Lesser known UK seaside towns

[SquatBetty]

Can you let me know your hidden gems? Happy to travel wherever in the UK and extra points if they have a sandy beach!

Seahouses and Bamburgh are lovely and have boat trips, Holy Island to visit, birds and seals, seaside shops selling all sorts, a castle to visit, sandy beaches with rock pools and fish and chips. There is also Chillingham Castle nearby and Roman places of interest. Alnwick Castle too.

The only downside is that it can be a bit chilly at times.

South west Scotland or lots of Northern Ireland. Northumberland is getting a bit too popular for my liking....!!

We went to dumfries and Galloway last year and stayed on the coast. It was really pretty and quiet. Not much going on if you want to eat out though...

The Channel Islands. Amazing beaches, and slightly warmer than mainland UK on average. The beaches are gorgeous, with incredibly clear water.

New quay, West Wales.

Bude in North Cornwall is pretty quiet compared to most Cornish seaside towns.

It has great sandy beaches and there is also a lovely open air swimming pool that is refreshed by the tide twice a day.

Take a wander along the Cumbria coast. Lots of lovely but very quiet beaches.

Alnmouth and Amble.

Came to say this!

St Bees and Drigg are great options. Huge, sandy, relatively unknown outside if the area and with great walks

Staithes.

Pembrokeshire is lovely and it's crazy busy like Devon and Cornwall. Somerset has a few nice coves but not sure I want to give up my sneaky spots . Best beach in the U.K., got to be on Shetland though, absolutely stunning, just take a wetsuit!

Bigbury-on-Sea in South Devon. You might have heard of Burgh Island (Agatha Christie), which is accessible across the sand when the tide is out or via sea tractor!

The are also sandy beaches 5/10 minutes walk either side along the coast: one is better for swimming and bodyboarding, the other for surfing/windsurfing. Both have lifeguards.

There are some great cafés/pubs, including a fab pub in the local village of Ringmore which you can walk to over National Trust land.

Adding some in the south to even it up. We love Milford on sea, Mudeford and Avon beach. It's shingle but sandy when the tide goes out, pretty beach huts with lovely views of the IOW. Not far from Bucklers hard which is fascinating and you can take a boat trip down the Beaulieu River or head towards lymington for a wander and fish & chips at the harbour. This has been a staple day out for us for many years.

We also like a trip to Southsea because it's got the funfair and it feels like an old fashioned seaside town and there is loads of parking.

And West Wittering which is a beautiful huge sandy beach but gets VERY busy weekends/holidays so best avoided if you can't go weekdays.

Loads on the IOW also. Ryde is sandy and HUGE. If you want a novel day out take the hovercraft from Southsea to Ryde. It only takes 10 minutes.

Staithes gets rammed in the summer and it’s beach is small. The water quality in that harbour is abhorrent. Would discourage anyone to swim in it. Been going to Staithes as part of a family tradition for years and it’s picturesque, but a secret gem it is not.

Agree with Cumbria. St Bees is lovely but gets quite busy on a sunny day though. We stayed in a (slightly rundown for amenities but caravans were good) caravan park at Braystones last July, school hols, and barely saw a soul. Access to the beach across a railway crossing, sand for miles and beautiful sunsets.

Cardigan Bay.

Fair enough - TBF I did go in February so might be a bit different then.

Yes the Channel Islands have amazing beaches.

Findhorn in Moray. Beautiful beaches but pretty quiet. Lots of fishing villages to visit nearby. On the East coast so not so many midgies. And you can go dolphin watching

I love St Bees so much. We're in the North East and every time I drive over there's a moment where the sun hits the hills and it's so beautiful I could cry.

The Isle of Man. There are loads of very quiet sandy beaches along with stoney beaches and rocky cove. If you want some non beach time there is a mountain and glens along with lots of historic stuff.

King's Lynn for Holkham?
Lincolnshire coast?

Robin Hoods Bay, good for fossil hunting and rock pools. Smuggling history.

Seaton Carew just outside Hartlepool

Joss Bay or Botany Bay near Broadstairs (and Margate in the other direction)

Sandy Beaches and cliffs. Rock pools.
No arcades but there is a small gift shop and cafe at Joss Bay now.

Always a favourite when I was younger and taken the DCs there over the years