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26. Calgary Bay, Scotland

Calgary Bay is a beautiful secluded beach on the west coast of the island of Mull, Scotland's third largest island. If you're lucky you may even be able to have this beach to yourself to watch the sunset over the headland protecting the bay. The beach is backed by dunes and fertile grasslands, which support a wide variety of plants, so take care where you tread.
Where: from Tobermory, follow the winding B8073 to Calgary Bay.

27. Yellow-craig, West Lothian

This picturesque rural beach is a real find. The powdery soft sand is backed by woodland and the large car park beyond. The sea views are enhanced by the tiny island of Fidra and its lighthouse just offshore. A sign at the beach describes how the island is thought to have been Robert Louis Stevenson's inspiration for Treasure Island.
Where: Yellow- craig is signposted from the A198 coastal road.

28. Lulworth Cove, Dorset

Lulworth Cove is a near-perfect semi-circle in shape, having been carved out of the cliffs by the power of the sea. The shingle beach is not especially outstanding, but does offer safe bathing in the sheltered bay. From Lulworth Cove there is a popular 2km walk along the cliffs to the equally impressive Durdle Door, a natural arch of limestone rock that overlooks the cove.
Where: Lulworth Cove is clearly signposted from the A352 between Dorchester and Wareham.

29. Tenby South, Pembrokeshire

On a bright summer's day this beach looks beautiful, with miles of soft sand that stretch from St Catherine's Island to Giltar Point, and views of Caldy Island, just off the coast. The water also meets bathing quality standards, and lifeguards are on duty during the summer.
Where: follow the A478 from the north or the A4139 from the west.

30. Silver Beach, Isle of Wight

This relatively small and sandy beach on the east coast of the Isle of Wight is ideal for learning watersports, such as windsurfing and kitesurfing. At mid-tide there is a large area of waist-height water in which you can get to grips with the basics in safety, and the water is usually calm.
Where: Located just east of Bembridge harbour on the B3395.

31. Holy Island, Northumberland

Holy Island is only accessible by causeway at low tide, when a road is revealed from beneath the water, making it possible to drive or walk across from the mainland. The beaches of Holy Island are often overlooked by visitors. However, at low tide, if you walk across the dunes that run alongside the main access road, you will discover a beautiful expanse of pristine sand.
Where: clearly signposted from the A1.

32. Weymouth, Dorset

Weymouth's status as a seaside resort was established over 200 years ago when King George III visited to "take the waters". However, a fact that is likely to be of more interest to the kids is that Weymouth's sand is renowned for being particularly suited to sand sculpture and, more importantly, sandcastle-building.
Where: follow the A354 from Dorchester. Beach and car parks are well signposted.

33. Craster to Dunstanburgh

The spectacular Northumberland coast still remains relatively undiscovered. A recommended walk within the designated area of outstanding natural beauty starts in the fishing village of Craster, which has long been synonymous with kippers. From Craster, the walk takes in the dramatic coastline and the splendid 14th-century Dunstanburgh castle. This walk then returns to Craster along an inland route via Dunstan Square.
Where: from the A1 take the B1340 and follow the signs to Craster.

34. Croyde Bay, Devon

The pleasant village of Croyde is blessed with a fantastic beach, which has some of the best conditions for surfing in south-west England.

The clean bathing water and gently shelving sandy beach, along with the presence of lifeguards, make it especially appealing if you fancy a swim. Away from the water, Croyde has a good choice of pubs, shops and restaurants. There are also excellent walks along the surrounding cliffs.
Where: a short drive along the B3231 from Braunton. The beach is well signposted from the village.

35. Whitesand Bay, Pembrokeshire

Whitesand Bay is a surfing hotspot, set in unspoilt natural surroundings. The waves at this west-facing sandy beach are consistently impressive, so expect to see surfers dashing excitedly, surfboard under arm, from the car park straight to the sea. There's a friendly atmosphere here, and the cafe is the perfect place to relax post-surf. The beach is equally popular with non-surfers, and there are clearly marked zones for bathing and watersports.
Where: Whitesand Bay is clearly signposted from St David's following the B4583.

36. Sanna Bay, Highlands

This is without doubt one of the Britain's most secluded beaches, but it is worth the journey. The beach consists of an arc of soft, pristine white sand, which is as likely to be dotted with the footprints of the local wildlife as it is with human footprints. As if to confirm the isolated feel of Sanna Bay, a short distance along the coast is the Point of Ardnamurchan, the most westerly point of the British mainland.
Where: Sanna Bay is signposted from Kilchoan on the southern side of the Ardnamurchan Peninsula along mainly unclassified roads. Kilchoan is reached along the B8007 or by ferry from Tobermory on the island of Mull.

37. Southwold, Suffolk

Family fun is assured at the quaint seaside town of Southwold (home of Adnams beer). In addition to the smartly renovated pier, complete with telescope for scanning the horizon, there's a regular Punch and Judy show on the promenade. For junior, there's also a boating lake, amusements on the pier and a model yacht pond.
Where: from the main A12 road, follow the A1095 to Southwold.

38. Sandown, Isle of Wight

Sandown beach has all the ingredients for the traditional seaside experience such as a sandy beach, a pier, striped deckchairs and rapidly melting ice creams gripped by children. From here, the 19km section of the Isle of Wight Coastal Path follows the coast north over the chalk cliffs of Culver Down to the equally popular Ryde.
Where: well signposted from all directions. Follow the A3055 coastal road from the north or south, or the A3056 from inland.

