The best beach in Northern England has pristine sand, excellent birdwatching and ‘Outstanding Natural Beauty’

It’s only July, and we’re already struggling to keep up with the number of heatwaves that have hit the UK this summer. One thing we do know, though, is that there’s nowhere better to spend a sunny day than by the sea.

Which is why, each year, Time Out bring you a guide to Britain’s best beaches. Compiled by expert Time Out editors and travel writers, our list of the 40 best beaches in the UK spans concealed coves and epic stretches of coastline.

Traeth Llanddwyn in Anglesey, with its 3.5 mile stretch of rolling white dunes, was officially crowned Britain’s best beach this year. In second place was Cuckmere Haven, which scored a place on the podium thanks to its towering chalk cliffs, its nature reserve and its proximity to the iconic Seven Sisters hiking trail, while third was ‘spotlessly clean’ Blackpool Sands in Devon and fourth was Camusdarach Beach in Scotland.

For anyone on the hunt for a canine-friendly coastline, though, our eighth place offers the perfect oasis for pooches and their owners. Situated on the Northumberland Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty where the River Aln meets the North Sea, Alnmouth offers two miles of dog- and family-friendly golden sand.

Time Out contributor Amy Houghton remarked that ‘lots of beaches around the country ban dogs or require them to be on leads during the sunniest months of the year, which is obviously pretty limiting for mutt owners. Not Alnmouth. Here you can watch your pooch frolic in the sea and sand to their heart’s content year-round.’

There’s plenty here for humans, too, coffee shops, pubs and restaurants included. The Old School Gallery serves al fresco pizza, while Bistro 23 is the place for fresh seafood and a glass of vino. The beach is also home to a diverse population of birds, making it the perfect perch for a spot of ornithology.

Plus, if you’re looking to soak up some culture by the sea, Alnmouth also boasts the smallest museum in Northumberland, The Ferryman’s Hut. Originally used by ferrymen who rowed passengers across the river Aln, this bite-sized historical hub is chock-full of pictures and stories of the site’s last ferryman, believed to have stopped working in the 1960s, and his predecessors.

Alnmouth has already won a place on our ranking of the best seaside towns in the UK, which should mean double the incentive to head over, bucket and spade in hand.

🏖️ The best beaches in the UK for summer 2026.

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