A historical village renowned for its stunning sandy shorelines has been voted the best seaside destination in the country.
Bamburgh in Northumberland has topped the list as a firm favourite for the third year in row, winning over fans thanks to its beautiful beach, ancient castle and classic seaside charm.
It came top in new rankings from a recent Which survey where over 3,000 people rated their experiences at UK seaside towns in the last year.
Criteria included quality of the beaches, food and drink offerings, tourist attractions and value for money.
Bamburgh scored an impressive 88% putting it firmly in first place, with one beachgoer commenting that it has "super-soft sand that stretches as far as the eye can see, and there is plenty of space, so the beach never feels crowded".
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The seaside town is famed for its sandy beach which also features the ruins of its ancient castle; in fact, the quality of its beach and seafront were some of its highest scores, as well as the peace and quiet to be found even during peak times.
Over on Tripadvisor there's plenty of praise for the seaside spot. One visitor recently wrote: "What a beautiful beach! The sand was really clean & the scenery stunning with steep dunes and structures to explore on some of their peaks.
"With a view towards Bamburgh castle this makes for stunning walks."
Bamburgh wasn't the only seaside spot to impress. Dartmouth in Devon came in second with a score of 85% thanks to its scenery, accommodation, shopping and food and drink options. One Brit praised its "atmosphere and vibrancy" which they noted is "not found in many coastal towns".
Meanwhile, Portstewart in Derry/Londonderry made its first debut in the rankings, thanks to its sandy beaches, harbour and promenade.
It's also home to Portstewart Strand, a two-mile stretch of golden sands that's also a National Trust site, and described as "one of Northern Ireland's finest beaches".
In fact, visitors in the survey praised the "fantastic beach" as well as the selection of cafes "selling home-style baking".
As for the UK seaside towns that didn't fare so well, Skegness and Clacton-on-Sea tied in last place with a score of 48%, despite being popular options for families looking for budget-friendly staycations.
Some of their lowest scores came in regards to the scenery, the lack of peace and quiet (no doubt during the peak holiday seasons) and seafronts. However, people still found plenty to praise about these locations.
Multiple respondents commented on Clacton’s "lovely" seafront gardens and praised its "fantastic" annual air show. Meanwhile Skegness was hailed for its "old fashioned" charm with a variety of fun entertainment for kids including arcades and an aquarium.
You can check out the full lists of the top 10 best and worst seaside towns from the survey below...
10 best seaside towns
- Bamburgh, Northumberland 88%
- Dartmouth, Devon 85%
- Portstewart, Londonderry 84%
- Portmeirion, Gwynedd 83%
- St Andrews, Fife 83%
- Tynemouth, Tyne and Wear 83%
- Southwold, Suffolk 82%
- Aldeburgh, Suffolk 81%
- St David's, Pembrokeshire 81%
- Tobermory, Isle of Mull 81%
10 worst seaside towns
- Skegness, Lincolnshire 48%
- Clacton-on-Sea, Essex 48%
- Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset 49%
- Bangor, County Down 49%
- Mablethorpe, Lincolnshire 54%
- Bognor Regis, West Sussex 54%
- Great Yarmouth, Norfolk 55%
- Colwyn Bay, Conwy 55%
- Southend-on-Sea, Essex 56%
- Morecambe, Lancashire 56%
You can find out more on which.co.uk.
Where's your favourite place for a seaside holiday? Let us know in the comments below.
