Top 10 British beaches

With summer fast approaching it's time to break out the bucket and spade and hea d for the coast. Britain has some of the most spectacular, charming and gorgeous beaches in the world. From Scotland to Cornwall and sand to shingle, we bring y ou our prime picks from Britain 's sensational seaside. 1. Bournemouth, Dorset Bournemouth benefits from 7 miles of pure gold. One of the best city beaches in the UK , its soft sand and acres of space are perfect for families. It's won awa rds for cleanliness and on a clear day you can see out to the Needles on the Isl e of Wight . True, it's not a deserted paradise, but you can't ask for much more so close to a major town. And with the building of Europe's first artificial su rf reef, the beach is set to become one of the UK 's premier surfing spots. Web: Visit Bournemouth 2. West Wittering, West Sussex West Wittering near Chichester manages to please all comers with expansive sands , superior water quality and a thriving dune ecosystem. The beach shelves gently towards the sea making it ideal for safe swimming and when the tide is out you can bask in shallow tidal pools warmed by the sun. If you feel restless you can walk around East Head, a sandy spit populated by absorbing coastal flora and fau na. Visit West Wittering 3. Croyde Bay, North Devon Hammering surf and excellent surf schools and shops have sealed Croyde Bay 's re putation as North Devon 's best beach for catching waves. The village has retain ed an old world charm despite the influx of young surfers keen to party and the beach is big enough for sunbathers and swimmers, too. Visit Devon 4. Holy Island, Northumberland One of the most haunting and beautiful places in Britain , Holy Island was an ea rly centre of Christianity in the UK . Cut off from the mainland twice a day by the tide, it has a castle, an evocative ruined priory and mile upon mile of dese rted sand. If you're in a reflective mood, this is the one for you. Watch out fo r grey seals and rare birds. Web: Visit Holy Island 5. Holkham, Norfolk Draped in dunes, Holkham is a deliciously secluded beach backed by scented pine forest. Sunbathe, horseride or explore 3 miles of seemingly measureless, creamy sands. And if you come to Holkham, you'll be in illustrious company. The Queen l ikes to walk her Corgis here and Gwyneth Paltrow strode across the sands for the final scene of Shakespeare in Love. Visit Hokham 6. Great Bay, St Martin's, Isles of Scilly Short on Kiss Me Quick hats and sickly sticks of rock but with charm to spare, G reat Bay is the best beach in the Scillys. You can only reach it on foot, so the holiday hordes generally stay away. It's only a 20 minute walk from the quay an d the journey's certainly worth it. Offshore, kelp forests sheltering colourful fish wave lazily in a cobalt sea and the arcing white sands are distinctly tropi cal. Visit Great Bay 7. Blackpool, Lancashire Ice creams, saucy postcards, fish n' chips, rock, donkey rides and deckchairs Bla

ckpool beach is the essence of the traditional British seaside. Apart from miles of sand you'll find slot machines, shows and some of the biggest and scariest r ollercoasters in the UK. Visit Blackpool 8. Abereiddi Blue Lagoon, Pembrokeshire Not strictly a beach, the Blue Lagoon is actually an old quarry with a tidal cha nnel to the sea. The quarry forms a satisfying circle, protecting and enclosing a disc of shimmering azure water. It's a romantic spot reached by walking passed ruined slate workers' cottages and quarry buildings. Surrounded by cliffs, it's popular with cliff jumpers and coasteerers. Visit Abereiddi Blue Lagoon 9. Sinclair's Bay, Caithness This all but deserted beach just south of John O'Groats has soft white sand that 's lapped by waters tinged an otherworldly blue. It's hard to find a more atmosp heric beach. This one's guarded by two 16 th -century castles and welcomes porpo ises and whales. With 4 miles of uninterrupted sand you won't have any problems bagging a good spot. Visit Sinclair's Bay 10. Porthcurno, Cornwall This glorious, unspoilt beach hugged by craggy cliffs has fine white sand made f rom sea shells. There are cliff-top paths, rock pools to discover and a stream t rickling down the beach ideal for paddling children. Nearby, the extraordinary M innack Theatre hosts open-air plays with views of the ocean.Visit Cornwall