North Berwick has been named among the best seaside towns in the whole of the UK.
The East Lothian beach town, just 20 miles outside Edinburgh, is hugely popular with locals, fellow Scots and tourists from further afield. Whether it is city-folk making the trip for a little fresh sea air or travellers from across the globe stopping by to take in what Scotland's seaside has to offer, North Berwick is a hit, bagging a spot in the top 10 list as a result.
The rankings, published by The Telegraph, rated the popular spot in fifth place, beating iconic towns down south including Brighton and Blackpool.
North Berwick boasts sandy beaches, independent shops and a historic golf course all on the bonnie banks of the Firth of Forth.
With the beautiful scenery, it is not hard to see why the 19th century town scored an impressive 80 out of 100 in the scoring system that gave points to resorts based on how they have adapted throughout the previous 20 years.
It is not the first time North Berwick has been in the limelight, with the town crowned the best place to live in Scotland in 2021 in the Sunday Times annual list.
The publication also listed the 'worst' beach town spots, with English town Rhyl, South Shields and Weston-Super-Mare taking the bottom three spots.
The Telegraph wrote: "North Berwick’s two sandy bays drew bathers from nearby Edinburgh in the 19th century, and the town, which has conserved its quaint architecture, has built on this reputation."
It adds: "On-trend draws are numerous: independent shops, the Why Not? artisan market, a gin distillery, the cool Steampunk coffee roasters, Bostock bakery, Alandas gelato, and the handsome lodges of Whitekirk Hill, just outside town.
"North Berwick Golf Club was founded in 1832 – 'only St Andrews hosts a club which has played continuously over the same course for longer' they assert – and there are more than twenty courses in the area. There’s a tennis club and a yacht club, too, and the Scottish Seabird Centre, walks up to Tantallon Castle and boat trips to nearby islands will keep unplugged children entertained."
Top 10 best seaside towns in the UK - full list
- St Ives
- Southwold
- Whitstable
- Lyme Regis
- North Berwick
- Brighton
- Margate
- Tenby
- Portstewart
- Worthing
UK's 10 worst seaside towns - full list
- Rhyl
- South Shields
- Weston-Super-Mare
- Blackpool
- Morecambe
- Cleethorpes
- Southport
- Torquay
- Southend-on-Sea
- Scarborough
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