Whitmore Bay is what most people think of when they talk about Barry Island, and has all the…read moreameneties you'd expect for a suburban resort: amusement arcades and fish'n'chips abound. Just behind is a small fairground, which I recall visiting when I was a small child - I used then to think it was quite impressive! The bay has also now been made famous by featuring extensively in the TV series 'Gavin and Stacey'. Up until the 1960s, however, it used to be packed during Bank Holidays with people coming on day trips from the mining communities in the valleys: newsreel footage shows every inch of sand covered with families! It's rather quieter than that, now, but still popular for day trips.

The larger of the two beaches on the island, this is very popular with holiday makers and local…read morewalkers. It's a surprisingly huge beach with soft golden sand and long headlands on either side. Ideal for families throughout the season for swimming and sunbathing. There is usually a coastguard presence. There are horse and carriage rides along the beach in summer, and many tourist and beach shops, cafes and fast food outlets around the promenade. The famous Pleasure Park lies behind the beach. The island railway station is fairly close (by foot) and you can journey to Cardiff from here.

As a Cardiffian I feel lucky to live only a stones throw away from so many stunning beaches…read more With the second largest tidal difference in the world, you have to get your timing right. Visit the beach at the wrong time and there will hardly be any beach, get your timing wrong and you may get cut off and have to bide your time till the tide goes out again. Get it right and you will see the splendid Jurassic coastline, fossils and if you're lucky may even find the dinosaur footprints or see the sand spit. If you fancy a coastal walk on the cliffs above you'll find some WW2 gunning posts and you can drop back down to the beach at various points. The beach itself is mostly stone slab, with pebbles and a little sand. Great for driftwood, beach combing and fossil hunting, dog walking and bbq's. Sadly if the Severn Barrage ever gets built this brilliant beach will disappear.

This is a pleasant beach near Cardiff made up of a combination of rock and sand, backed by layered…read moreJurassic cliffs and looking out over the Bristol Channel. To find it, head from Barry towards Lavernock and then follow the signs for the beach. Lots of people park their cars at the Captain's Wife pub car park to visit this beach - but it's only fair that you then stop in for a drink or a bite to eat to justify using their car park! If the tide's in, it's a really tiny strip of a beach - but when the tide's out there's more space to stroll and look for fossils (but make sure you don't get cut off if the tide's on its way back in!). Some people have sailed to Sully Island from here, but the Channel can get really rough with strong currents and some have had to be rescued. Not a crossing for a beginner.

The 7-mile stretch of sand and dunes that make up Brean beach lies just over two miles down the…read morecoast from Weston-super-Mare.  It boasts one of the longest stretches of sand in Europe and at low tide a vast expanse of mud flats are exposed. It is however dangerous to walk too far out at low tide and there are warning signs about staying away from the mud flats on the beach. The beach is popular with walkers, dog walkers and beach sport enthusiasts (both on and off the water). Access to the beach is easy as there is plenty of parking both next to and literally on the beach in designated areas. Toilets and drinking water are available and there are usually snacks in the form of an ice cream vans and a burger van. From the beach, Brean Down dominates the skyline.  This 97 metre high headland stretches out into the sea, forming a natural pier.  The more energetic may enjoy climbing up the down and will be rewarded with excellent views over the Bristol Channel and the Somerset Levels. The down is also home to a number of interesting archaeological sites.  There is evidence of the area having been inhabited in the Stone Age.  The remains of a Roman temple have been excavated on the south side of the down whilst the remains of an Iron-Age fort lie on the east side.  At the summit, the remains of a 19th century fort, built to defend against a possible Napoleonic invasion, can be found.

