📍 Robin Hood's Bay and Beach
Next, we move on to an amazing rock pooling and fossil hunting beach spot, which is Robin Hood's Bay and Beach in Yorkshire. Alongside rock pooling, fossil hunting is an adventurous and engaging outdoor activity where everyone in the family can participate.
If you're a fan of the Jurassic Park movie franchise, you'll definitely enjoy a stroll along the Dinosaur Coast at this beach, where you can find a wide range of ammonite fossils. These fossils are remnants of ancient sea creatures that lived millions of years ago.
The National Trust’s Old Coastguard Centre of the Yorkshire Coast often organises guided tours and fossil workshops for visitors to Robin Hood's Bay.
Activities you can join here
🌞 Tips on Planning For Your Next Beach Trip
Now that you've explored these amazing beach recommendations in the UK, it's time to get down to business and start planning your trip! Here are some pointers to kickstart your planning:
🕶️ Decide on the Beach Experience
Based on the above suggestions, decide if you want a family-friendly outing or a quiet, scenic beach holiday all by yourself. From there, you can start narrowing down your options.
🛟 Research About The Beach's Facilities and Regulations
Next, you should check if the beach that you intend to visit is well equipped with basic facilities like toilets or restaurants nearby. If you are bringing your dogs or kids, it's best to check that the beach is pet-friendly and if lifeguards are available. Additionally, if you are driving, it's best to check the capacity of the parking spaces too.
🛣️ Calculate the Travelling Distance
Depending on your current location and your chosen beach destination, it's important to know the approximate travel distance so you can decide on the best mode of transportation and plan your departure time to arrive before it's too late. For instance, if you are departing from London, you might want to compare the distance and decide if you want to drive or take a train.
London → Perranporth Beach
4½ to 5 hours
London → Weymouth Beach
2½ to 2 hours 45 minutes
🧳 Book Your Accommodation Early
Last but not least, it's best to book your accommodation early as spots tend to fill up early, especially during the summer holidays. We highly recommend that you book your accommodation near the beach for convenience.
We hope this article has been a useful guide to help you discover some of the beautiful beaches in the UK and the fun activities that you can do there. If you are living outside the UK and wish to enhance your English speaking and listening skills before travelling to the UK for the first time, you can always find the perfect English tutor via Superprof. Through one-to-one tutoring, you'll master British English like a pro in no time!
Did you like this article? Leave a rating!
Loading...
