The nation’s most popular beaches are never more spectacular than at summer’s height, but they’re also busy. So, how to sidestep the crowds and find a more tranquil spot by the shore?
Britain’s thousands of miles of coastline means there’s plenty of lesser known stretches to enjoy, from wild Scottish strands to classic bucket-and-spade beaches and Caribbean-esque Cornish idylls. Here’s our pick.
SOUTH WEST
Mattiscombe Sands, South Devon
A short but steep walk from the nearest car park keeps Mattiscombe’s corn-coloured sands light on visitors. Pursuits? Swim, fish for mackerel, enjoy the mini-waterfall, and visit Start Point Lighthouse on the craggy headland nearby.
Beach bonus: Spot basking sharks in summer.
Stay nearby: Three nights’ self-catering for four at nearby Prospect House from £772 (coastandcountry.co.uk).
Crow Point, North Devon
North Devon surfer hotspot Saunton Sands morphs into the peaceful sandy peninsula of Crow Point, where the Taw and Torridge rivers collide. Loved by locals and part of the Braunton Burrows reserve, there’s plenty of soft sand underfoot, while low dunes buffer the breeze.
Beach bonus: The unusual Sea Mack trawler wreck.
Stay nearby: Three nights’ self-catering for two at The Old Stables in Braunton from £556 (stayindevon.co.uk).
Bream Cove, Cornwall
This sand-and-shingle stretch of the Cornish coast is 15 minutes south of Falmouth but rarely busy. Park on the road above and wander 300 metres down a woodland path to reach its crystal-clear waters.
Beach bonus: Barista-style coffee at The Bream Box food hut.
Stay nearby: B&B doubles at Hotel Meudon from £129 (meudon.co.uk).
Hawker’s Cove, Cornwall
Circumvent Padstow’s tourist throngs and mosey west along the north Cornish coast to Hawker’s Cove. There’s scant parking but the South West Coastal Path runs right by it. Expect shelving sands and sparkling sea, with Caribbean vibes.
Beach bonus: Views of Atlantic coast headland Stepper Point.
Stay nearby: A week’s self-catering for six at nearby 3 Pilot Cottages from £735 (harbourholidays.co.uk).
Eype Beach, Dorset
Ignore signs pointing to Lyme Regis and West Bay and take a punt on Eype. This shingle beach beneath Dorset’s dramatic Golden Cap hill-cliff majors on Jurassic Coast splendour but with the crowds dialled down.
Beach bonus: Hunt for those famous fossils.
Stay nearby: Three nights’ self-catering for five at The Billy Shed from £510 (dorsethideaways.co.uk).
SOUTH EAST
Oval Field Beach, West Sussex
South of Chichester, the beaches of Selsey lie at the tip of the triangular Manhood peninsula. Oval Field Beach is secluded, and a rare sandy patch on this jut of land.
Beach bonus: Crab sandwiches at the nearby village of Selsey.
Stay nearby: B&B doubles at The Coast Yard in Selsey from £124 (thecoastyard.co.uk).
Joss Bay, Kent
Yes, we know Margate is trendy, but a few miles east is family-friendly Joss Bay. This toffee-hued 200-metre sandy stretch is relatively peaceful. Surf is almost always up, with lessons easy to arrange.
Beach bonus: Tuck in to the great bacon sandwiches at Joss Bay cafe.
Stay nearby: One week’s self-catering for seven at Liberty Cottage in nearby Broadstairs from £1,205 (keeperscottages.co.uk).
St Margaret’s Bay, Kent
You can see those White Cliffs from here but feel a million miles away from Dover’s ferry queues. Shingly St Margaret’s
Bay once wooed Bond author Ian Fleming, who wrote Moonraker here. South Foreland Lighthouse is nearby.
Beach bonus: The Coastguard, is Britain’s nearest pub to France.
Stay nearby: Three nights’ self-catering for six in a lodge at St Margaret’s Bay Holiday Park from £509 (parkdeanresorts.co.uk).
EAST OF ENGLAND
East Mersea Beach, Mersea Island
Eight-mile square, pebble-shaped Mersea Island sits in the Blackwater and Colne estuaries off the Essex coast. Tourists love the cute fishing town of West Mersea, so head to rural, but still sandy, East Mersea.
