What makes a beach one of the best? For some people, it's all about getting away from it all - fabulous scenery, long walks and plenty of peace and quiet. For others, the golden sands of a bustling seaside resort where the kids can build sandcastles and the grown-ups can slap on a "Kiss me quick" hat before hitting the shops and amusements are what they're looking for. And other people want great surf, or somewhere to go rockpooling, or even just a beach that's easy to access.
There's no "one size fits all" apprach to what makes a beach one of the best. Everyone has their own opinion. Which is why our own "best beaches" list isn't our opinion.
We've started by checking the various lists of best beaches published by national newspapers and travel websites. To that, we've added the ratings given by our own visitors. So no one person makes the choice, but everybody's voice can be heard.
What about you? What are your favourite beaches? You can give us your own ratings on every beach page by clicking on the "rate this beach" button at the top right. The more you rate, the more we know.
This list of beaches is collated from a combination of lists published in the national media and ratings from our own users.
Portland Harbour Sandsfoot Castle Beach
Dorset
Poole Hamworthy Park Beach
Dorset
Porthcothan Beach
Cornwall
Balmedie Beach
Aberdeenshire
Watergate Bay
Cornwall
Weymouth Lodmoor Beach
Dorset
Newquay Porth Beach
Cornwall
Maenporth Beach
Cornwall
Rhossili North Beach
Swansea
Marloes Sands
Pembrokeshire
Leasowe Bay
Merseyside
Silverknowes Beach
City of Edinburgh
Llantwit Major Beach
Vale of Glamorgan
Woolacombe Village Beach
Devon
Saunton Sands
Devon
Skinningrove Beach
North Yorkshire
Holkham Gap
Norfolk
Portstewart Strand Beach
Londonderry
Saltburn Beach
North Yorkshire
Coppet Hall Beach
Pembrokeshire
Barmouth Beach
Gwynedd
Broadstairs Botany Bay
Kent
Perranporth Penhale Sands
Cornwall
Sandsend Beach
North Yorkshire
Sango Sands
Highland
Felixstowe North Beach
Suffolk
Mill Bay
Devon
Durdle Door West Beach
Dorset
Llanddwyn Beach
Isle of Anglesey
Dunwich Beach
Suffolk
Sea Palling Beach
Norfolk
Formby Lifeboat Road Beach
Merseyside
Holywell Bay
Cornwall
Pendower Carne Beach
Cornwall
Porthcurno Beach
Cornwall
Lunan Bay
Angus
Pease Bay
Scottish Borders
Gwithian Beach
Cornwall
Newquay Fistral Beach
Cornwall
Mwnt Beach
Ceredigion
Lantic Bay
Cornwall
Gwynver beach
Cornwall
Cuckmere Haven Beach
East Sussex
Treyarnon Bay
Cornwall
Bournemouth Pier Beach
Dorset
Bournemouth Hengistbury Head Beach
Dorset
Bournemouth Alum Chine
Dorset
West Wittering Beach
West Sussex
Blackpool Sands
Devon
Bigbury-on-Sea South Beach
Devon
Beer Beach
Devon
Wells Beach
Norfolk
Beaumaris Beach
Isle of Anglesey
Bamburgh Castle Beach
Northumberland
Weymouth Central Beach
Dorset
Alnmouth Beach
Northumberland
Achmelvich Beach
Highland
Bude Summerleaze Beach
Cornwall
Ventnor Beach
Isle of Wight
Cruden Bay
Aberdeenshire
Cayton Bay
North Yorkshire
Compton Bay
Isle of Wight
St Brelade's Beach
Jersey
Porthmeor Beach
Cornwall
Porthminster Beach
Cornwall
Broadstairs Stone Bay
Kent
