None of Somerset’s beaches have been included in a new list of the UK’s top beaches in a national newspaper’s annual guide.
The Sunday Times published its ’50 Best UK Beaches’ feature over the weekend which it says is the ‘definitive and most comprehensive list of the UK’s best beaches’.
Burnham-On-Sea, Brean and Berrow have not been featured. For the 16th annual beach guide, the publisher says it assessed beaches across the UK using an 11-point checklist.
It looked at criteria including water quality, cleanliness, accessibility, car parking facilities, lifeguard presence, hygiene levels at restrooms and showers, and dog-friendliness.
The best beach in the UK was named as The Towans in Hayle, Cornwall. Across the South West, Devon beaches featured heavily with six spots in the regional best ten, with Cornwall having four, and four in Dorset.
Times chief travel writer Chris Haslam, who personally visited and inspected all 50 beaches included in the guide in the past eight weeks, said: “My Jack Russell, Dave T Dog, and I have journeyed 5,583 miles and explored 543 beaches. The 50 beaches that made our list are graced with outstanding natural beauty, superb infrastructure, and a clear sense of pride from those who live, work, and play there.”
“I’m still in awe of the beauty of the UK coast. From Kynance to Caithness, and Brancaster to Benone, the beaches of Great Britain and Northern Ireland are the most magnificent on earth.”
The newspaper adds that its 2024 guide only features beaches which are rated as “excellent” for water quality by national environment agencies and covers only mainland beaches.
Click here for the full list of 50 beaches here.