Beach bonus: The birds: spy waders and wildfowl including brent geese.
Stay nearby: B&B doubles at the nearby White Hart Inn from £175 (whitehartinnmersea.co.uk).
Sizewell Beach, Suffolk
Smugglers’ haunt turned fisherman’s favourite, Sizewell Beach boasts a swathe of shingle. Artists love the moody skies and ever-changing light; Sizewell B power station, with its futuristic white dome, makes an intriguing backdrop.
Beach bonus: Hot chocs at the Sizewell Tea hut.
Stay nearby: One week’s self-catering for eight at The Dower House in Thorpeness from £1,200 (aldeburghcoastalcottages.co.uk).
Covehithe, Suffolk
‘The beach at the end of the world’ sounds just the ticket for solitude seekers. That’s what locals call Covehithe, a roomy cliff-backed sandy beach at the end of a rural lane. Only accessible on foot or by bike.
Beach bonus: The ruined Gothic church just off the beach.
Stay nearby: Two nights’ self-catering for two in Pebble Lodge at Toad Hall in Wangford from £176 (toadhall.life).
Weybourne Beach, Norfolk
A constant coastal symphony plays on the shingle of Weybourne Beach in north Norfolk. Steeply shelved, meaning bigger waves, the water drags pebbles offering a soothing soundtrack.
Beach bonus: Pebbles store heat, so it feels extra warm.
Stay nearby: Four nights’ self-catering for six in a woodland lodge at Kelling Heath Holiday Park from £851 (kellingheath.co.uk).
Waxham Beach, Norfolk
Cloaked behind trees and sheltered by grass-topped sand dunes, Waxham, in an Area of Outstanding Beauty, is as low profile as Norfolk beaches get.
Beach bonus: Views of the offshore Sea Palling reefs.
Stay nearby: Four nights’ self-catering for eight in a holiday home at Waxham Sands Holiday Park from £351 (lovatparks.com).
NORTH WEST
Formby Beach, Lancashire
Just an hour’s drive west of Manchester, dune-filled Formby Beach is no secret but, at eight miles long, it’s epic enough to feel crowd-free. Spot sand lizards and natterjack toads.
Beach bonus: Almost always a Mr Whippy in the car park.
Stay nearby: B&B doubles at Kimpton Clocktower Hotel in Manchester from £145 (kimptonclocktowerhotel.com).
Silverdale, Lancashire
Victoria Wood once lived in Silverdale, a charming village facing Morecombe Bay. There are rock pools, coastal walks and soul-stirring Bay and Lakeland fells views.
Beach bonus: Cool brunch spot Wolf & Us is close.
Stay nearby: B&B doubles at the Silverdale Hotel from £100 (thesilverdalehotel.co.uk).
Drigg, West Cumbria
Drigg is a 1,000-acre sand dune reserve overlooking the Irish Sea that sits in the shadow of nuclear site Sellafield. There’s a remote beauty to enjoy and it’s home to huge seabird colonies.
Beach bonus: Snap photos from the old look-out post.
Stay nearby: B&B doubles at 1692 Wasdale, nine miles away, from £180 (1692wasdale.co.uk).
NORTH EAST
Cheswick Sands, Northumberland
This super-size sandy strand is a go-to for those in the know. Blow away cobwebs, bring a cricket bat, or soak up the endless views; on a clear day you can see Scotland.
Beach bonus: Cheswick is on the Coast & Castles cycle route.
Stay nearby: One week’s self-catering for four at nearby Farm Cottage from £1,630 (crabtreeandcrabtree.com).
Alnmouth Beach, Northumberland
At the mouth of the River Aln, a honey-hued portion of the Northumberland coast serves up big skies and seaside serenity. The tides near the estuary mouth can be dangerous but there’s beach fun in spades.
Beach bonus: Pretty fishermen’s cottages in Alnmouth village.
Stay nearby: Doubles at The Whittling House from £180 (thewhittlinghouse.co.uk).
