A beach situated three hours from Bristol has been named the best in the South West in a national guide released annually. The Sunday Times' best beaches guide is known for being the definitive and most comprehensive list of Britain's 50 best beaches and the 2022 list was compiled by Chris Haslam, the paper's chief travel writer.
He had the tough job of choosing from almost 800 beaches he visited around the UK's coastline, highlighting what the scenery is like, as well as more practical information when it comes to planning a beach day - like parking, toilet facilities, refreshments, shops and even local accommodation. And topping the list for the South West was Perranporth - a popular choice for holidaymakers across the country.
CornwallLive reports that Chris, who visits all the beaches with his Jack Russell assistant Dave T Dog, is particularly fond of Perranporth. He said: "There are lots of beautiful beaches in Cornwall. I could easily include 30 beaches in Cornwall on the list if it wasn't down to geographical spread, but there's something special about Perranporth.
Read more: Paignton the 'forgotten' seaside town to become envy of the South Coast
"With the epic surf, the fact that St Piran walked on it and a memorial bench to Poldark author Winston Graham it's as Cornish as it gets. I love the caves at Droskyn, which are actually the remains of ancient mines, St Piran's Oratory a bit further along, and the rock swimming pool which a lot of people forget about.
It's the beach that is the font of all things Cornish. With the cost of living crisis, it would be hard to find a beach as beautiful that's as cheap and cheerful as Perranporth."
Chris, who also pointed out Kennack Sands as one of his favourites across Britain, visited 791 beaches across the country with Dave the dog in 65 days. "Fifty eight of those nights were under canvas while seven glorious nights were spent in a cottage in Port Isaac when I visited the Cornish beaches. I have to do between 12 and 15 beaches a day to keep ahead of myself."
He added: "People say, what a brilliant job, spending all that time on beaches, but I literally rock up, check the toilets and car parks are open, look at the other facilities and move on. However, I was able to have time for a game of ball with the dog and go for a swim at Godrevy, which is definitely the dog's favourite beach and is probably mine too. Swimming in those little rock canyons is absolutely brilliant."
Sunday Times best beaches in the South West
Regional winner - Perranporth, Cornwall
Beer, Devon
Bigbury-on-Sea, Devon
Sandymouth, Cornwall
Kennack Sands, Cornwall
Godrevy Rocks. Cornwall
Watergate Bay, Cornwall
Weymouth, Dorset
West Bay, Dorset
This is the 15th year Chris and Dave T Dog have circumnavigated the British coast for the annual beach guide. "We've navigated canyon-like lanes to empty coves, queued to get onto urban hotspots, and, in one case, swam through a tunnel to reach an otherwise inaccessible bay. This is the most comprehensive and detailed beach guide available and it proves that, when the sun is shining, our beaches are the most beautiful on earth."
However, Chris won't be reading the online comments. "I always get a bit of stick from people howling and screaming for missing out their favourite beach or for ruining their beach by inviting the great unwashed. But my ethos is the seaside is for everybody, not just people who live there."
You can read the Sunday Times guide here.
Want our best stories with fewer ads and alerts when the biggest news stories drop? Download our app on iPhone or Android
Read next:
Rapist Sean Phipps 'could still be in Bristol' after more than a month on the run
Bristol Airport responds to complaints about 'two hour' baggage wait
Bristol Airport passengers praise 'no queues' this morning after delays overnight
The quirky forest escape just two hours from Bristol where you stay in your own 'Truffle'
