9 of the best UK beaches in winter

A calm day on the Gower Coast at the Three Cliffs Bay

Who says Britain's beaches are just for summer? On a crisp, sunny winter day, there's nothing better than wrapping up warm for a brisk walk along the coast, taking in the wide views and enjoying the quiet after summer crowds have long gone. From fish shacks on the sand in Tynemouth to dramatic sweeps of coastline in Northumberland, these are some of the best beaches around the UK to visit in winter. Plus, we've included the best restaurants, cafes or pubs you need to visit after your walk as a reward to warm up.

For more winter travel inspiration, check out our 8 magical winter travel experiences for food lovers, best winter city breaks and the UK's best festive day trips.

9 best UK beaches to visit in winter

King Edward’s Bay, Tynemouth

It might not be the prettiest beach, but this small sandy bay enclosed by cliffs has a secret that makes it well worth the steep stairs down. It’s home to Riley’s Fish Shack, one of the best beachside restaurants around. And with the summer crowds long gone, only the hardcore fans make the chilly pilgrimage, rewarded with wood-grilled seafood straight off the fire.

An award winning beach, King Edward’s Bay is a small sandy bay approximately 200 metres long enclosed by cliffs and steep grass banks.

Aldeburgh, Suffolk

Aldeburgh’s long, stony sweep may not be the place for barefoot paddling, but in winter it turns wonderfully still – a pretty, pastel-lined seafront where the North Sea feels close enough to touch. Base yourself at The Suffolk, where owner George Pell has beautifully restored the townhouse hotel with quietly elegant rooms and food worth travelling for.

With summer gone, the queues for fish and chips at Golden Galleon or Aldeburgh Fish & Chip Shop finally ease, but you’ll still be jostling with locals at bakery Two Magpies for bread with proper heft and pastries that vanish fast. Pubs are aplenty, but the White Hart Inn is the one locals point you towards. It’s what I call a ‘proper boozer’ where locals spill out onto the pavement in their sandy Birkenstocks in summer but come winter, they wrap up indoors alongside the super cute pub cat.

Aldeburgh, Suffolk, United Kingdom. Photo taken in the Summer 2024.

Embleton Bay, Northumberland

My husband’s favourite beach in the world, Embleton Bay is dramatic, wide and so windswept in winter it can almost knock you sideways, but that’s exactly what makes you feel so alive. The sweep of sand seems to go on forever, with Dunstanburgh Castle looming in the distance like a piece of perfectly placed scenery.

After a bracing walk, warm up at The Ship Inn in Low Newton, a proper local favourite with its own microbrewery. Keep following the coast path to Craster for its famous kippers or grab a table at The Jolly Fisherman for crab overlooking the harbour. Stay in one of the many cosy seaside cottages in nearby Bamburgh, then book dinner at The Potted Lobster, a must for seafood lovers.

A man stands on a tranquil beach with Dunstanburgh Castle on the horizon, Northumberland Coast Path, Northumberland, England. August 9, 2018

Mawgan Porth, Cornwall

Tucked between Newquay and Padstow, Mawgan Porth is a wide, wild crescent of sand that feels wonderfully elemental in winter. The Atlantic barrels straight in, the wind scours the dunes, and even a short walk leaves you riding that salt-stung, alive-again feeling. Warm up at The Scarlet, a grown-up, eco-minded escape perched high above the beach; its clifftop hot tubs and Ayurvedic-inspired spa make it one of Cornwall’s most soothing winter hideaways. If you want something more casual, wander to Catch or The Merrymoor Inn for seafood-led menus. And when you’re ready to explore, Padstow is just up the coast for bakeries, shops and harbourside pottering, or make the trip to Rock for a long lunch at Paul Ainsworth’s pub, The Mariners.

Aerial view of the Cornish coastal resort of Mawgan Porth and Cornish Coastline

Three Cliffs Bay, Gower

Beautiful, rugged and blissfully quiet in winter, Three Cliffs Bay is one of the Gower’s most dramatic stretches of coastline. At low tide, the sands of Three Cliffs, Pobbles, Tor and Oxwich sweep together into one vast, walkable expanse; at high tide, they pull apart again into separate coves. It’s not a spot for winter dipping (the rip tides are notoriously strong) but for photography, hiking and that edge-of-the-world feeling, it’s unbeatable.

