The Best UK Beaches to Visit
*This is a collaborative post
As a city dweller, who lives in a town surrounded by high rise buildings and busy daily commutes, there is something incredibly appealing about the draw of the sea. Under normal circumstances, I would travel down to the seaside at every given opportunity with my family holiday, sitting on the shore as the sun goes down after a fun filled day of buckets, spades and 99 ice creams, wiping mucky faces with a tissue and listening to them giggle as I applied that last daily dose of sunscreen. I love to sit listening to the girls laughter as they paddle in the sea, screaming with delight as they jump over the fast flowing waves as they approach and the feeling of calm and quiet that a change of scenery can bring – a stark difference to my normal manic daily routine.
Whilst my dreams of beach trips aren’t quite possible just yet, at least not as we know them, I am proud to live in a country where we have so many beautiful coast line locations to explore, with white sandy beaches and glorious views over the British Countryside. When the time is right, I know for sure we will be heading back to breathe in that seaside air.
Here are some of my favourite UK Beaches to visit:
Watergate Bay, Cornwall
We’ve spent many a summer at Watergate Bay in Cornwall, a lively beach with several miles of golden sands, popular with thrill seekers and surfers as well as water sports from the beach front Extreme Academy. Just 15 minutes from Newquay, this dog friendly beach is scattered with rock pools for paddling. I can recommend the food at the Beach Hut, a family friendly restaurant with idyllic views of the sun setting over the shore during your evening meal, as well as serving light snacks and amazing skin on fries during the day.
Woolacombe, Devon
With several miles of golden sands, this beach is popular with surfers and has some amazing sand dunes to explore along the bay. The girls loved running and hiding behind the green tufts of grass poking out of the huge mounds of sand and running up and down the hills. A great spot for a sandcastle competition or flying a kite with the family.
Brighton, East Sussex
For a more traditional British seaside resort we have often taken trains to Brighton to visit the pebble beach and long promenade bustling with busy eateries. With a 200 year old Palace Pier and amusements, the British Airways i360 observation tower is also a great way to capture some of the amazing coastal views Brighton has to offer.
Saunton Sands, Devon
This glorious 3 mile sandy beach in North Devon is a real find and features the Braunton Burrows – one of the largest sand dune systems in Britain. With idyllic colourful beach huts dotted across the beach, these golden sandy dunes are a great backdrop for a beautiful family photo!
Sandwood Bay, Scotland
A less child friendly option perhaps, but one where the memories will last a lifetime, is the amazing views and rocky cliffs of Sandwood Bay. Unspoiled and beautiful but with a four mile remote hike from Blairmore to get there, the views from your picnic are totally worth it!
At the time of writing, many facilities and businesses remain close, but I can’t wait for those precious beach moments to return. Where are your favourite beaches in the UK?
Lucy
