Leicester, a city in the East Midlands, is far from any coastline, just about as far away as you can be in the UK. However, people still want to visit the coast, and if you’re willing to travel a bit, beachgoers can reach several coastal areas within a few hours’ drive. Here at Coast Radar, we have looked in all directions and selected five of the nearest beaches to Leicester:
Skegness Beach
Skegness, or Skeggy, as it is often referred is a popular seaside resort town on the Lincolnshire coast, approximately 90 miles (145 kilometres) east of Leicester. Skegness offers sandy beaches, amusement arcades, and attractions like Skegness Pier and the Natureland Seal Sanctuary.
Hunstanton Beach
We now jump across The Wash from Skegness onto the Norfolk coast, about 95 miles (153 kilometres) east of Leicester. Hunstanton is known for its distinctive striped cliffs, sandy beaches, and family-friendly attractions like Sea Life Hunstanton and the Hunstanton Seafront Gardens.
Cleethorpes Beach
Back to the Lincolnshire coast, Cleethorpes is a seaside resort about 100 miles (161 kilometres) northeast of Leicester. Its beach, promenade, and family-friendly attractions include Cleethorpes Pier and the narrow-gauge Coast Light Railway.
Weston-super-Mare Beach
These last two choices are probably controversial as any journey time stretches closer to 3 hours, but can be done and are great for a one-night stopover. Weston-super-Mare is a seaside town in Somerset, approximately 120 miles (193 kilometres) southwest of Leicester. Its long sandy beach, Grand Pier, and Marine Lake make it a popular destination for weekends and seaside holidays.
Bridlington Beach
Bridlington is a coastal town in Yorkshire, around 130 miles (209 kilometres) northeast of Leicester. It boasts sandy beaches, a historic harbour, great nature, hidden beaches and walking around Flamborough Head. If this distance is OK for you, then other options of Scarborough and Whitby come into range.
As Leicester is within the East Midlands and, by the name Midlands, is in the middle of the country, it is far from the coast. But, whilst these beaches may require a bit of travel from Leicester, they offer a range of amenities and attractions for a day trip or weekend getaway at the coast and by the sea.