Here in the UK, great beaches aren’t hard to come by. With tens of thousands of miles of coastline, Brits are never more than two hours from the sea. But while loads of beautiful British beaches get all the attention they deserve (sometimes to their detriment), there are lots of other absolute stunners that remain under the radar, undisturbed by large, loud crowds in the peak summer months.
If the latter sounds like your idea of heaven, you’re in the right place. Time Out travel writers have put together a list of the most underrated beaches in Europe. It features a cove in Croatia, an island in Germany, a sandy stretch in Albania and, most importantly, a hidden bay right here in the UK.
The second best underrated beach in all of Europe, according to Time Out, is Skrinkle Haven in Pembrokeshire. The Welsh sand and shingle beach was once inaccessible to the general public as it was part of an RAF missile-testing site. Those military operations aren’t active anymore, meaning that Skrinkle Haven is now free for anyone to explore. One of its standout features is Church Doors Cove, a magnificent rock structure that gives Durdle Door (recently named one of the best beaches in the world) a run for its money.
Time Out travel writer John Bills curated the list. He said: ‘Pembrokeshire’s Skrinkle Haven is half beach, half cove, but all completely amazing. The experience is particularly inspiring at low tide, when Skrinkle Haven can be accessed through Church Doors Cove, a beautiful rock formation that you have almost certainly seen on your favourite photo-sharing social network.
‘Skrinkle Haven is Pembrokeshire at its secluded best, all romantic views and serene relaxation, with some of the best coastal walks in Wales found in the surrounding areas. ’
The beach is a two hour drive west of Cardiff and there’s a bus stop around half a mile inland. Check it out before the summer’s up.
See Time Out’s full list of Europe’s most underrated beaches here.
And explore more of the most beautiful hidden beaches in the UK here.
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