This is a fabulous, 7-mile long stretch of dune-backed beach running from Burnham-on-Sea in the…read moresouth to Brean Down, in the north, located on the North Somerset coast. I spent a lot of my childhood playing in the sand dunes here, but I also had my first (and last) driving lesson from my Dad on the beach - part of it is accessible to vehicles and you can park on the sand. As well as traditional beach activities like building sand castles, it's a favourite area for training racing horses, paragliding and sand yachting. At one end - close to the mediaeval church at Berrow - is the remains of the wreck of the Norwegian barque SS Nornen, which was blown onto the sand banks during a storm in 1897. The crew of ten and the chip's dog were rescued by the Burnham lifeboat during a heroic rescue. Like the rest of this coast, the tremendous tidal range of the Bristol Channel (the second highest in the world after the Bay of Fundy in Canada) means that the sea disappears over a mile out at low Spring tides, exposing extensive mud flats. These provide rich pickings for birdlife, but can be a death trap for the unwary, as the tide comes in at walking pace. Recent years have seen some dramatic rescues of people, vehicles and animals stuck (literally) in the mud as the waters rise around them. Following the death in 2002 of a five-year-old girl from Worcester called Lelaina Hall, a campaign was started to fund an inshore hovercraft, to help deal with such situations. It has been named Spirit of Lelaina in her honour. The advice is to stick to the firm sand close to shore - it's also rather nicer than the mud (which, ironically, is worse at he Burnham end). There are lots of caravan sites along this stretch of coast, and a few shops and a pub, although that's about the limit of facilities here. Nearby Brean Down - a large limestone promontory with fabulous views over the Bristol Channel - is a National Trust nature reserve, is notable for archaeology dating back 4,000 years, and has a well-preserved late 19th Century 'Palmerston Fort' at one end. Brean village - more a hamlet really - has a small 13th century church, unusually dedicated to St Bridget. Overall, it's a great place to walk and to blow away the cobwebs.

Hi Everyone!…read more Sidmouth beach well were to I start? the beach is pebbled though when the tide goes out there's lots of sand! For Tide Times: http://www.sidmouthherald.co.uk/sidmouthherald/flatfiles/tides/tides.aspx There are no longer lifegaurds on the beach, but the sea never has large waves in the summer, so not for surfers I'm afraid. The lifeboat is always there ready for any emergencies. There are some great rock pools when the tide goes out, head towards Jacobs Ladder. the beach doesn't have an EU Blue Flag (2009) because of the Napile which meant that this year some oil spills were found on the beach. this is no longer a problem, I see the beach every weekend and I haven't found a oil spill so don't worry. Top tips 1 - don't swim between the two rocky sea defences in the sea, people get in to trouble (however good you are at swimming) 2- good at low tide and take a bet for rock pooling, you'll be amazed what you can find! 3 - generally head away from the town for more sand! 4 - take some sun tan lotion, a BBQ and some drinks for the ultimate day at the beach

A rocky affair on the south coast in sleepy Sidmouth. It's famous for the boxing day swim - an…read moreannual event held to raise money for the RNLI. Every year, hundreds of people dressed in various costumes dive into the freezing waters of the English channel, and paddle around a bit. It's quite hilarious to watch. I won't be participating myself however, since I can't swim...

This is a great place for walkers and families about seven miles south of Carmarthen. The beach is…read morelarge with lovely soft sand and there are nice views across the estuary and River Towy to the village of Ferryside. Swimming is prohibited however because of the tides and mud flats. There is an official car park and also another gravelly and grassy area where one can park for no charge. Besides the main car park are toilets and a shop and cafe. Overlooking the beach is the huge ruin of Llansteffan Castle, also well worth a visit.

Weston beach is lovely when the tide is in and the weather is fair. It's a nice place to layout and…read moresunbathe or have a picnic, but I would not at all suggest this place as a good swimming location as it can be a mud pit you can easily sink into if you wade too far out.

I love Weston beach. It's clean and there's plenty of room for everyone. Yes, when the tide is out…read morethere's a 10 mile hike to get to the sea. On the other hand there is always something going on: super bikes, classic car rallies, wind surfing etc...loads to see.

The walk down to beach is the highlight. Interesting to see how pebble beach turns to large stretch…read moreof sandy beach .

This is a wonderful beach to spend the afternoon. The best thing about this beach is the walk down…read moreto it. A beautiful short walk down a hedged road full of honeysuckle brings you to a public footpath to the beach. You pass through peaceful woodland, a stream below you through the trees, and even a ruin of an old building in the dappled valley. Soon you climb out onto the beach and it's a lovely sight, of course. This is a great place to walk dogs and/or children. Bring a picnic and enjoy a day soaking up the sun. It's a whole lot less busy than some of the other beaches in the area, but it also doesn't have any of the facilities that other have to offer. The nearest toilets and watering hole are in the nearby pub, The Plough and Harrow, which is a great place for a seaside drink. There is usually a local field open for parking, donations politely requested. This beach is not wheelchair accessible, unfortunately.

A huge WOW for Saunton Sands. An unspoilt, endless run of beach for surfers, paddlers, dogs &…read moregrokels like me! Truly beautiful - wild, great light & so peaceful. Perfect.

Beautiful calm and quiet beach which few tourists visit but known by all the locals. Accessed via…read moreBraunton Burrows you come over the top of the sand dunes to a mass expanse of beach. Dogs allowed all year round and perfect to sunbathe in peace. I miss North Devon!