The Best Beaches in the UK to Visit

Celebrate National Beach Day on the 30^th of September with the best beaches in the UK!

Planning a motorhome or campervan staycation this summer? You’ll be thrilled to know you don’t need to travel abroad for sandy beaches and turquoise waters when you can experience them from home!

In this blog, we’ll be breaking down our top unique and exciting beaches to visit in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. So, pack up your beach towels and suncream, and hop in your camper for the ultimate beach road trip!

 

England

Bamburgh Castle Beach – Bamburgh

Features & Facilities: Sandy Beach, Dog Friendly, Cafe/Restaurant, Toilets, Disabled Facilities

In the northeast of England, you’ll find the vast and stunning Bamburgh Castle Beach. This great stretch of coastline is best known for its flat white sands, clear waters perfect for taking a dip in, and the impressive historical 12th-century Bamburgh Castle in the skyline!

This beach is also a favourite spot of surfers and wind surfers as it’s considered to be one of the most consistent spots on the coast for good waves.

 

Botany Bay Beach – Broadstairs, Kent

Features & Facilities: Sandy Beach, Lifeguard Service, First Aid Post, Deck Chair & Windbreaker Hire, Toilets, Disabled Facilities, Lost Child Centre

This next location is renowned for its picturesque charm and beauty! At Botany Bay, you’ll discover spectacular white cliffs that form an incredible backdrop when juxtaposed with the blue sea. It’s the perfect sight to enjoy on your day out on the beach and would make a great shot for any budding travel photographer!

And if the impressive sights don’t convince you, maybe the rich and interesting history of the beach will! The hidden coves of the beach were once used by smugglers and pirates to store contraband in the 18^th century, many of the caves can still be found and explored to this day!

Sennen Cove Beach – Cornwall

Features & Facilities: Sandy Beach, Lifeguard Service, Café/Restaurant, Toilets, Disabled Facilities, First Aid Post, Shop, Pier

Pictures of this beach are often mistaken for tropical beaches abroad, but Sennen Cove is in fact located in the Southwest of England in Cornwall! With its golden sands that stretch along the crystal clear waters, it is no wonder this beach is such a trendy hotspot!

Sennen Cove offers a great range of activities for every kind of adventurer! Known as a water sports haven, it boasts excellent surfing opportunities and is great for paddle boarders and kayakers too! With a past of being a historic fishing village, the Sennen also has a wealth of fishing spots perfect for any skill level from pro fishers to crabbers! And for those seeking a thrill, a coasteering adventure will allow you to explore hidden caves and take exhilarating leaps into the waters from the cliffs.

 

Wales

Sixpenny Beach – Anglesey

Features: Sandy Beach, Remote, Dog Friendly, Unique Beach Accessible by Boat

If you’re not big on tourist hotspots this next hidden travel gem is for you! To access this secret sandy cove, you must use a boat, kayak, or paddleboard to cross over the sea to the beach from Malltraeth village! Once you’ve crossed over, you’ll be rewarded with a secluded half-moon-shaped beach to explore!

If you’re planning a motorhome getaway in Wales why not check out our blog on Everything You Need To Know About Camping In Anglesey!

 

Rhossili Bay – Rhossili, Swansea

Features & Facilities: Sandy Beach, Dog Friendly, Shops, Nearby Pub

Rated as ‘Britain’s Best Beach’ by TripAdvisor’s Travellers’ Choice and ranked among the top beaches on European and global charts, Rhossili Bay is a beach you won’t want to miss out on!

This beach is perfect for adventurous types who enjoy an active lifestyle, as to access the beach you must navigate a steep cliff-top path by foot. But the trek is definitely worth it, upon arrival you’ll be greeted by a 3-mile-long stretch of beach surrounded by panoramic scenic views of rugged cliffs and lush greenery! This extraordinary beach is part of the Gower Peninsula, an ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty,’ remaining untouched by modern development and maintaining unpolluted and pristine waters. Due to the great waves and clear clean water, the beach is ideal for outdoor activities like surfing, sailing, swimming and fishing!

If you’re a lover of nature keep your eyes peeled while you explore the beach which is home to a variety of wildlife, including dolphins and basking seals that are occasionally spotted in the water!

 

Barafundle Bay – Pembrokeshire

Features & Facilities: Sandy Beach, Dog Friendly, Nearby Cafe/Restaurant, Nearby Toilets

Owned by the National Trust, you’ll find this next gem nestled along the Pembrokeshire coast! Surrounded by limestone cliffs, sandy dunes, and pine trees and accessible by a half-mile scenic hike, Barafundle Bay is the perfect secluded retreat whether you’re looking for relaxation or adventure.

The calm shallow waters make the bay a perfect spot for families, with lots of room for children to splash around, and the soft sands are perfect for building sandcastles or playing beach games!

Another reason to visit Barafundle Bay is to immerse yourself in the beach’s rich history and beauty that is embedded into the surrounding landscape. While exploring the beach and its surrounding areas you’ll find the Stackpole Estate where you can discover historic buildings, gardens, and woodlands that are perfect for exploration!

 

Scotland

Balnakeli Bay Beach – Highlands 

Features: Sandy Beach, Remote, Dog Friendly

If you’re planning a trip along the NC500, Balnakeli Bay is the perfect stop-off! Get lost in the breathtaking natural beauty of Balnakeli, from its gentle white sands to the crystal-clear turquoise waters that invite you for a refreshing swim!

