Some beach-goers love the hustle and bustle of a crowded beach in the summertime, while others prefer a tranquil, secluded stretch of sand.
Whatever your preference, there’s an English beach for you.
New research, carried out by motor finance firm Carmoola, has analysed Tripadvisor data to identify England’s busiest and most popular beaches. For those hoping to swerve the crowds and car-park queues, it has also uncovered quieter alternatives to swarming seaside hotspots.
Scroll down for inspiration on where to next lay your towel…
THE BUSIEST BEACHES
Surf-haven Fistral Beach in Cornwall has been named as England’s busiest beach, as 464 of its 4,485 Tripadvisor reviews mention the word ‘busy’. It’s also the country’s third most popular beach
Weymouth Beach in Dorset is both England’s second busiest beach and the second most popular
Woolacombe Beach, near Barnstaple in Devon, is England’s third-busiest beach. It’s also the fourth most popular
To identify England’s busiest beaches, researchers analysed Tripadvisor reviews for English beaches and created a ranking based on those that had the highest number of mentions of the word ‘busy’ in their reviews.
Top of the list is Fistral Beach in Newquay, Cornwall, with 464 of its 4,485 reviews mentioning the word ‘busy’. This 750-metre- (half-a-mile) long stretch is known as the home of British surfing thanks to its ‘golden sands, wild Atlantic swells and consistent crashing waves’, the Cornish tourist board notes.
In second place it’s Weymouth Beach, Dorset – of its 5,969 reviews, 426 contained the word ‘busy’. Tripadvisor user ‘frenchiwilson’ wrote: ‘This beach has everything! From water sports and pedalos to entertainment for the kids. It’s usually very busy on warm days but a space can usually be found.’
Brighton Beach in East Sussex ranks fourth in the ‘busy’ ranking and seventh on the ‘popular’ list
Scarborough Beach in North Yorkshire is the fifth busiest beach and the eighth most popular
Sliding into third place it’s Devon’s Woolacombe Beach (376 reviews mention ‘busy’) and Brighton Beach is in fourth place (333).
More crowd-magnet beaches include Scarborough Beach, North Yorkshire (fifth, 326); Cornwall’s Perranporth Beach (sixth, 242) and Dorset’s Sandbanks Beach (seventh, 227).
The rest of the top 10 is rounded out by Wells-next-the-Sea Beach in Norfolk (eighth, 190 reviews mention ‘busy’); Porthmeor Beach in Cornwall (ninth, 117); and St Ives Harbour Beach in Cornwall (10th, 116).
THE MOST POPULAR BEACHES
Bournemouth Beach is the most popular in England, it’s been revealed
Ranking fifth on the ‘popular’ list it’s Gorleston-on-Sea Beach in Norfolk (above)
Whilst there is some crossover between the busiest beaches and the most popular beaches – an overlap of seven beaches, to be exact – some of the locations are popular, but not overcrowded.
In determining England’s most popular beaches, researchers looked at Tripadvisor’s ‘Traveller Favourites’ table, which ranks beaches based on ratings and the volume of reviews.
Taking the top spot, it’s Bournemouth Beach. ‘As well as Bournemouth pier and stunning coastal views, Bournemouth Beach has cliff-top walks, restaurants, cafes and many visitor attractions on offer,’ Carmoola says, adding: ‘Whilst this beach is incredibly popular, it didn’t make it onto the busiest beaches list so it could be a great option for a summer day out.’
In second place, meanwhile, it’s aforementioned Weymouth Beach, while Fistral Beach takes third place.
The rest of the top 10 is comprised of Woolacombe Beach (fourth); Gorleston-on-Sea Beach in Norfolk (fifth); Filey Beach in North Yorkshire (sixth); Brighton Beach (seventh); Scarborough Beach (eighth); Perranporth Beach (ninth) and Dorset’s Hengistbury Head Beach (10th).
QUIETER, ENTICING ALTERNATIVES
Low Newton-by-the-Sea Beach along the Northumberland coast has been named the best quiet alternative to England’s busy beaches
The silver medal on the ‘quieter alternatives’ list goes to Trebarwith Strand Beach near Tintagel, Cornwall
To compile the ranking of quieter alternatives to England’s busy beaches, researchers looked at beaches with less than 1,000 reviews that had the best ratings and had the words ‘quiet’ and ‘clean’ frequently mentioned in their reviews.
In first place, it’s Low Newton-by-the-Sea Beach along the Northumberland coast. Carmoola says: ‘With golden sand, a car park nearby and local walks, this beach could be the perfect hit for those summer days out.’
The silver medal goes to Trebarwith Strand Beach near Tintagel, Cornwall. Carmoola says that this ‘off-the-beaten-track’ beach is ‘home to rock pools, stunning views and huge waves’, making it ‘paradise for anyone looking for an adventurous day out’.
Ranking third on the ‘quieter alternatives’ list is Crantock Beach in Cornwall, which ‘has an expanse of golden sand backed by dramatic dunes’
Porthgwidden Beach in St Ives ranks fourth on the ‘quieter alternatives’ list
Porth Beach, near Newquay in Cornwall, is fifth in the ‘quieter alternatives’ ranking
As for third place, that accolade goes to Crantock Beach near Newquay, Cornwall, which ‘has an expanse of golden sand backed by dramatic dunes’, according to Carmoola.
Porthgwidden Beach in St Ives ranks fourth, meanwhile, and Porth Beach, near Newquay, is fifth.
As for the rest of the top 10, there’s Bosham Quay, West Sussex (sixth); Tolcarne Beach, Newquay, Cornwall (seventh); Hayle Towans Beach, near St Ives, Cornwall (eighth); St Aidan’s Beach in Northumberland (ninth) and Warkworth Beach, Northumberland (10th).
THE BEACH INDEX – ENGLAND’S MOST POPULAR, THE BUSIEST AND THE QUIETER ALTERNATIVES
BUSIEST
1. Fistral Beach, Newquay, Cornwall – 464 (reviews mentioning ‘busy’)
2. Weymouth Beach, Dorset – 426
3. Woolacombe Beach, near Barnstaple, Devon – 376
4. Brighton Beach, East Sussex – 333
5. Scarborough Beach, North Yorkshire – 326
6. Perranporth Beach, Cornwall – 242
7. Sandbanks Beach, Poole, Dorset – 227
8. Wells Next The Sea Beach, Norfolk – 190
9. Porthmeor Beach, St Ives, Cornwall – 117
10. St Ives Harbour Beach, Cornwall – 116
MOST POPULAR
1. Bournemouth Beach, Dorset
2. Weymouth Beach, Dorset
3. Fistral Beach, Newquay, Cornwall
4. Woolacombe Beach, near Barnstaple, Devon
5. Gorleston-on-Sea Beach, near Great Yarmouth, Norfolk
6. Filey Beach, near Scarborough, Yorkshire
7. Brighton Beach, East Sussex
8. Scarborough Beach, Yorkshire
9. Perranporth Beach, Cornwall
10. Hengistbury Head Beach, near Bournemouth, Dorset
QUIETER ALTERNATIVES
1. Low Newton by the Sea Beach, Northumberland
2. Trebarwith Sand Beach, near Tintagel, Cornwall
3. Crantock Beach, near Newquay, Cornwall
4. Porthgwidden Beach, St Ives, Cornwall
5. Porth Beach, near Newquay, Cornwall
6. Bosham Quay, West Sussex
7. Tolcarne Beach, Newquay, Cornwall
8. Hayle Towans Beach, near St Ives, Cornwall
9. St Aidan’s Beach, Seahouses, Northumberland
10. Warkworth Beach, Northumberland
Source: Carmoola
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