The Best Sandy Beaches in The United Kingdom

Not only rugged and wild cliffs but also soft sand and surroundings full of surprises. These coasts in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and certain little jewel bays on the smaller islands will make you want to fly here. To discover new landscapes, do water sports, explore trails and nature reserves, check out the list, and get inspired.

Bournemouth

Bournemouth Beach / Pixabay

Bournemouth's 7 mi long soft golden sandy beach (between Alum Chine and Hengistbury Head near Christchurch) attracts beach barbecue lovers, family-loving tourists, and water sports enthusiasts throughout the year. This South Coast resort became more and more popular in the 18th century, as wealthy Victorian and royal members flocked here to take advantage of the medical advantages of the ocean. There are many Victorian buildings to visit, including the Russell-Cortez Art Gallery and Museum on the cliffside and the large shopping mall in the town center.

The old-fashioned pier is home to cafes and restaurants as well as arcade games, climbing walls, and zip lines. The Boscombe area is popular with surfers and stand-up paddle loaders. You can refuel at Urban Reef, a laid-back bar and deli, or head to Sandbanks, a small peninsula with a blue flag beach with multi-million-pound homes.

How to get there from London: There is a direct train from Waterloo Station to Bournemouth, which takes less than 2 hours. The beach is about a 20-minute walk from the train station. Bournemouth is about 2 hours' car drive from London.

Walton-on-The-Naze, Essex

Walton-on-The-Naze Beach / Pixabay

This family-friendly beach in the North Sea of Essex has the famous blue flag, gently laying the sand on the beach for swimming. Children will love to build sandcastles on the golden beach and look for fossils on the red rock cliffs. Take a walk along the pier, eat fish and chips, get on a wakeboard, and don't miss the stunning sea view from Naze Tower. It was first built in 1720 as a navigation device, and now it has become the location of an observation deck, art gallery, museum, and tea room.

How to get there from London: It takes approximately 90 minutes to take the Thorpe-Le-Soken train from Liverpool Street Station. The beach is about a 5-minute walk from the train station. Walton-on-The-Naze is about 2 hours' car drive from London.

Blackpool Sands

Blackpool Sands Beach / c.art / CC BY-SA 2.0 / Flickr

Blackpool Sands is a 3 mi long beach of fine sand facing the Atlantic Ocean, a popular destination for surfing or a pleasant family vacation. It is also part of the North Devon coastline distinguished as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Blackpool Sands is characterized by being surrounded by a pine forest and by its turquoise waters. With a plate of fish and chips in one hand and a fishing rod in the other hand, it is impossible not to relax at Blackpool Sands. The beach offers a very quiet environment and a sea that is almost always calm, and therefore, suitable for families with children.

The Beaches of Kiloran Beach and Porthcurno

Porthcurno Beach / Reading Tom / CC BY-SA 2.0 / Flickr

Another beach worth visiting is Kiloran Beach on the island of Colonsay in Scotland. The island is a perfect destination for all those who like to relax with endless walks. If you plan to swim, be careful since seawater temperatures are usually very low. Nevertheless, it is worthwhile to resist the frost, for a swim in really clean, turquoise waters.

In Cornwall, on the other hand, Porthcurno beach offers an almost exotic atmosphere. Here you can find the right shelter from the fatigue and stress of everyday life, perhaps swimming in the crystal clear sea or pausing to collect shells on the white sand.

Beaches in Wales

Barafundle Bay / Brian Marshall / CC BY-SA 2.0 / Flickr

The coast of Wales is characterized by its cliffs that plunge into the sea as well as its incredible beaches such as Rhossili Bay (on the Gower Peninsula) or those of Pembrokeshire.

The Gower Peninsula is famous for its perfect surfing conditions and Rhossili Beach is the place to be. Regularly voted the best beach in the UK, from its 3.1 mi of beach you can see the west coast of Wales, Lundy Island, and the north coast of Devon. If the tide is out, adventurers can cruise to Worm Head Island, where gray seals rest on the rocks. Against it is that access is difficult, with a hike along the cliff path. You also have to be careful with the hull of the Helvetia, a Norwegian ship that was wrecked on the beach in 1887. Finally, it is worth mentioning that it is a very windy area.

Pembrokeshire Coast National Park is the only British national park entirely on the coast and offers some of the most spectacular scenery on the entire coast, thanks mainly to its wild beaches. Barafundle Bay, a beach that you need to walk for half an hour to access (which makes it a very quiet beach), without cafes or toilets, just nature. Barafundle beach, covered by dunes and pristine, is a remote and isolated beach that can be found on the east side of Pembrokeshire, Wales around Stackpole Quay. It is encircled by golden sand and crystal-clear waters. Being a portion of the Stackpole Estate, it is a property of the National Trust and it's also supervised by the body. This pristine beach has won and has been nominated countless times as one of the top-rated beaches in the UK. When it comes to swimming, Barafundle beach offers a fantastic swimming spot and you may also choose to take a walk along the coast. It's an interesting place for a day out, it's worth your time.

Vault Beach and Gorran Haven

Vault Beach (view from Penamaen Point) / Andrew / CC BY-SA 2.0 / Flickr

Vault Beach is one of those wonderful beaches, practically deserted. It's all gravel mixed with finer sand. It is also part of Cornwall, but on the south coast, on the banks of the English Channel. To get there, you have to take a trail from Gorran Haven, another beach that belongs to the Saint Austell district.

The trail is easy, lasts about 20 minutes, and is the most beautiful part of the tour. The rocky shore is wonderful, bathed in the blue-green water, super crystalline. Plus, it is full of berry bushes all over the way. The view from the trail arriving in Vault Beach is sensational, and you can see the entire beach.

The cool thing is that going to the place you already know the two beaches at once: Gorran Haven and Vault Beach. Saint Austell is also a very beautiful city, where you can choose to stay.

In Gorran Haven, you can park your car, use restrooms, and eat (several places serve crab sandwiches, among other delights). That's because Vault Beach has nothing, which is why it's one of the best beaches in England.

Anyway, go prepared with water and something to eat. And don't be scared if you meet a group of naturalists, or maybe you even want to enjoy the feeling of being naked on a beach. It's not nude, but as it's pretty empty, it ends up attracting this audience too.

Taking advantage of the fact that you are in the region, you can also get to know Caerhays Castle. Besides the beautiful construction, the garden is beautiful. It has the largest collection of magnolias in England, as well as azaleas and camellias.