BEST BEACHES IN THE UK
The best beaches in Britain have been announced according to a survey by the website TripAdvisor.
Coming out top is the 2-mile long North Devon beach at Woolacombe very popular with both the surfing set and families.
As it happens it is also the beach where as a youngster I spent many hours exploring the rock pools and burning up youthful energy running around the massive sand dunes that run along the back of the beach.
It was a time when having tea at the beach meant carrying a large, well it seemed huge for an 8 year old, a tray with a large brown china teapot and china cups and saucers with cakes on china plates back to my parents as they sat enjoying the vast expanse of sand that Woolacombe still does offer its visitors today.
However, now its paper or plastic cups and hygienically wrapped nibbles I guess and somewhat lighter!
Best beaches the sand dunes at Woolacombe
The beach at Woolacombe stretches to the south and that end is Putsborough just as nice in my opinion but not so easy to get to than the more fashionable northern end.
BEST BEACHES IN THE UK
In second place in the same survey is the local beach where I currently live in Dorset.
Weymouth came second in the best beaches award.
Weymouth and its elegant sweeping fine sandy beach and esplanade, with behind a great example of Regency buildings that run the length of it. Built at around the time of George III when he put the resort town on the map because of his love of sea bathing.
The beach has seen wartime action with thousands of US troops departing for ‘D’ Day from it in June 1944. Not quite that action today but it has acted as a great sporting venue in 2012 for the Olympics in London as it was part of the hosting for nearby Portland and the National Sailing Academy.
Weymouth came second in the UK
A favourite of the UK beach volleyball circuit as its hosts probably the best event in the country every July and has done for over 30 years. Youngsters can still take donkey rides and Punch and Judy is still there to entertain them too!
Other beaches in the list were St Brelades Bay Jersey (3) Rhossili Bay, Swansea (4) and Porthmeor Beach St Ives (5).