Cayton Bay, Yorkshire
Sandwiched between seaside favourites Scarborough and Filey, Cayton Bay is a crescent of sandy beach, backed by grass-topped cliffs and popular with surfers.
Beach bonus: WWII defence ‘pillboxes’ upended on the sand.
Stay nearby: B&B doubles at Wrea Head Hall, nine miles away, from £180 (wreaheadhall.co.uk).
Beadnell Bay, Northumberland
Beadnell Bay offers lively waves for kayaking, windsurfing and wakeboarding. Seal and puffin-spotting tours leave the bay for the Farne Islands.
Beach bonus: The 15th-century Craster Arms.
Stay nearby: One week’s self-catering for two at Cherrytree & Almond apartments in Beadnell from £470 (beadnellapartments.co.uk).
SCOTLAND
Scalpsie Bay, Isle of Bute
A compact car park keeps the masses away at Scalpsie Bay, an amber-sand beach on the coast south-west of Bute. Buses run within a mile. Views across to the Isle of Arran.
Beach bonus: The seal colony north of the bay.
Stay nearby: One week’s self-catering for six at Kerryniven from £935 (mountstuart.com).
St Cyrus Beach, Aberdeenshire
Three miles of dunes, beach and cliffs greet you at St Cyrus nature reserve, 30 miles south of Aberdeen. Spot skylarks, stonechats and peregrine falcons.
Beach bonus: Visitor centre in the old lifeboat station.
Stay nearby: Four nights’ self-catering for six in a cottage at Glen Dye from £1,650 (glendyecabinsandcottages.com).
Sandwood Bay, Sutherland
South of Cape Wrath, Sandwood Bay is a 1.5 mile pink-sand idyll with Atlantic views. Pack a picnic and park in Blairmore, then follow the four-mile path to the beach.
Beach bonus: Am Buachaille, a 65 metre-high sea stack.
Stay nearby: Three nights’ self-catering for four at Deer House near Kinlochbervie from £439 (sykescottages.co.uk).
Mellon Udrigle, Ross-shire
When the skies are blue Mellon Udrigle is a bonafide paradise. On Ross-shire’s north-west coast, the sand is alabaster and the waters turquoise, and the views of the surrounding Highlands dreamy.
Beach bonus: It’s on Scotland’s North Coast 500 road-trip route.
Stay nearby: Four nights’ self-catering for four in a Loch Ewe glamping pod from £600 (locheweluxurypods.co.uk).
WALES
Mewslade Bay, Rhossili
Rhossilli Bay is the Gower’s show-stopper but hop over the other side of the peninsula and Mewslade Bay bestows similar scenic drama minus the Instagrammers. A wide-angled Welsh wonder, there’s plenty of room to roam.
Beach bonus: Mewslade’s surf is some of the Gower’s best.
Stay nearby: B&B doubles at the King’s Head Inn, nine miles away, from £150 (kingsheadgower.co.uk).
Porth Iago, Llyn Peninsula
This rectangular cove on the Llyn Peninsula’s west coast is accessed via a farm, which puts many off the scent. There are rich rewards; the blue-green water is gorgeous and the beach sheltered. There’s great fishing from the rocks, too.
Beach bonus: The sunsets are mesmerising.
Stay nearby: Two nights’ self-catering for four in a pod at Glampio Coed from £240 (glampiocoed.com).
Castell Bach, Ceredigion
Meaning ‘little castle’, Castell Bach, five miles south of New Quay, takes its name from the Iron Age hill-fort nearby. A mix of sand and pebbles, there’s a shallow pool perfect for splashing in on one side of the beach.
Beach bonus: Spot seal pups in the autumn.
Stay nearby: Three nights’ self-catering for 12 at nearby Ty Cwch Boathouse from £816 (tycwch.wales).
Porth Wen, Anglesey
You’re more likely to bump into a fisherman than a fellow tourist at unusual Porth Wen, just west of better-known Bull Bay on Anglesey. Until WWI Porth Wen was home to a brickworks, and chimney stacks still perch by this pretty shingle beach.
Beach bonus: Swim under the natural rock arch.
Stay nearby: Doubles at Trearddur Bay Hotel, 11 miles away, from £127 (trearddurbayhotel.co.uk).
