The 20 British beaches you should NOT visit this summer

The sun has finally started poking its face out from behind the clouds, which means one thing for us Brits: it’s time to dust off the shades, dig some swimwear out of the cupboard and slip on a pair of flip flops.

Luckily for those of us itching to feel the sand between our toes, we don’t have to go very far to experience glorious coastline. In February, Bamburgh Beach in Northumberland landed third place on a TripAdvisor guide to the world’s most distinct coastal spots.

While it’s great to see the UK being recognised for its glorious seaside, it’s important to note that not all of this island’s dunes have been created equal. In fact, there are certain stretches of English coastline where you officially shouldn't go for a dip, no matter how inviting the water might look. 

All the beaches across England which are currently classified as ‘poor’ for water quality – the lowest rating possible – have been revealed by travel site Locals Insider. Swimming is definitely best avoided in these shores, unless you fancy splashing around in a whole load of untreated sewage. 

Out of more than 400 designated bathing spots in England, just 20 beaches fall into the unswimmable category – one more than last year.

As for where a dunk is best avoided, Somerset is the worst-affected county, with five of its beaches raising the Brown Flag. Next up for the pollution prize is Devon, which has three coastal areas with poor water quality. Blackpool North, Scarborough South Bay and Southsea in Portsmouth also made the list.

All the beaches in England with a ‘poor’ water quality rating for summer 2026

• Littleheaven Beach, Gateshead
  
• Cullercoats Bay, Gateshead
  
• Scarborough South Bay, North Yorkshire
  
• Clacton (Groyne 41), Essex
  
• Littlestone, Kent
  
• Dymchurch, Kent
  
• Worthing Beach House, West Sussex
  
• Bognor Regis (Aldwick), West Sussex
  
• Southsea East, Portsmouth
  
• Lyme Regis Church Cliff Beach, Dorset
  
• Coastguards Beach, Erme Estuary, Devon
  
• Instow, Devon
  
• Ilfracombe Wildersmouth, Devon
  
• Dunster Beach, Somerset
  
• Blue Anchor West, Somerset
  
• Burnham Jetty North, Somerset
  
• Weston-super-Mare Uphill Slipway, Somerset
  
• Weston Main, Somerset
  
• Blackpool North, Blackpool
  
• Haverigg, Cumbria

Where to swim in the UK

Don’t be disheartened by the list of icky swim spots – there are still plenty of beaches offering white sand and crystal clear water. Check out Time Out’s list of the best beaches in the UK here.

Did you see that the best campsite in Britain has been crowned for 2026 – with hot tubs, fire pits and oak woodland?

Plus: this epic new £500 million waterpark resort will be the ‘biggest paid-for attraction in the UK’.