Do you live near one of the best beaches in Britain?
While the UK isn’t often synonymous with being a summer hotspot, we do (quietly) house some of the best beaches in the world.
The most recent TripAdvisor rankings listed Luskentyre in the Outer Hebrides and Woolacombe in North Devon among the 20 top beaches in the world.
Read more: Tripadvisor names St Ives as one of its top emerging destinations for 2021
However, a new survey has named Bournemouth’s beach as the best in the UK, beating off Cornish competitors like St Ives, Bude and Newquay, which also featured in the top 10.
Blackpool, Whitby, Brighton, Tenby, Bognor Regis and North Yorkshire’s Filey beach completed the top 10 list.
The ranking of the UK’s top 50 beaches was determined by a survey of 2,000 adults, which listed the popular Dorset beach as number one.
The survey also saw seven Devon beaches feature among the most popular, including Woolacombe, Dawlish and Torquay.
The top 50 beaches in the UK for 2021
Bournemouth, Dorset
St Ives, Cornwall
Bude, Cornwall
Blackpool Beach
Whitby, Yorkshire
Brighton, Sussex
Newquay, Cornwall
Tenby, Pembrokeshire
Bognor Regis, West Sussex
Filey, North Yorkshire
Woolacombe, Devon
Weymouth, Dorset
Great Yarmouth, Norfolk
Tynemouth, Tyne & Wear
Scarborough, North Yorkshire
Barmouth, Gwynedd
Llandudno, Conwy County Borough
Robin Hood's Bay, Yorkshire
Shanklin, the Isle of Wight
Exmouth, Devon
Aberystwyth, Ceredigion
Broadstairs, Kent
Dawlish, Devon
Polzeath, Cornwall
Watergate Bay, Cornwall
Barton-on-Sea, Hampshire
Crosby, Merseyside
Sandbanks beach, Dorset
Torquay, Devon
Eastbourne, East Sussex
Skegness, Lincolnshire
Camber Sands, East Sussex
Ilfracombe, Devon
Paignton, Devon
Southwold, Suffolk
Southend on Sea, Essex
Whitstable, Kent
Lochinver, Scotland
Margate, Kent
Salcombe, Devon
Pittenweem, Fife
Porthmadog, Gwynedd
Portree (Skye), Inner Hebrides
Portmeirion, Gwynedd
Hastings, East Sussex
New Brighton, Merseyside
Folkestone, Kent
Plockton, Ross and Cromarty
Gardenstown, Aberdeenshire
Stromness, Orkney
The research, commissioned by WWF-UK in partnership with Sky Ocean Rescue, found that 75% of respondents consider the beach or sea to be an iconic part of the British landscape.
The study also found that half of those polled said the beach allows them to escape the stresses and strains of everyday life, while 67% said they have a “strong emotional connection” to the seaside.
The study, carried out via OnePoll, also revealed 45% of people feel trips to the seaside are an important part of British culture, and 87% would be upset if their visits were ruined by environmental factors.
As a result, two thirds are passionate about the care of the ocean and its wildlife and are concerned about climate change and the state of the UK oceans.
Read more: The UK destinations to book now for your summer holiday
Sarah Young, head of marine policy at WWF-UK, says: "Over the months ahead, Sky Ocean Rescue and WWF will be setting out the actions that we can take as individuals to become ocean heroes, while also encouraging stronger leadership from the UK Government to support vital ocean recovery that’s so urgently needed.
“The Ocean Hero campaign by Sky Ocean Rescue and WWF is designed to show people that they have the power to make an impact on ocean health and, in doing so, inspire them to advocate for bold action from our government.
"At this critical time for climate and nature, we hope that millions of people will join us to show they care about our oceans and help to turn the tide on ocean recovery.”
Read more: The UK seaside cottages to book for your summer staycation
To find out more about WWF’s partnership with Sky Ocean Rescue or to join the fight and become an Ocean Hero visit - https://www.wwf.org.uk/ocean-heroes.
Additional reporting by SWNS.
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