Beaches have so much more to offer than just sandcastles and sunbathing. A beach in the autumn and winter is often far less crowded than the summer months – you can appreciate its beauty all to yourself! Wrap up warm, check out those tide times and enjoy a few of these best winter beaches in the UK.
Best for beaches for beachcombing
Runswick Bay
Just north of Whitby, Runswick was nominated for England’s best winter beach in the UK for beachcombing. Expect ancient fossils, lost jewellery and semi-precious stones from its crumbling cliffs.
Nearby YHA: YHA Whitby
Best for rock pooling
Robin Hood’s Bay
Nestled in the county of Yorkshire, Robin Hood’s Bay is filled with a wide expanse of brilliant rock pools at low tide, offering stunning cliff-top views. Make sure to grab a hot chocolate to warm your cockles!
Nearby YHA: YHA Boggle Hole
Bamburgh Lighthouse
Bamburgh is regularly voted as one of the UK’s favourite views and is known to be one of the best winter beaches for rockpooling. It’s not hard to see why with it’s dramatically set castle and miles of unspoilt beach and enthralling rock pools in Harkless Rocks, Northumberland.
Nearby YHA: YHA Berwick
Best for cave exploring
Seven Sisters Caves
Set in Broadstairs, Kent, this small network of caves between Botany Bay and Kingsgate Bay have links to notorious smuggler Joss Snelling. It’s a must-see for history lovers.
Nearby YHA: YHA Canterbury
Sugar Sands beach
Another Northumberland beauty! The pleasant name of this secluded beach makes a visit here enticing enough, before you hear about the golden sand, crystal sea, and little rocky hiding places which give this hidden gem a magical feel all year round.
Nearby YHA: YHA The Sill at Hadrian’s Wall
