Can anyone suggest some nice sandy beaches near Wiltshire?

[ATrulyMagnificentBroom]

For a day out with one year old DD. Just some basic sand castle-building, paddling, ice cream on the beach-type stuff.

I'm hoping for water that's safe to paddle in (Weston-super-Mare and Brean beach look ok in photos, for example, but I gather that between the mudflats, the tide and the pollution they're not ideal.)

So travelling down the coast from that point it looks like the first properly sandy beach might be Minehead?

Can anyone advise? Thanks.

We always headed south for Studland or Shell Bay, I honestly don’t think there’s a decent sandy beach along the Somerset coast, or over the Severn Bridge to Llantwit Major or Dunraven (lovely rock pools)
i’m in north Wiltshire by the way 😊

Which end of Wiltshire are you? Uts the last day of Bournemouth Air festival today, obviously very busy but lots on.

Shell Bay is really lovely. If you head further down to Studland, the beach is nice (as opposed to lovely) and there are facilities such as toilets (composting, IIRC) and ice-cream. It's a National Trust beach, and NT members used to be able to borrow a very useful dune buggy for use on the dunes and beach there.

North Wiltshire. I think we're looking at a two hour drive minimum.

Yep same - you really want to be heading to Dorset rather than Somerset.

You might be best off heading in to south wales - Barry island or similar? Yes I think you’re looking at a 2 hour drive wherever you go.

We are in North Wiltshire and went to Swanage in Dorset a few weeks ago. The beach there was lovely for sand castles and my DDs had a paddle too. Only a couple of hours drive so doable.

Thanks everyone. Sounds like we're off to the south coast then!

Anywhere in South Wales gets my vote

Swanage is nice.. I'm in West Wilts