THE UK’s best beach has been revealed – and it’s perfect for people who want to get away from the crowds.
As part of the Times’ Best 50 beaches in the UK, Towans in Hayle, Cornwall was named the overall winner.
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The three-mile stretch of sand came out on top, after analysing 543 beaches with a number of criteria, including car parking, loos, cafes and dog-friendliness.
All of the beaches must have excellent water quality as well.
Speaking of Towans, they said in the study: “The 1,700-acre expanse is an unspoilt, undeveloped and largely unknown stretch of sand, rock, cliff and dune across the bay from the overcrowded St Ives.
“There are fantastic sunsets, water sports equipment rental and two excellent cafés (Cove Café and the Jam Pot Café).
“As for the important stuff: the Towans’ water quality is excellent, it’s dog-friendly and it’s clean.”
They added that the sunsets were “phenomenal”.
The beach remains uncrowded due to the dunes being a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
This means nothing can be built on them, meaning the coastline remains underdeveloped compared to the other nearby Cornish towns.
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Other tourists have raved about the often overlooked beach too.
One wrote on TripAdvisor: “Having travelled the world I can say this beach is up in the top 5, been coming here over 60 years.”
Another agreed: ” I can only describe it as a piece of paradise. You could be anywhere in the world.”
Nearby parking costs around £1.10 per hour.
If you fancy staying nearby, there are a number of hotels and holiday parks nearby.
One of the nearest is Haven’s Riviere Sands Holiday Park at the south end of the beach.
For something fancier, there is the Three Mile Beach resort at the north end with luxury beach houses and shacks.
The Cornish beach was named the best in the southwest as well as the best in the UK.
Other winners included Beadnell Bay, the best in North England, along with Sheringham in East England and Southbourne in South England.
In Scotland, Gullane Bents came out on top while Freshwater West was the winner for Wales.
Here are the 50 best beaches in the world for 2024.
The Times’ Best 50 UK beaches
Best in the Southwest
Winner: The Towans, Hayle, Cornwall
Woolacombe, Devon
Summerleaze, Bude, Cornwall
Porthcurno, Cornwall
Kynance Cove, Cornwall
Mothecombe, Devon
Soar Mill Cove, Devon
Mattiscombe Sands, Devon
Budleigh Salterton, Devon
Branscombe, Devon
Best in North England
Winner: Beadnell Bay, Northumberland
Cayton Bay, North Yorkshire
Boggle Hole, North Yorkshire
Whitby, North Yorkshire
Redcar, North Yorkshire
Rose Sands, Northumberland
Bamburgh, Northumberland
Best in East England
Winner: Sheringham, Norfolk
Walberswick, Suffolk
Holkham, Norfolk
Brancaster Beach, Norfolk
Burnham Overy Staithe, Norfolk
Sutton on Sea, Lincolnshire
Best in South England
Winner: Southbourne, Dorset
Hive beach, Dorset
Man O’War, Dorset
Middle beach, Dorset
Birling Gap, East Sussex
Sandgate, Kent
Westbrook Bay, Kent
Best in Wales
Winner: Freshwater West, Pembrokeshire
Llanddwyn, Anglesey
Porth Iago, Gwynedd
Penbryn, Ceredigion
Mwnt, Ceredigion
Manorbier, Pembrokeshire
Pendine Sands, Carmarthenshire
Mewslade, Vale of Glamorgan
Oxwich, Swansea
Monknash, Vale of Glamorgan
Best in Scotland
Winner: Gullane Bents, East Lothian
Balmedie, Aberdeenshire
Findhorn, Moray
Achmelvich, Highland
Mellon Udrigle, Highland
Sanna, Highland
Best in Northern Ireland
Winner: Ballycastle, Co Antrim
White Park Bay, Co Antrim
Benone, Co Londonderry
Murlough, Co Down
And a beach in Wales was named as one of the best beaches to visit this year by Lonely Planet.
The Sun’s Deputy Travel Editor Kara Godfrey has been to two of the best beaches in the world – but here’s one in the UK she says is just as good.
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