Unlike more crowded tourist destinations, due to the remote nature of the beach, Balnakeli Bay offers a more peaceful and serene atmosphere. It’s the perfect spot to unwind, read a book, or relax in the sunshine.

 

Lunan Bay – Angus

Features & Facilities: Sandy Beach, Dog Friendly, Free Parking Available

Whether you’re seeking relaxation, adventure, or a bit of both, Lunan Bay showcases both natural and historical wonders of Scotland.

Lunan Bay is a booming hub of activities, making it a favourite destination for swimming, water sports, fishing, and even horse riding! The long stretch of golden sands can also make for an idyllic setting for leisurely strolls, picnics, and beachcombing (it’s a great place to look for gemstones which is a fun challenge for kids and adults alike.)

Overlooking the beach, you can enjoy a glimpse into Scotland’s historical past as you explore the ruins of Red Castle! And nature lovers will enjoy observing the diverse wildlife including grey seals, bottlenose dolphins, otters, badgers, roe deer, stoats, bats, kingfishers, various species of duck and more that inhabit the beach, waters and surrounding countryside area!

 

West Beach – Berneray

Features & Facilities: Sandy Beach, Dog Friendly, Remote, Bistro/Restaurant Nearby, Shop Nearby

Voted the 3rd nicest beach in Europe by Lonely Planet, this next beach is a place where you can truly disconnect. Away from busy tourist destinations, Berneray is a place where you can breathe in the fresh sea air and truly relax and unwind.

The beach consists of 5km of white sands and clear blue waters, and could easily be mistaken for a tropical beach, in fact at one point it was! Back in 2009, a Thai tourist board mistakenly displayed an image of West Beach Berneray on their website to promote Kai Bae Beach in Thailand.

Berneray Island spans just 10 square kilometres, making it a perfect spot for a leisurely beach day followed by a few hours of walking and enjoying the island’s sights.

 

Northern Ireland

Benone Beach (Magilligan Strand) – Limavady

Features & Facilities: Sandy Beach, Lifeguard Service, Zoned Activity Area, Cafe/Restaurant, Toilets, Disabled Facilities, First Aid Point, Shop

This next beach showcases some of the best of the Irish coastline, offering a unique blend of natural beauty, history, and recreational activities!

Declared an ‘Area of Special Scientific Interest,’ the Magilligan foreland stretches for around 20 miles and is home to one of the largest sand dune systems in the British Isles! This area is not only a haven for wildlife but also a paradise for nature enthusiasts. Here you can enjoy exploring its diverse habitats, from wetlands and mudflats to sandy dunes and diverse grassland home to rare flora and fauna.

Located nearby, you’ll also find the culturally iconic Mussenden Temple. Built in the late 18^th century this landmark is celebrated for its historical significance and breathtaking views, perched atop a cliff edge you’ll get an amazing view of the Atlantic Sea.

Benone Beach also provides a zoned-off area of the beach and waters specifically for jet skis and boats, so if you’re a lover of water sports this is the ideal spot for some aquatic fun! For further fun and leisure activities, located right next to the beach is a great Holiday and Leisure Park. It’s the perfect site for motorhoming families, offering some great facilities and activities for campers such as a 9-hole par golf course, crazy golf, an outdoor heated splash pool, tennis courts, and an indoor games room!

Whitepark Bay – Ballycastle 

Feature: Sandy Beach, Remote, Cows!

It’s not just people who enjoy a day out at the seaside. For an udderly moo-velous experience Whitepark Bay is the beach for you. Home to some of Ireland’s most photographed cows, this herd of cows from a nearby farm can often be seen wandering the beach, sunbathing, and even taking a dip in the waters.

Although due to the harsher waters at Whitepark Bay, the sea is not suitable for swimming, it’s a great place for experienced surfers to catch a wave. The beach and surrounding natural areas have a lot to offer and explore, and if you want to take a dip there are plenty of rock pools perfect for paddling in too!

If you’re planning on travelling the causeway costal route this is definitely a stop to make along your motorhome touring adventures.

 

 

Helens Bay – County Down

Features & Facilities: Sandy Beach, Picnic Area, Railway Station Nearby, Town Centre Nearby, Nearby toilets, Disabled Facilities

Just a 20-minute drive from Belfast, the gorgeous Helens Bay beach is the perfect location to visit while exploring Northern Ireland! And if you want to leave your motorhome parked up at a campsite you can take a short direct train from Belfast on NI Railways to Helens’ Bay station which is conveniently just 500 meters from the beach!

The golden sands, clear waters, scenic wooded headlands and meadows that surround Helens Bay make it a popular destination for families and tourists!

One of the highlights of Helens Bay is its excellent facilities. There is a well maintained picnic area perfect for a peaceful lunch in nature, and the nearby Crawfordsburn Country Park offers scenic walking trails, cycling paths, and opportunities for wildlife spotting. Don’t forget when you’re at the beach to look out for seals and porpoises that are commonly spotted off-shore.

Another great feature of Helens Bay is the beach’s proximity to the charming village which it shares its name with. Visitors can enjoy local hospitality and shops, making it a perfect location for a leisurely afternoon tea, a tasty meal, or a spot of shopping after a day of beach activities and exploring.

 

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