What makes a beach one of the best? For some people, it's all about getting away from it all - fabulous scenery, long walks and plenty of peace and quiet. For others, the golden sands of a bustling seaside resort where the kids can build sandcastles and the grown-ups can slap on a "Kiss me quick" hat before hitting the shops and amusements are what they're looking for. And other people want great surf, or somewhere to go rockpooling, or even just a beach that's easy to access.
There's no "one size fits all" apprach to what makes a beach one of the best. Everyone has their own opinion. Which is why our own "best beaches" list isn't our opinion.
We've started by checking the various lists of best beaches published by national newspapers and travel websites. To that, we've added the ratings given by our own visitors. So no one person makes the choice, but everybody's voice can be heard.
What about you? What are your favourite beaches? You can give us your own ratings on every beach page by clicking on the "rate this beach" button at the top right. The more you rate, the more we know.
This list of beaches is collated from a combination of lists published in the national media and ratings from our own users.
Portland Harbour Sandsfoot Castle Beach
Dorset
Poole Hamworthy Park Beach
Dorset
Porthcothan Beach
Cornwall
Balmedie Beach
Aberdeenshire
Watergate Bay
Cornwall
Weymouth Lodmoor Beach
Dorset
Newquay Porth Beach
Cornwall
Maenporth Beach
Cornwall
Rhossili North Beach
Swansea
Leasowe Bay
Merseyside
Marloes Sands
Pembrokeshire
Silverknowes Beach
City of Edinburgh
Llantwit Major Beach
Vale of Glamorgan
Saunton Sands
Devon
Woolacombe Village Beach
Devon
Skinningrove Beach
North Yorkshire
Achmelvich Beach
Highland
Holkham Gap
Norfolk
Portstewart Strand Beach
Londonderry
Saltburn Beach
North Yorkshire
Coppet Hall Beach
Pembrokeshire
Formby Lifeboat Road Beach
Merseyside
Cuckmere Haven Beach
East Sussex
Broadstairs Botany Bay
Kent
Barmouth Beach
Gwynedd
Lantic Bay
Cornwall
Sango Sands
Highland
Shell Bay North Beach
Dorset
Lunan Bay
Angus
Sea Palling Beach
Norfolk
Newquay Fistral Beach
Cornwall
Mwnt Beach
Ceredigion
Felixstowe North Beach
Suffolk
Mill Bay
Devon
Gwithian Beach
Cornwall
Pease Bay
Scottish Borders
Perranporth Penhale Sands
Cornwall
Llanddwyn Beach
Isle of Anglesey
Porthcurno Beach
Cornwall
Holywell Bay
Cornwall
Pendower Carne Beach
Cornwall
Sandsend Beach
North Yorkshire
Gwynver beach
Cornwall
St Brelade's Beach
Jersey
Treyarnon Bay
Cornwall
Ventnor Beach
Isle of Wight
Wells Beach
Norfolk
Bude Summerleaze Beach
Cornwall
Dunwich Beach
Suffolk
Bournemouth Pier Beach
Dorset
Bournemouth Hengistbury Head Beach
Dorset
Bournemouth Alum Chine
Dorset
Blackpool Sands
Devon
Bigbury-on-Sea South Beach
Devon
Beer Beach
Devon
Alnmouth Beach
Northumberland
West Wittering Beach
West Sussex
Beaumaris Beach
Isle of Anglesey
Bamburgh Castle Beach
Northumberland
Weymouth Central Beach
Dorset
Cayton Bay
North Yorkshire
Porthminster Beach
Cornwall
Broadstairs Stone Bay
Kent
Studland Knoll House Beach
Dorset
Cruden Bay
Aberdeenshire
Swanlake Bay
Pembrokeshire
Tenby Castle Beach
Pembrokeshire
