Sunkissed, surf-washed, blessed with beaches or birdlife, the UK’s coastal resorts are delightfully diverse.
Dixe Wills picks his favourite seaside towns
What are the best seaside towns in the UK?
Salcombe, Devon
If ever there were a seaside resort to which the epithet ‘well-heeled’ should be applied, it is Salcombe. In recent years this former ship-building port has become one of the UK’s priciest places to buy property, and – though it’s not quite Monte Carlo – the town’s shops and watering holes are certainly in keeping with an affluent, yacht-loving populace.
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Tumbling gracefully down the western slopes of the Kingsbridge estuary, Salcombe is a warren of narrow streets and colourfully painted houses with a sheltered harbour and a pleasingly long waterfront.
Filey, Yorkshire
Tucked away between the larger resorts of Scarborough and Bridlington, Filey is often overlooked. It was merely a modest fishing village until the 18th century, when it became a retreat for Scarborough folk, growing into the small town it is today. More recently, it has become a popular retirement destination – its percentage of pensioners is about twice the national average.
Filey’s oldest building is the 12th-century St Oswald’s Church, standing high above the sea and accessible by bridge across a wooded ravine. Inscribed on the tower roof are almost 1,500 examples of historic graffiti.
Berwick
Is Berwick English or Scottish? Well, the answer has changed on numerous occasions. Now a small town on the River Tweed just south of the border, it was founded as an Anglo-Saxon settlement in the Kingdom of Northumbria – but changed hands no fewer than 13 times. Since 1482, it’s been firmly English… except many of its residents consider themselves Scottish or simply ‘Berwickers’, and its football and rugby teams play in Scottish leagues.
The sense of a frontier is magnified by a walk along the town wall. The first barrier was thrown up by Edward I, though the current structure is Elizabeth I’s mighty bulwark erected to defend against a Scottish invasion.
Brighton
Written in 1907, the song Sussex by the Sea has become the county’s unofficial anthem – and there’s nowhere quite as popular as Brighton for a slice of Sussex seaside. Famous for its easy-going outlook, and a haven for those seeking alternative lifestyles, Brighton is just an hour’s train ride from London, helping cement its status as a favourite with fun-seekers from the capital.
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St Andrews
St Andrews’ Old Course is the world’s oldest golf course, tracing its origins back to the Middle Ages. It has been the venue for no fewer than 30 Open Championships since 1873 – more than any other course. But though it’s known worldwide as the ‘home of golf’, St Andrews feels wonderfully cut-off. No motorway comes close to the town and the nearest railway station is five miles away at Leuchars.
Even the beach keeps its distance, the bracing West Sands lying a short walk north of town. But it’s well worth the effort to reach the two miles of scenic strand separated from the golf course by a fringe of dunes. Had you stood here on 24 April 1980, you’d have seen a group of young men in old-fashioned athletics gear running along the edge of the sea – actors being filmed for the famous opening scene of Chariots of Fire.
Port Righ
The capital of Skye is often cited as one of Scotland’s most delightful coastal towns. Its harbour is protected by a little wooded headland, with a row of colourful and much-photographed houses beneath casting a proprietorial gaze over a tiny sand-and-pebble beach that all but disappears at high tide.
Today, Port Righ is a popular base for exploring Skye’s attractions, including Dunvegan Castle and the Cuillin mountains. Visitors can also board a boat to discover the nearby isles of Rona and Raasay, or to watch whales, dolphins, seals and white-tailed eagles.
Port Rois, Northern Ireland
Most seaside resorts are happy to have one great beach. Some fortunate places are blessed with two. But Port Rois has no fewer than three Blue Flag beaches: West Strand and East Strand are next to town, while the gleaming sand of White Rocks beach lies just beyond a golf course, backed by dunes.
Unsurprisingly, Port Rois has built an enviable reputation as a top water-sports destination. If you’re into surfing, windsurfing, paddleboarding, kitesurfing, snorkelling or diving – or just swimming and sunbathing – this might be your ideal holiday.
Llandudno
Unusually for coastal tourism hotspots, Llandudno (pronounced ‘chllan-did-no’), was planned as a seaside resort in 1848 by architect Owen Williams, and retains an elegant Victorian sheen.
Llandudno’s white-sand beach and attractive streets – some still sporting their original iron colonnades – have long lured the English: two out of five residents hail from the next-door nation. The town also hosts a large proportion of retirees.