Tintagel Beach
Cornwall
Tenby Castle Beach
Pembrokeshire
Swanlake Bay
Pembrokeshire
Shell Bay North Beach
Dorset
Studland Knoll House Beach
Dorset
Gairloch Beach
Highland
Yellowcraig Beach
East Lothian
Moggs Eye Beach
Lincolnshire
Monifieth Beach
Angus
Withernsea Beach
East Riding of Yorkshire
Port Soif Beach
Guernsey
Felpham Beach
West Sussex
Aberporth Beach
Ceredigion
Cleveleys Beach
Lancashire
Brodick Bay
North Ayrshire
Ogmore Central Beach
Vale of Glamorgan
Beauport Beach
Jersey
Pevensey Bay
East Sussex
Clarach South Beach
Ceredigion
Kessingland Beach
Suffolk
Mothecombe Beach
Devon
Aberdour Silver Sands
Fife
Westgate West Bay
Kent
Aberdyfi Beach
Gwynedd
Scarborough North Bay
North Yorkshire
Clacton Pier Beach
Essex
Carbis Bay
Cornwall
Teignmouth Holcombe Beach
Devon
Carrick Beach
Dumfries and Galloway
Cambois North Beach
Northumberland
Swanage South Beach
Dorset
Stokes Bay
Hampshire
Cresswell Beach
Northumberland
Colwyn Bay Rhos Beach
Conwy
Southerndown Beach
Vale of Glamorgan
Southwick Beach
West Sussex
Clovelly Beach
Devon
Cleethorpes Beach
Lincolnshire
St Annes South Beach
Lancashire
Thornwick Bay
East Riding of Yorkshire
Caister Point
Norfolk
Barry Island Whitmore Bay
Vale of Glamorgan
Aberdaron Beach
Gwynedd
Ynyslas Beach
Ceredigion
Broad Sands
East Lothian
Hoylake Red Rocks Beach
Merseyside
Aberafan Margam Sands
Neath Port Talbot
The Sands of Breckon Beach
Shetland Islands
St Ninians Isle Beach
Shetland Islands
Aberystwyth North Beach
Ceredigion
Amroth Beach
Pembrokeshire
Westhaven Beach
Angus
Torbay Crawley Woods Beach
Swansea
Tregantle Cliffs Beach
Cornwall
Tregonhawke Beach
Cornwall
Broad Haven South Beach
Pembrokeshire
Tynemouth Short Sands
Tyne and Wear
Burnham Yacht Club Beach
Somerset
Annan Beach
Dumfries and Galloway
Margate Westbrook Bay
Kent
Porth Tyn Beach
Isle of Anglesey
Kennack Sands
Cornwall
North Berwick West Beach
East Lothian
Paignton Preston Sands
Devon
Kames Bay
Argyll and Bute
Instow Beach
Devon
Highcliffe Beach
Dorset
Porlock Weir Beach
Somerset
Llangrannog Beach
Ceredigion
Heacham South Beach
Norfolk
Newhaven West Quay Beach
East Sussex
Newgale Beach
Pembrokeshire
Lydstep Beach
Pembrokeshire
Mablethorpe Town Beach
Lincolnshire
Llanelli Beach
Carmarthenshire
Llanbedrog Beach
Gwynedd
Marsden Beach
Tyne and Wear
Littlestone Beach
Kent
Littlehampton Coastguard Station Beach
West Sussex
Lepe Beach
Hampshire
Newbiggin-by-the-Sea North Beach
Northumberland
Porth Dafarch Beach
Isle of Anglesey
Porthcawl Newton Bay
Bridgend
Hastings Pelham Beach
East Sussex
Folkestone Warren Beach
Kent
Salcombe South Sands
Devon
Fleetwood Beach
Lancashire
Flamborough North Landing Beach
East Riding of Yorkshire
Sandy Haven Beach
Pembrokeshire
Easington Beach
County Durham
Dunbar Belhaven Beach
East Lothian
Sunderland Seaburn Beach
Tyne and Wear
Seaford Bay Beach
East Sussex
Runswick Bay
North Yorkshire
Rosemarkie Beach
Highland
Harlech Beach
Gwynedd
Porthmeor Cove
Cornwall
Gullane Beach
East Lothian
Portobello West Beach
City of Edinburgh
Prestatyn Barkby Beach
Denbighshire
Ramsgate Sands
Kent
Red Point
Highland
Cullen Bay
Moray