39. Sandbanks, Poole

Sandbanks is a great urban beach, and the miles of fine sandy beach here are said to have won more Blue Flag awards than any other British beach. Careful zoning measures are in place to ensure that swimmers and watersport enthusiasts get the most out of their day at this extremely popular beach.
Where: the main roads leading to Poole are the A35, A350 and A338.

40. Fistral Beach, Newquay

Fistral Beach is the home of surfing in Britain. The great waves attract surfers from across Britain, and competitors travel from all over the world to take part in one of the many surf contests. The British Surfing Association is based here and offers surfing lessons from its National Surfing Centre. There's also a good selection of places to shop, eat and drink without straying too far from the waves.
Where: follow the A392 from the A30 or A39. Fistral Beach is signposted from Newquay's town centre.

41. Robin Hood's Bay, Yorkshire

The steep, narrow streets of Robin Hood's Bay appear to stubbornly cling to this windswept coastline. The village, known locally as Baytown, has a long fishing tradition, but in the 1800s it also became well known for the smuggling of heavily taxed goods such as rum, brandy and tobacco. Today, visitors include walkers on the coast to coast path.
Where: located just south of Whitby and well signposted from the A171.

42. Charmouth, Dorset

Charmouth beach is one of the best places along the 152-mile Jurassic Coast World Heritage site to find fossils. Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre organises guided walks led by experts throughout the year. The walks help bring to life the area's 185 million years of geological history.
Where: located to the East of Lyme Regis. Follow signs for Charmouth from the A35.

43. Eastbourne to Birling Gap, West Sussex

The coastal section of the South Downs Way is arguably one of the highlights of the route. However, if the thought of walking around 240km from Winchester to the coast is not appealing, start from Eastbourne's promenade and walk the 7km along the coast to Burling Gap. Around 2.5km from Eastbourne are the cliffs at Beachy Head, the highest in Britain at over 150 metres. These cliffs offer spectacular views along the coast.
Where: Eastbourne is well signposted from the A27 and A259.

44. Cefn Sidan Sands, Wales

Cefn Sidan beach is to Carmarthenshire what Holkham beach is to Norfolk: a seemingly infinite expanse of soft golden sand in an unspoilt natural setting. There are also great views towards the Gower Peninsula. Areas safe for swimming are zoned, the water is clean and lifeguards are on duty during the summer months, so wade on in. The miles of beach are backed by deep sand dunes, behind which is Pembrey Country Park, with plenty of wide open spaces for picnics.
Where: located west of Llanelli on the A484 Llanelli to Carmarthen coast road (off junction 48 of the M4).

45. Watergate Bay, Cornwall

Watergate Bay is quickly becoming a one-stop holiday destination for watersports fans. In addition to the Watergate Bay Hotel and Jamie Oliver's new restaurant, Fifteen Cornwall, this beach is overlooked by the Extreme Academy, which provides equipment hire and lessons for a range of extreme sports.
Where: from the A30 or A39, follow the A3059 and follow signs to St Mawgan, then Newquay.

46. Holkham, Norfolk

This clean sandy beach is backed by pine woodlands and at low tide the sea almost appears to be on the horizon, creating a view of nothing but sand and sky. The beach is popular with naturists and naturalists. The naturalists are drawn by Holkham National Nature Reserve; the naturists by the official naturist beach.
Where: access to the pay car park is directly from the A149 coastal road to the west of Wells-next-the-Sea.

47. Allonby, Cumbria

Allonby has a picturesque rural beach that offers great

views across the Solway estuary towards Scotland and inland to the hills of the Lake District. However, for many visitors, especially the kids, the real draw is the local shop, which offers delicious home- made ice cream.
Where: Allonby is four miles north of Maryport on the B5300 coastal road.

48. Rhossili Bay, Swansea

Rhossili Bay is the supermodel of British beaches. Its beauty alone has made it famous and it's constantly being photographed. However, its reliable waves have also made it a hit with surfers. From Rhossili, there is a five-mile circular walk across Rhossili Down, which is National Trust land. The path runs behind the beach and offers impressive views. Follow the A3055 coastal road from the north or south or the A3056 from inland both out to sea and inland along the Gower Peninsula.
Where: follow the A4118 South Gower Rd, then take the B4247 to Rhossili.

49. Tyrella Beach, County Down

Tyrella Beach has received the Blue Flag award every year since 1997 so, as you would expect, there are high-quality facilities for visitors. Conditions are also usually good for bathing at this popular resort beach, and lifeguards are on duty during the summer. If you prefer sunbathing to bathing, there's 2km of wide sandy beach on which to rest your beach towel and cool box.
Where: situated on the A2 Killough to Clough road, around five miles from Newcastle.

50. Polzeath, Cornwall

Almost everyone at the beach seems to be here to surf, and there's a great mix of surfers of all ages and experience. The surf atmosphere is enhanced by the numerous surf shops behind the beach selling the latest kit. Surfing conditions are said to be ideal for less experienced surfers, and if you're keen to learn, lessons can be booked easily and equipment hired. Expect to pay around £20 to hire all the kit needed for a day's surfing.
Where: from the A39, take the B3314 at Wadebridge and follow the signs to Polzeath.

Details were checked at the time of going to press, but prices and availability are liable to change.

About the writer: Stuart Kirby has set up his deckchair on well over 100 beaches from the Highland of Scotland to Cornwall - all in the name of research for guidebooks and travel articles.

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