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
Woolacombe Village Beach
Devon
Llantwit Major Beach
Vale of Glamorgan
Silverknowes Beach
City of Edinburgh
Saunton Sands
Devon
Holkham Gap
Norfolk
Skinningrove Beach
North Yorkshire
Coppet Hall Beach
Pembrokeshire
Portstewart Strand Beach
Londonderry
Saltburn Beach
North Yorkshire
Barmouth Beach
Gwynedd
Broadstairs Botany Bay
Kent
Gwithian Beach
Cornwall
Gwynver beach
Cornwall
Holywell Bay
Cornwall
Porthcurno Beach
Cornwall
Perranporth Penhale Sands
Cornwall
Pendower Carne Beach
Cornwall
Pease Bay
Scottish Borders
Lantic Bay
Cornwall
Llanddwyn Beach
Isle of Anglesey
Lunan Bay
Angus
Newquay Fistral Beach
Cornwall
Mwnt Beach
Ceredigion
Mill Bay
Devon
Wells Beach
Norfolk
Ventnor Beach
Isle of Wight
Bournemouth Pier Beach
Dorset
Treyarnon Bay
Cornwall
Tintagel Beach
Cornwall
Tenby Castle Beach
Pembrokeshire
Swanlake Bay
Pembrokeshire
Shell Bay North Beach
Dorset
Studland Knoll House Beach
Dorset
Broadstairs Stone Bay
Kent
Porthminster Beach
Cornwall
Porthmeor Beach
Cornwall
St Brelade's Beach
Jersey
Sea Palling Beach
Norfolk
West Wittering Beach
West Sussex
Sango Sands
Highland
Sandsend Beach
North Yorkshire
Weymouth Central Beach
Dorset
Bournemouth Alum Chine
Dorset
Blackpool Sands
Devon
Felixstowe North Beach
Suffolk
Achmelvich Beach
Highland
Bigbury-on-Sea South Beach
Devon
Cruden Bay
Aberdeenshire
Beer Beach
Devon
Bude Summerleaze Beach
Cornwall
Beaumaris Beach
Isle of Anglesey
Bamburgh Castle Beach
Northumberland
Alnmouth Beach
Northumberland
Cayton Bay
North Yorkshire
Durdle Door West Beach
Dorset
Dunwich Beach
Suffolk
Formby Lifeboat Road Beach
Merseyside
Cuckmere Haven Beach
East Sussex
Compton Bay
Isle of Wight
Bournemouth Hengistbury Head Beach
Dorset
Gairloch Beach
Highland
Yellowcraig Beach
East Lothian
Monifieth Beach
Angus
Moggs Eye Beach
Lincolnshire
Withernsea Beach
East Riding of Yorkshire
Aberdour Silver Sands
Fife
Clarach South Beach
Ceredigion
Pevensey Bay
East Sussex
Port Soif Beach
Guernsey
Aberdyfi Beach
Gwynedd
Kessingland Beach
Suffolk
Aberporth Beach
Ceredigion
Westgate West Bay
Kent
Scarborough North Bay
North Yorkshire
Beauport Beach
Jersey
Brodick Bay
North Ayrshire
Ogmore Central Beach
Vale of Glamorgan
Felpham Beach
West Sussex
Mothecombe Beach
Devon
Southwick Beach
West Sussex
Teignmouth Holcombe Beach
Devon
Flamborough North Landing Beach
East Riding of Yorkshire
Thornwick Bay
East Riding of Yorkshire
Fleetwood Beach
Lancashire
Torbay Crawley Woods Beach
Swansea
Tregantle Cliffs Beach
Cornwall
Tregonhawke Beach
Cornwall
Kames Bay
Argyll and Bute
Kennack Sands
Cornwall
Llanbedrog Beach
Gwynedd
Broad Haven South Beach
Pembrokeshire
Littlestone Beach
Kent
St Annes South Beach
Lancashire
Stokes Bay
Hampshire
Littlehampton Coastguard Station Beach
West Sussex
Lepe Beach
Hampshire
Highcliffe Beach
Dorset
Tynemouth Short Sands
Tyne and Wear
Annan Beach
Dumfries and Galloway
Gullane Beach
East Lothian
Ynyslas Beach
Ceredigion
Broad Sands
East Lothian
Red Point
Highland
Hoylake Red Rocks Beach
Merseyside
Aberdaron Beach
Gwynedd
The Sands of Breckon Beach
Shetland Islands
Folkestone Warren Beach
Kent
Barry Island Whitmore Bay
Vale of Glamorgan
Amroth Beach
Pembrokeshire
Heacham South Beach
Norfolk
Hastings Pelham Beach
East Sussex
Cocklawburn Beach
Northumberland
Margate Westbrook Bay
Kent
Westhaven Beach
Angus
Aberystwyth North Beach
Ceredigion
Harlech Beach
Gwynedd
Swanage South Beach
Dorset
Newbiggin-by-the-Sea North Beach
Northumberland
Mablethorpe Town Beach
Lincolnshire
Porth Dafarch Beach
Isle of Anglesey
Porthcawl Newton Bay
Bridgend
Clovelly Beach
Devon
Instow Beach
Devon
Porthmeor Cove
Cornwall
Cleveleys Beach
Lancashire
Dunbar Belhaven Beach
East Lothian
Porlock Weir Beach
Somerset
Newgale Beach
Pembrokeshire
Cresswell Beach
Northumberland
North Berwick West Beach
East Lothian
Aberafan Margam Sands
Neath Port Talbot
Paignton Preston Sands
Devon
Colwyn Bay Rhos Beach
Conwy
Marsden Beach
Tyne and Wear
Cullen Bay
Moray
Cleethorpes Beach
Lincolnshire
Prestatyn Barkby Beach
Denbighshire
Ramsgate Sands
Kent
Porth Tyn Beach
Isle of Anglesey
Caister Point
Norfolk
Sunderland Seaburn Beach
Tyne and Wear
Seaford Bay Beach
East Sussex
Llanelli Beach
Carmarthenshire
Burnham Yacht Club Beach
Somerset
Easington Beach
County Durham
Cambois North Beach
Northumberland
Carbis Bay
Cornwall
Lydstep Beach
Pembrokeshire
Rosemarkie Beach
Highland
Runswick Bay
North Yorkshire
Clacton Pier Beach
Essex
Salcombe South Sands
Devon
Llangrannog Beach
Ceredigion
Carrick Beach
Dumfries and Galloway
Sandy Haven Beach
Pembrokeshire
Southerndown Beach
Vale of Glamorgan