About United Kingdom

The gentle sea with the purest water and the magnificent sandy beaches of United Kingdom attract more and more tourists yearly. The crystal turquoise color of the seawater sets the level of your vacation somewhere between stunning and perfect. So if you are looking for the perfect sea, this is your place!

General information

Long straight beaches dominate the coast of United Kingdom. Large spaces mean you can always find a comfortable place to relax. That is why travelers appreciate these places so much. One of the disadvantages of this type of beach is the scarce natural shade, so if you choose to relax on the wild part of the coast, be prepared to be alone with the scorching sun without the opportunity to take cover in a cool shade.

Most beaches of United Kingdom are located within the boundaries of settlements, so natural landscapes are not so frequent here. Lovers of beauty are better off focusing on studying the local traditional architecture and interesting features of life. But wherever you are, if you can get up early and see the morning sea, then a portion of beauty is always guaranteed to you.

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Popular destinations

view the best beach places

England

570 beaches
Picturesque • Cliffs • Wild beach

Scotland

298 beaches
Cliffs • Natural shadow • Wild beach

Wales

119 beaches
Picturesque • Cliffs • Wild beach

Jurassic coast

28 beaches
Picturesque • Cliffs • Wild beach

Pembrokeshire

27 beaches
Picturesque • Cliffs • Wild beach

Gosier

14 beaches
Picturesque • Natural shadow • Good for water jumping

Hoylake

14 beaches
Cliffs • Wild beach • Kite or windsurfing

Gower

10 beaches
Picturesque • Cliffs • Secluded relax

Tynemouth

6 beaches
Cliffs • Good for water jumping • Good for Kayaking

Sandbanks Poole

4 beaches
Wild beach • Good for Kayaking • Kite or windsurfing

Mudeford

3 beaches
Picturesque • Kite or windsurfing • Good for Sup surfing

Burgh Island

2 beaches
Cliffs • Good for Kayaking • Good for Sup surfing

Witterings

2 beaches
Kite or windsurfing • Good for Sup surfing • Good for Surfing

Trebarwith

1 beach
Cliffs • Sand • Small
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United Kingdom Best beaches

view the highest rated beaches in area

Good for Relax

Porthminster beach

St. Ives 0.7 km

9
Free entrance • Amenities beach • Easy access • Bright fine sand • Turquoise pure water • Very crowded
4.8 Amenities index
Good for Relax

Pedn vounder beach

St. Levan 1.3 km

8.9
Free entrance • Virgin beach • Picturesque • Easy access • Bright fine sand • Very crowded
1 Amenities index
Kids friendly

Bournemouth Beach

Bournemouth 0.8 km

8.8
Free entrance • Amenities beach • Easy access • Bright sand • Turquoise pure water • Crowded in season
6.7 Amenities index
Good for Relax

Towen Beach

Newquay 0.2 km

8.8
Free entrance • Amenities beach • Easy access • Bright fine sand • Turquoise pure water • Very crowded
6.1 Amenities index
Good for Relax

Porthmeor beach

St. Ives 0.2 km

8.8
Free entrance • Amenities beach • Easy access • Bright sand • Turquoise pure water • Crowded in season
4.8 Amenities index
Camping

Porthcurno Beach

St. Levan 0.7 km

8.7
Free entrance • Amenities beach • Easy access • Bright sand • Very crowded • Distant parking
2.2 Amenities index

Popular types of United Kingdom beaches

Calm, measured rest and the sound of waves are perhaps the most common associations that arise with the word "beach". This is not surprising, as relaxation is exactly what many beach travelers are looking for. If you associate your vacation primarily with such activity, choose one of the 987 beaches in the country.

To make your choice easier, we have prepared a list of the best beaches for relaxation in United Kingdom.

For pet lovers, and even more so for dog owners, the first question always arises whether it is possible to take your pet to the beach since entry with it, in most cases, can be prohibited.

United Kingdom is an exception in this case, since on average there are more pet-friendly beaches than nearby country. According to our data there are 314 beaches which have guaranteed access with pets, a full list of beaches can be found on this page. So you will be sure that you and your pet will have a great time under the gentle sun.

Good news for those who like to merge with nature completely. United Kingdom offers 4 naturist (FKK) beaches , some of which are located in very secluded places. Such pearls can only be found by an advanced traveler, so for your confident navigation, we have prepared a list of them. Remember sunscreen, since most of beaches are completely natural, there is no infrastructure for several kilometers around.

Attraction and Infrastructure

As for the main features of the beaches of United Kingdom, they are as follows:

  • The country's beaches are mainly wide, moderate length and have a high level of cleanliness. The most common surface is sand of bright color.
  • Usually, entry into the water is gentle, which is very good for kids. There are 699 such beaches.
  • An important clarification, 567 beaches in the country have a long intertidal zone, which means that during low tide hours you may have to travel a considerable distance. This is also something to consider if you don't want to suddenly be in the water at high tide.
  • The average distance from the road to beach in United Kingdom is less than 500 meters. 908 beaches are relatively easy to access, 66 beaches are difficult to access, which in most cases means that you have to walk a quite long distance, and 8 beaches are only accessible from the water. The latter include both island beaches and beaches with no land routes due to the natural borders.

