A UK holiday may not be looking likely at the moment as campsites rapidly sell out and hotels are booked for months.
However, there are still some great beachfront locations to book this year where you won’t have to battle the crowds – or at least not on the same scale as some of the country’s best-knows resorts.
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Recent weekends have seen surges of people heading to the popular beaches of Bournemouth and Newquay – and thousands of tourists flocked back to Salcombe in recent weeks, and have been slammed for not social distancing.
But the UK has hundreds of beaches, many of which are much more secluded.
From campsites to boutique cottages, here are 10 of the best locations where you can book without needing to fret about keeping your distance.
All of these sites have availability in August at time of publication apart from Bryher cottages which has availability from October.
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1. Cuckmere Haven, East Sussex
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Cuckmere Haven, a pebble beach near Eastbourne, has great views of the Seven Sisters cliffs and has even been featured in films including Harry Potter and Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves.
- Two nights at beachfront house with Airbnb – £32.50pppn
- Seven nights at six-bedroom farmhouse with Airbnb – £83pppn
Deals later in the year include:
- Three nights at Pevensey Bay Holiday Park with Park Holidays – £230
- Three nights in Seaford cottages with Snaptrip – from £406
2. Porth Iago, Wales
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Porth Iago’s sheltered, south-west-facing position and clear blue waters are just the ticket for sunbathers and swimmers, with a campsite and car park on-site.
3. Porth Joke, Cornwall
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Locally known as Polly Joke and just a few miles from Fistral Beach, the sandy cove is deeper than it is wide – at low tide rock pools and caves are revealed.
Other deals in the area include:
- Three nights in Newquay cottages with Snaptrip – from £289
4. Skrinkle Haven, Wales
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Skrinkle Haven, a secret cove with views of the church door tourist attraction, is perfect for walkers along the Pembrokeshire Coast path.
5. Nanjizal, Cornwall
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Popular with birdwatchers, Nanjizal is also home to the ‘Song of the Sea’, an arch where the sea has worn through a tall narrow passageway.
- Seven nights at Downs Barn Farm B&B – £55pppn
Other deals in the area include:
- Three nights in Penzanze cottages with Snaptrip – from £325
6. Bryher, Isle of Scilly
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Bryher is the smallest of the five inhabited islands of the Isles of Scilly, meaning the beaches are often deserted.
- Seven nights at six-person cottage with Bryher Tourism – from £20pppn
- Seven nights at six-person chalet with Bryher Holidays – from £21pppn
Other deals include:
- Three nights at Isle of Scilly hotels – from £635
7. Traeth Mwnt, Wales
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While the National Trust beach is off the beaten track, the secluded cove is worth trekking down for.
- Overnight camping at Ty Gwyn Caravan and Camping Park, Mwnt – from £16 a night
8. Portholland, Cornwall
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Portholland has two beaches – East and West Portholland, with less than 50 residents.
Other deals in the area include:
- Three nights at St Austell hotels with Booking.com – from £315
- Three nights at St Austell cottages with Snaptrip – from £465
9. Crackington Haven, Cornwall
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Crackington Haven is easy to get to, with just a jump over the low bridge, with a pub and cafe to stop off in at the end of the day.
- One night at Coombe Barton Inn – £70pppn
Other deals in the area include:
- Three nights at Bude cottages with Snaptrip – from £329
- Three nights at Bude hotels with Booking.com – from £285
10. Scratby, Norfolk
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The sandy beach is just a few minutes from California cliffs in Norfolk, with an easy surfaced slope to walk down.
- Seven nights in modern chalet with Airbnb – £16pppn
