This is the UK’s best beach, according to the Telegraph

Last weekend was a scorcher, eh? Finally the sun is starting to emerge here in the UK and it’s the perfect time for our beaches to really flaunt their magical views, dreamy blue waters and glistening sand. 

Everyone has an opinion on which bays and coves would win a beauty contest, and we don’t blame you if you’d rather gatekeep your very favourite. But here, we’re all about sharing. 

RECOMMENDED: This English beach is officially one of the best in the world.

Naturally, Time Out has a definitive ranking of the most outstanding beaches on the British Isles, which you should most definitely check out. There are tonnes of other rankings of sandy destinations out there, though. Last week Condé Nast Traveller shared its opinion and now writers at the Telegraph have picked their faves.  Spoiler: they’re big fans of the southwest. 

With its gleaming waters and near-white sands, the newspaper declared Par on the Isles of Scilly the finest beach in the land. Travel writer Chris Leadbeater wrote: ‘[I] found myself staring besotted at this largely unadorned crescent, with its little jetty and handful of rowing boats.’

Pedn Vounder (known locally as ‘pednee’) in Penzance, Cornwall earned second place on the list for its ‘glassy waters, soft white sand and soaring cliffs behind’. It’s an ideal for a calm summer swim but just be prepared to glimpse some nudity — this is an unofficial naturist beach. 

If you drive up the coast for a couple hours you’ll arrive at number three on the Telegraph’s list, Polzeath. Then veer a couple more hours to the east for number four, which is East Portlemouth in Devon. Rounding off the top five is fellow Devon beach, Saunton Sands. 

Don’t worry, the rest of the UK does get a look in further down the list. Take a look and see if your go-to made the cut.

These are the greatest beaches in the UK, according to the Telegraph:

1. Par, Isles of Scilly
2. Pedn Vounder, Cornwall
3. Polzeath, Cornwall
4. East Portlemouth, Devon 
5. Saunton Sands, Devon
6. Seatown, Dorset
7. Clevedon, Somerset
8. Totland Bay, Isle of Wight
9. Rottingdean, East Sussex
10. St Margaret’s Bay, Kent 
11. Walberswick, Suffolk
12. Brancaster, Norfolk
13. Morecambe North, Lancashire
14. Runswick Bay, North Yorkshire
15. Cocklawburn and Cheswick, Northumberland
16. Barafundle Bay, Pembrokeshire
17. Penbryn, Ceredigion
18. Elie Harbour, Fife
19. Silver Sands of Moror, Highland
20. Scarista Beach, Isle of Harris 

You can read more about the Telegraph’s list here. 

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