As the mercury hits highs of 30C once more this summer in the UK, and with some of our favourite European destinations hit by dangerous temperatures, a staycation is looking more appealing than ever.
If you want to plan your getaway around a world-class beach, then we’ve utilised the hivemind of some of our travel contributors to inspire you.
From a pretty pebbled seafront on the Jurassic Coast with nearby saunas, to one of Cornwall’s hidden gems — and two stellar sandy beaches in Wales, these are our favourite UK beauty spots.
Clevedon Beach, North Somerset
Clevedon Beach isn’t necessarily an immediate looker, though it does have a lovely pier, which happened to feature in the film adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go, as well as a One Direction music video — that’s what you call range. The real draw of Clevedon Beach is its marine lake, which is open to the public, free, and has a lovely community of regular swimmers who brave single-digit water temperatures in the winter and delight in sunset swims in the summer.
There’s even a handful of mobile Suvi Saunas cropping up next to the seafront, so marine lake swimmers can go for a dip in the brisk waters of the River Severn, then thaw out in the sauna afterwards. Maddy Mussen
Beer Beach, Devon
Backed by pastel coloured classic beach huts, and dotted with aging fishing boats and striped deckchairs, picturesque Beer Beach in Devon delights with opportunities for bracing sea swims and tasty crab sandwiches. The suntrap pebble beach sits on the famed Jurassic Coast, and I adore nothing more than a stroll along the headland, which rewards with panoramic views of the white chalk cliffs and cool surf below.
The village’s long fishing heritage is still alive and well, making it possible to head out on a boat trip with local fishermen. Mackerel are particularly abundant in these waters and taste great cooked on an open fire or BBQ. Lydia Swinscoe
Marloes Sands, Pembrokeshire
When I first walked the kilometre or so down a field path, scrambled over the rocks (a gentle, family-friendly scramble) , I saw... well, very little actually. A landscape surrounded by cliffs, and what looked like tiny mountain ranges appear out of the mist, giving it an ethereal quality. When the sun did then burn through, it revealed vast swathes of flat yellow sand and glorious shallow, bright green-blue waters to splash about in, and endless rockpools to explore.
Even on a hot August day, Marloes Sands felt quiet — at nearly a mile long it's so vast, and takes that extra bit of effort to get there, that it never feels busy. But as soon as the tide had reduced the beach (at quite high speed) to a sliver, we headed up and had a wonderful meal at the unpretentious café at the top, Runwayskiln, with its sweeping views down the coast and menu of hearty, locally sourced , home-cooked food. There's a car park, too. Harriet Addison
Canford Cliffs, Dorset
Sandwiched between popular Sandbanks and Bournemouth — and so much quieter than either one — I love Dorset's Canford Cliffs. My mother-in-law has had a beach hut here for the past 30-odd years and we have so many memories of long days spent on the fine golden sand, gazing out to Old Harry Rocks and the Isle of Wight. You'll need to carry all your stuff down the cliffside path to get there, but at least you can look forward to an ice cream from the kiosk on arrival. Alicia Miller
Lusty Glaze, Cornwall
One of my favourite summer memories is walking the coastal path to Newquay’s Lusty Glaze — led by a friend who’d grown up holidaying in this part of Cornwall. It’s privately owned and much quieter than neighbouring coves, with pleasingly golden sands and turquoise water. Our group spent a long afternoon sipping crisp rosé and watching the bodyboarders bob in the waves. We were sheltered from British whipping winds by the sweet pastel beach huts, where we huddled cooking fresh seafood and samphire on a barbecue. And as the sun prepared to dip below the water and turn the sky orange, the bar and restaurant behind kicked off a Sundowner sessions of live music. We were so busy having a magical time that we nearly missed the boat we had to catch back to our apartment. Hayley Spencer
Read more: The best hotels in Cornwall
Porthdinllaen, Wales
The tiny coastal fishing village of Porthdinllaen in North Wales is home to one of the country’s best-kept secrets: a truly world-class beach. Protected by the National Trust, it can only be reached on foot. Start your journey at the nearby car park in Morfa Nefyn, before heading along a stretch of beautiful golden sand, fringed by cliffs and gulls, next wind your way past the old fishing cottages. Journey’s end is the Ty Coch Inn, where it’s possible to buy a pint and a packet of crisps (or, indeed, a full meal), before stretching out to enjoy them on the sand ahead of the walk back. While it's a bit blustery, it's also home to spectacular views of the surrounding mountains. Bliss. Vicky Jessop