Wild beaches with no infrastructure dominate the coastline of United Kingdom however, even here you can find a beach with a standard set of accessories: sun beds, umbrellas, restaurants, showers and toilets.

Hundreds of beaches in United Kingdom attract every year not only relaxation lovers but also those travelers who prefer outdoor activities and, first of all sup boarders, kayakers, kite surfers.

So, let's see what activities you can do on the beaches:

  • SUP is a relatively young sport that attracts more and more followers every year. Whether you are an experienced SUP rider or want to discover this activity, United Kingdom is the perfect place for you. More than 236 beaches are popular among SUP boarders. Who knows, you will become an enthusiastic fan of SUP after visiting these beaches.
  • Kite or windsurfing. We know firsthand how difficult it is sometimes to find the right place for your favorite activity, especially if it is kite or windsurfing. So if you are a fan of these activities, then United Kingdom may be the right choice for you, as there are over 138 beaches popular among kiters and windsurfers. There will be a fair wind, we are sure!
  • Sea kayaking is an excellent alternative to long walks along the coast. Instead of being bored on the beach, you can go for a leisurely journey and discover the beauty of the neighboring coves, inlets and wild beaches. Remember, the main gems are always accessible only from the water. Kayaking is an excellent active lifestyle solution for both professionals and beginners. About 191 beaches in United Kingdom can be interesting for kayakers, the most popular are: Porthminster beach, Pedn vounder beach.

Do you love an active lifestyle but would prefer something other than water activities? Then on the beaches of United Kingdom you can actively spend time playing volleyball. Although this country does not have the privileged status of the volleyball capital of World, it may well compete for this title because there are about 16 beaches where you can play volleyball.

For campers, important information is the availability of campsites in the country. There are such places near the 228 beaches of United Kingdom. 42 of them are a kind of wild camp, formed spontaneously by lovers of this type of recreation and did not have an infrastructure. 186 of them are official campsites, with all the necessary (showers, toilets, shops, cafes).

Latest reviews on United Kingdom's beaches

Please note that lifeguards supervise 101 beaches in the country, but you should rely on more than just them, remember the elementary rules, as lifeguards are not on duty around the clock, even on equipped beaches!

Finding hotels in relative proximity to the beaches is usually fine. Many beaches have enough nearby accommodation, which gives good opportunities to choose the right place to stay.

Do you know how many beaches there are in United Kingdom? In total there are 987 beaches and the most popular is Porthminster beach.

Most viewed beaches of United Kingdom

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What are the main features of best beaches in United Kingdom?

When it comes to finding the best beaches in United Kingdom, the following aspects should be taken into account.

There are 987 beaches in total, of which about 174 can be called high-rated.

The best beaches in the majority:

They are also usually:

The best beaches in United Kingdom:

View all beaches in United Kingdom and create your selection by features

How to view only nearest to me beaches in United Kingdom?

To find the beaches closest to your current geolocation, click the Nearby Beaches icon in the search box. You will see the nearest beaches sorted by distance from you.

Note, that if you only want to see the beaches closest to you in United Kingdom, you must be in that area to get the correct results.

See also: View all beaches in United Kingdom and create your selection by features.

What are all easy accessible beaches in United Kingdom?

Most of the beaches located in United Kingdom are easily accessible, but there are also hard to reach beaches among them. Use the filter to sort the beaches by access details (parking, distance etc.).

Popular categories of beaches in United Kingdom by access:

See also the categories:

Top 5 popular beaches with easy access in United Kingdom:

View all beaches in United Kingdom and select by features

How to view all sandy beaches or beaches with other natural features in United Kingdom?

Use the "Main features" section of the filter in search results to see all the beaches with the feature you're interested in.

The most popular selections of beaches with natural features are listed below. Don't forget that you can create your own selection with any combination of features

Beach coverage and water

Natural scenery

Other popular categories

View all beaches in United Kingdom and select by features

How to find uncrowded beaches in United Kingdom?

The presence of crowds of tourists on the beach these days is becoming a mass character, and sometimes you want silence and solitude. Use the filter in search results to view the beaches in United Kingdom by occupancy.

Popular categories:

If the presence of a crowd on the beach is critical for you, pay attention to where you should not go in the season.

View all beaches in United Kingdom and select by features

How to view all beaches by amenities details in United Kingdom?

Use filter in search results to select a beach according to your preference for amenities.

Popular beach infrastructure categories:

See also:

View all beaches in United Kingdom and select by specific amenities

How to view all beaches by activity of interest in United Kingdom?

Use the "Activity" section of the filter in search results to view the selections of beaches by one or multiple activities. Below are a few popular selections that you can change as you like using our filter.

View all beaches in United Kingdom and select by activity

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