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British Beaches

    We do love to be beside the seaside…

    What do you think of when you think of British beaches?

    Enduring images of multi-coloured beach huts, striped sun loungers, arcades, promenades with piers at the end & old-fashioned ice cream vans spring to mind.

    While these are still very much present on many UK beaches, there is much more to British beaches today than just knotted hankies and deck chairs.

    Rows of colorful beach huts on the promenade at Whitby Sands, Yorkshire, Whitby Beach, England, UK, on a beautiful sunny morning in spring.

    And whilst we can’t always guarantee the sunshine in the UK, there is something incredibly appealing and quintessentially British about a trip to the seaside, whether you’re looking for a family day out of picnics and sandcastles, a romantic stroll along golden sands with that special someone or having a go at adrenaline-fuelled water sport activities for you and a group of friends.

    One thing for sure is there’s something for everyone on a British beach holiday.

    Where are the best seaside towns in the UK?

    Take a tour along the captivating coastline of the British Isles, which is like a roll call of the most enchanting towns and villages you’ll find anywhere. All offer visitors something different but are equally enjoyable.

    Beaches in Scotland

    A landscape of the beach in Ayr Scotland with silhouette of the harbour wall, shimmering sea, distant isle of Arran, the setting sun and sky of pale yellow and blue with the use of colour saturation.

    Starting north of the border, Tobermory on the Isle of Mull in Scotland is an eye-catching, picture-postcard-perfect seaside town.

    It has a busy fishing harbour and is a great spot for wildlife and bird watching.

    People come from far and wide to catch a rare glimpse of the golden and white-tailed eagle, the corncrake, and elusive otters.

    Ayr Beach in Ayrshire, southwest Scotland, is fantastic for picnics and sandcastles.

    UK Beaches in Northumberland & Yorkshire

    Several British beaches are located along walking trails. A wooden sign post points the way of the Coast and Castles cycle route and Northumberland Coast Path. Taken in sunshine against a cloudy sky in autumn.

    Moving south, Northumberland and North Yorkshire boast some of the most beautiful coastlines in the UK. Miles of unspoiled, golden sands and some fantastic towns and villages dotted along the coast make this region well worth visiting.

    Towns such as Bamburgh, Seahouses, Warkworth, Amble, Alnwick, and Alnmouth in Northumbria are all well worth visiting on a UK beach holiday.

    Moving down into North Yorkshire, towns such as Whitby, Filey, Bridlington, and Scarborough offer the ultimate traditional British seaside break.   

    UK Beaches in the North West Blackpool

    British beaches of the west coast. A Fylde Coast Golden Hour Reflection of Blackpool Tower and North Pier on a calm still early evening glow. Blackpool beach shoreline is visible.

    Crossing over to the west, Blackpool remains as popular as ever as a seaside holiday destination with an award-winning beach, amusement arcades, a fairground, a pier, and a promenade, all adding up to make sure visitors can enjoy a good old-fashioned staycation near popular UK beaches.

    Beaches in Wales

    Beach, sea, sandcastle and Welsh Flag

    Not forgetting the charms of Wales which has 1,680 miles of stunning coastline with places such as Anglesey and the Llyn Peninsula in the north, Ceredigion in mid-Wales and Pembrokeshire in the south, all well worth a visit.

    Devon & Cornwall

    A landscape photograph of Sandy Bay Beach at Exmouth, Devon, UK

    It can be hard to single out the best coastal areas in the south of the UK because there’s so many to choose from.

    The most popular are obviously Devon with stand-out towns including Exmouth, Sidmouth, Salcombe, Dartmouth and Brixham and Cornwall where the most popular towns include St Ives, Newquay, Falmouth, Bude and Polzeath.

    Dorset, Norfolk & Kent

    Footpath through sand dunes leading to the Sandbanks beach. Poole, Dorset, UK.

    You can’t look at British coastal towns without giving a nod to Dorset, Norfolk, and Kent, which all boast some simply spectacular stretches of coast.

    Well-known Dorset seaside towns include Weymouth, Bournemouth, Bridport, Poole and Lyme Regis whilst enduring Norfolk coastal towns well worth a visit range from Hunstanton, Wells-next-the-Sea and Cromer to Holkham, Blakeney and Cley-next-the-Sea.

    The coastline of Kent is more popular than ever before with hugely popular towns such as Margate, Deal, Ramsgate, Broadstairs and Whitstable all offering something to visitors from the golden sands of a British Beach, white cliffs to trendy towns and dramatic castles.

    Coastal cliffs & sea stacks overlooking turquoise waters, white chalk cliffs & a seaside village visible in the distance under a bright, clear sky.

    British Beaches On the Isle of Wight

    And let’s not forget the Isle of Wight which has some of the most magical beaches anywhere on the planet. Check out seaside towns such as:

    • Cowes
    • Yarmouth
    • Ryde
    • Ventnor
    • Sandown.

    British beaches promise a deeply contrasting appeal, so whether you’re looking for hidden coves, unspoiled beaches, and dramatic cliffs, all the fun of the fair, fish and chips on the beach and amusement arcades, or everything from windsurfing, kitesurfing, and kayaking to paddle boarding, wild swimming, and jet skiing, there will UK beaches right for you.

    Found a beach that’s perfect? Make sure it’s near a dog-friendly holiday destination for your caravan break.