Find the nearest Seaside Award

Lunan Bay beach is a 1 mile stretch of sand with dunes separated in the middle by Lunan waters. This is a stunning east-facing beach with pink sandstone hues, backed by sand dunes and framed by low cliffs to the north and south. The colourful, banded, volcanic rocks, are locally referred to as “Scotch Pebbles”, providing ample opportunity for beachcombing. The beach is popular with surfers, horseriders and fishing.

Porth Dafarch beach is a sandy beach within a sheltered cove. A great location for families as it is sheltered and has rocks and rock pools to explore and provides some great canoeing and Stand Up Paddling (SUP). The cove is also a popular visit for small boats as it provides great place to anchor and swim.

Freshwater East beach is a lovely crescent shaped sandy beach with dunes and woodland at the rear which form a local nature reserve and Red Sandstone cliffs on either side. It is a rural beach on the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path and measures nearly 1km across. The beach is great for families with good for swimming, walking, boating, fishing, building sand castles and relaxation. Not usually a surf beach but when there is surf then it is good surf. Facilities include car park and toilets.

Tywyn beach is a long seafront backed by a promenade and grass areas. The beach is sand and pebbles backed by sand dunes, stretching 7 km of the Welsh coast line, from Tywyn town in the North, to the harbour at Aberdyfi in the south. The beach is west facing and is popular with surfers, bodyboarders and windsurfers. Facilities include car parking, toilets, promenade with shelters and benches, amusement arcades, cafe/restaurant and slipway.

Weymouth beach with its golden sands is one of the best family beaches along the South Coast. The long curving bay makes Weymouth Dorset’s main holiday town. The main beach is within the town boundaries and backed by elegant Georgian terraces. Weymouth was a small fishing village until King George III visited in 1789 and kept coming back to get the sea air. Don’t worry it is not all old as Weymouth has been updating itself whilst keeping the character, there’s something for everyone in Weymouth and on Weymouth Beach. During the summer months lifeguards patrol, Punch and Judy to amuse the children, donkeys, and the famous sand modeller still amazes the crowds with his original creations. Swingboats,, trampolines, carousels and a helter skelter add to the colourful scene and snacks, ice creams and all manner of shops, cafe and restaurants

Stonehaven beach sits within the harbour town of Stonehaven midway between Aberdeen in the north and Montrose in the south. The beach is within a half-moon bay and has all the facilities you expect of a town beach.

Roker beach is also known as Whitburn South beach and is the closest northern beach to Sunderland. A wide sandy beach with all the usual seaside attractions including marine activities centre, boating lake, gardens/park and model railway. Facilities include parking, toilets, cafe/restaurants, deck chair hire.

Crawfordsburn has two of best beaches in the Belfast area and within the Crawfordsburn Country Park, on the southern shores of Belfast Lough. The river Crawfordsburn flows into Belfast Lough on the beach. Some good coast trails and walks. The country park has shops, cafe, car parking and offers disabled access.

Dunraven Bay beach, also known as Southerndown Beach after the small village nearby, is a sand and pebble beach popular with families and watersports (windsurfing, surfing and kayaks). The beach here is a west facing beach on the Atlantic coast, off-shore winds from the East generate some good surf. When the tide is out you have a great expanse of sand and there are many rock pools, a good place to look for fossils amongst the rocks. You have a second beach to the South just over the headland that rarely has anyone on it, partly due to the steep steps down the cliffs. This second beach is one of the largest in Glamorgan but be careful as tide conditions can cut you off from the steps. The headland is Witches Point, designated under SSSI for geological importance. The beach due to it’s unspoilt scenery and remoteness has been used in films and TV series that include Doctor Who and Merlin. Facilities include car parking, toilets and cafe and lifeguards in the summer.

Aberavon (Aberafan) beach is a 3 km long sandy beach popular for walking and watersports (kite surfers and surfers). At low tide you have compact sand so out come buggy and ATB kiters. Facilities include parking, toilets and cafe.

The Strand at Portstewart is a large sandy beach backed by a sand dune system that reaches heights of up to 30 metres (100ft). Neolithic pottery and implements have also been found within the sand dunes, along with bronze pins and Roman jewellery, revealing a long history of human habitation. The Strand protects the mouth of the River Bann that is an important nature conservation site. The beach is managed by the National Trust and provides lots of things to do, including; beach games, sunbathing, swimming, walking and surfing. Unusually cars can be brought on and parked on the beach.

Milsey Bay is a sandy beach with views of the Bass Rock and the Firth of Forth across to Fife. A popular family beach that is ideal for sun bathing, bird watching, picnics, walking and exploring rock pools. There is a tidal pond built into the rocks which holds the water when the tide is out, providing a safe place for children to sail boats and paddle. Facilities include car parking, food and toilets.