Porthmeor Beach
Cornwall
Tintagel Beach
Cornwall
Durdle Door West Beach
Dorset
Compton Bay
Isle of Wight
Heacham South Beach
Norfolk
Strathy Bay
Highland
Gairloch Beach
Highland
Waterwynch Bay
Pembrokeshire
Moggs Eye Beach
Lincolnshire
Sunderland Seaburn Beach
Tyne and Wear
Withernsea Beach
East Riding of Yorkshire
Monifieth Beach
Angus
Broad Haven South Beach
Pembrokeshire
Mothecombe Beach
Devon
Scarborough North Bay
North Yorkshire
Westgate West Bay
Kent
Port Soif Beach
Guernsey
Pevensey Bay
East Sussex
Ogmore Central Beach
Vale of Glamorgan
Llanelli Beach
Carmarthenshire
Cleveleys Beach
Lancashire
Colwyn Bay Rhos Beach
Conwy
Brodick Bay
North Ayrshire
Instow Beach
Devon
Kessingland Beach
Suffolk
Aberporth Beach
Ceredigion
Beauport Beach
Jersey
Aberdour Silver Sands
Fife
Felpham Beach
West Sussex
Aberdyfi Beach
Gwynedd
Clarach South Beach
Ceredigion
Swanage South Beach
Dorset
Cleethorpes Beach
Lincolnshire
Thornwick Bay
East Riding of Yorkshire
Clacton Pier Beach
Essex
Teignmouth Holcombe Beach
Devon
Cresswell Beach
Northumberland
Southwick Beach
West Sussex
Easington Beach
County Durham
Aberafan Margam Sands
Neath Port Talbot
Dunbar Belhaven Beach
East Lothian
St Annes South Beach
Lancashire
Stokes Bay
Hampshire
Cullen Bay
Moray
Burnham Yacht Club Beach
Somerset
Torbay Crawley Woods Beach
Swansea
Tregantle Cliffs Beach
Cornwall
The Sands of Breckon Beach
Shetland Islands
Hoylake Red Rocks Beach
Merseyside
Broad Sands
East Lothian
Ynyslas Beach
Ceredigion
Aberystwyth North Beach
Ceredigion
Aberdaron Beach
Gwynedd
Barry Island Whitmore Bay
Vale of Glamorgan
Amroth Beach
Pembrokeshire
Annan Beach
Dumfries and Galloway
Westhaven Beach
Angus
Margate Westbrook Bay
Kent
Caister Point
Norfolk
Cambois North Beach
Northumberland
Carbis Bay
Cornwall
Tynemouth Short Sands
Tyne and Wear
Carrick Beach
Dumfries and Galloway
Tregonhawke Beach
Cornwall
St Ninians Isle Beach
Shetland Islands
Southerndown Beach
Vale of Glamorgan
Marsden Beach
Tyne and Wear
Porlock Weir Beach
Somerset
Littlehampton Coastguard Station Beach
West Sussex
Lepe Beach
Hampshire
Porth Dafarch Beach
Isle of Anglesey
Porthcawl Newton Bay
Bridgend
Porthmeor Cove
Cornwall
Littlestone Beach
Kent
Llanbedrog Beach
Gwynedd
Porth Tyn Beach
Isle of Anglesey
Mablethorpe Town Beach
Lincolnshire
Newbiggin-by-the-Sea North Beach
Northumberland
Newgale Beach
Pembrokeshire
Newhaven West Quay Beach
East Sussex
Lydstep Beach
Pembrokeshire
North Berwick West Beach
East Lothian
Llangrannog Beach
Ceredigion
Paignton Preston Sands
Devon
Kennack Sands
Cornwall
Portobello West Beach
City of Edinburgh
Kames Bay
Argyll and Bute
Gullane Beach
East Lothian
Red Point
Highland
Folkestone Warren Beach
Kent
Fleetwood Beach
Lancashire
Seaford Bay Beach
East Sussex
Flamborough North Landing Beach
East Riding of Yorkshire
Sandymere Beach
Devon
Sandy Haven Beach
Pembrokeshire
Harlech Beach
Gwynedd
Praa Sands West Beach
Cornwall
Prestatyn Barkby Beach
Denbighshire
Ramsgate Sands
Kent
Rosemarkie Beach
Highland
Runswick Bay
North Yorkshire
Highcliffe Beach
Dorset
Salcombe South Sands
Devon
Hastings Pelham Beach
East Sussex
Fairbourne Beach
Gwynedd