If the tide and weather play ball, you can follow the coastal path around to Oxwich Bay, home to Beach House, where Hywel Griffith serves refined, deeply rooted Welsh cooking right on the shoreline. For a gentle base, stay in Mumbles for a slow, sea-breezy weekend: wander the pier, graze through indie shops and spend your evenings pub-hopping, BeerRiff and other local breweries make it an easy place to settle in after a day on the coast.

Bantham Beach, Devon

One of my favourite beaches in Devon, Bantham is all rolling dunes, a wide estuary and knockout views across to Burgh Island. Rugged, scenic and blissfully quiet, this corner of Devon really comes into its own once the crowds disappear.

In winter it’s dramatic, wind-whipped and perfect for long walks that end at The Sloop Inn, or Outside, a relaxed spot created by Paddy Wellens and musician Ben Howard. Across the water, Bigbury-on-Sea offers another huge sweep of sand and the iconic crossing to Burgh Island, where an overnight stay feels wonderfully otherworldly. The Oyster Shack is a go-to in summer, but winter brings shorter hours (and a full January closure), so always check ahead.

Botany Bay, Kent

Framed by chalk stacks and sheer white cliffs, Botany Bay is one of the most photogenic beaches on the Thanet coast, and in winter, with the crowds gone, its quiet, otherworldly mood really lands. The tide pulls back to reveal wide stretches of sand and rockpools made for brisk walks and moody seascapes (though the strong currents mean it’s strictly a look-but-don’t-dip spot in colder months).

Warm up in Broadstairs, where Kebbell’s leads the charge for smart, seafood-focused plates. For a longer weekend, I’m a big fan of Margate (basically East London by the sea) where you’re spoilt for choice with food and drink. Think Sargasso, Angela’s, Sète, Louie on Sea, High Dive and a whole run of indie cafés and bars to hole up in when the weather turns. Check out our guide to the best restaurants in Margate for all our top picks.

Aberlady Bay, East Lothian

Sweeping dunes, wide-open sands and a constant salt-sharp wind make Aberlady Bay one of East Lothian’s most exhilarating winter beaches. The nature reserve feels wonderfully remote once the season turns, all big skies, birdlife and long, quiet walks out towards the old wrecks at low tide. Just along the coast, Gullane offers another beautiful sweep of sand backed by dunes and golf courses, with a gentler, villagey feel.

Stay at Tom Aikens’ The Bonnie Badger in Gullane, a warm, design-led inn that does comfort brilliantly, and book dinner at La Potinière, an icon in the Scottish hospitality scene. North Berwick also makes an excellent base, with independent shops, wine bars and the always-busy Steampunk Coffee for post-walk caffeine. And with Edinburgh only 40 minutes away, this stretch of coastline is easy to reach making a perfect winter double act of wild walks and city exploring.

Mini Subs: UK, Scotland, East Lothian, Aberlady: Wrecks of WW2 midget submarines, exposed at low tide on a sand bar and accessible to visit twice a day are two Royal Navy XT class midget submarines... Here is the known history of them: This is one of two of the six midget submarines class XT (T - Training) built by Vickers-Armstrong Ltd; They were manned by a crew of 4; The ship`s were 52ft long and 5ft in diameter; Their range was generally taken to be 500 nautical miles surfaced and 82 nautical miles submerged; At a speed of 6.5 and 5.5 Knots and powered by a Gardner diesel engine (as was used in a London bus!) on the surface and battery propulsion below the surface...

Runswick Bay, North Yorkshire

With its red-roofed cottages tumbling down the cliffside and a long, sheltered sweep of sand, Runswick Bay is one of the prettiest winter beaches on the Yorkshire coast. It feels quiet and cocooning once the colder months arrive, and it sits perfectly between a run of gorgeous fishing villages, from storybook Robin Hood’s Bay to my personal favourite, Staithes, with its steep lanes, artists’ studios and proper old harbour.

From Runswick, you can walk or drive up the coast to Sandsend, home to the boutique Saltmoore spa hotel and one of the county’s best low-key lunch stops, Mary’s Sandwich Shop. Or keep heading north into Whitby for fish-and-chips and obligatory arcades (my go-to is Magpie Café).