Destination • August 2014

Five British coastal gems

Antigua may be blessed with having a beach for every day of the year, and Mauritian shores do slip into warm waters, but Britain too has sandy beaches – and on summer days the sea is well worth a dip. Daniel Start, author of Hidden Beaches, picks his five favourite lesser-known coves

East Head, West Wittering, West Sussex

Nearest airport: Heathrow
Local diversion: Bicycle rides
West Wittering is widely considered one of the south coast’s most beautiful beaches. Its long sandy isthmus of East Head is lesser known, and a paradise of silver sand dunes and wispy marram grass. It has perfect white sand, great expanses of dunes and the beach shelves deeply, making it perfect for swimming.

Cuckmere Haven, East Sussex

Nearest airport: Gatwick
Local diversion: Favourite beach of the Bloomsbury set
The Seven Sisters chalk cliffs halt abruptly at Cuckmere Vale, where the broad green meanders of the River Ouse roll out across the valley floor. In the distance the shingle beach of Cuckmere Haven churns between the waves, sun and sea. Virginia Woolf, and the other artists and writers who made up the Bloomsbury Group, spent time at her sister Vanessa Bell’s home nearby, and came to Cuckmere Haven to picnic and bathe.

Arnside and Silverdale, Cumbria

Nearest airport: Manchester
Local diversion: Smugglers’ caves
This beautiful coast is often overlooked by those hurtling north to the Lake District, but just off the M5 is Arnside (pictured) where under ancient oaks a high tide shingle beach allows you to wallow in the warm tidal waters. In nearby Silverdale, at The Cove beach, seek out the two ancient caves dug into the cliff. There are beachcombing possibilities, and swimming at high tide offers great views of the setting sun.

Hayburn Wyke, Cloughton, Yorkshire

Nearest airport: Leeds Bradford
Local diversion: A country inn
Hayburn Wyke is a wide bay hidden beneath a wooded valley and double waterfall. Bracken and mistletoe run rampant on the slopes above, and when the sea is calm this is a magical place. The old station nearby was a popular stop on the Scarborough to Whitby railway line, now a much-used cycle route. Day-trippers stop at the Hayburn Wyke Inn for traditional pub fare.

Embelton Bay, Northumberland

Nearest airport: Newcastle
Local diversion: Crab sandwiches
The quiet sands of Embleton Bay stretch beneath the ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle. This is probably Northumberland’s most spectacular beach, yet you will find few people here. The 14th-century castle, perched on an outcrop above the beach, is the largest ruin in Northumberland. A mile or so beyond is Craster fishing harbour and the Jolly Fisherman pub, which serves the best crab sandwiches around.

Hidden Beaches: Explore the Secret Coast of Britain by Daniel Start describes more than 400 secret coves. (Wild Thing Publishing, £16.99)

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