DESTINATIONS — UK & IRELAND
On the edge
Spend a day at the seaside with Katie McGonagle’s guide to top coastal spots
sk anyone to name a few favourite childhood memories and at least one is bound to involve a 99 Flake and a British beach. Our coast comes in for more than its fair share of stick – sure you need to pack a waterproof as well as suncream, and you might still end up with sand in your sandwiches – but on an island where we’re never more than 70 miles from the sea, those sandy stretches deserve more attention.
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Love, where Gwyneth Paltrow’s character is shipwrecked and makes her way alone along a wild, deserted beach? That was filmed here. Think vast stretches of untouched golden sands and skies that seem to go on forever. Swimming conditions aren’t brilliant, but it’s the ideal spot
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HOLKHAM BAY, NORFOLK Remember the closing scene of Shakespeare in
for early morning strolls or quiet picnics by the sea. Book it: Fisherman’s Cottage is a traditional flint cottage in Wells-next-the-Sea, within Holkham National Nature Reserve and a two- mile walk from the beach. It sleeps five, starting at £793 for a week from July 5 with Hoseasons.
hoseasons.co.uk/agents
a long, sheltered bay on its south coast and beach lovers are practically guaranteed a pleasant day. Conditions are ideal for a dip, and the number of Hobie Cats, windsurfers and waterskiers on an average summer’s day shows just how popular watersports are too. Book it: Radisson Blu Waterfront Hotel, Jersey, is at the St Helier end of the bay, offering direct beach access plus land surfing and canoeing. Room-only rates start at £89 in winter and £139 in
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ST AUBIN’S BAY, JERSEY Jersey is the sunniest place in Britain, so pick
summer, paying 10% commission.
radissonblu.co.uk/hotel-jersey
in the crown of Ireland’s wild west coast. It offers a choice of beach experiences, from quiet and untouched sands at sheltered Keem Bay to the longer and busier Trawmore Strand, which has great watersports and swimming on its western side. Ann Pye, Irish Ferries head of holidays, says of the latter: “The beach is a great sweep of golden sand with the little village of Keel at one end. It’s fantastic for a walk or horse-ride before breakfast, for paddling and sandcastle building, or beach cricket.” Book it: Irish Ferries offers a week self-catering at Trawmore Holiday Bungalows in Keel from £543 this summer for up to six staying in a four-bedroom holiday home, including ferry crossings with car.
irishferries.com
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ACHILL ISLAND, COUNTY MAYO Staggeringly beautiful Achill is one of the jewels
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FISTRAL BEACH, NEWQUAY Forget surfin’ USA – Fistral’s west-facing
Atlantic coastline and famous Cribbar reef make this one of the premier surfing spots in the UK, and home to several surf schools. It’s also a great family beach, with Newquay Zoo, Waterworld and a boating lake nearby. Book it: Coast Cottage is a semi- detached bungalow sleeping up to six, just a 275-yard walk from the beach. Cottages4you offers a week self-catering arriving August 9 from £1,032.
cottages4you.co.uk
RING OF KERRY, COUNTY KERRY For anyone shouting ‘it’s not a beach’, this 111-
mile coastal drive deserves a spot on this list for its raw, unspoilt beauty and views over the wild Atlantic Ocean. No matter how good the panoramic setting on your camera, there’s no way to
1 26 June 2014 —
travelweekly.co.uk • 47
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10 beach breaks
of the BEST
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