Bamburgh has once again topped the polls as Britain's best seaside destination.
The little Northumberland village, a well-known stunner in terms of beautiful scenery, ranks top in the newly-released Which? annual survey of Britain’s best seaside destinations. And the 'toast of the coast' announcement comes just in time for the Bank Holiday weekend when many people will be seeking out a top spot for a family day trip.
The results of the consumer brand's 2022 survey revealed that Bamburgh - which it described as "a tiny village" with a population of a little over 400 people - has retained the winning title for a second year, with a whopping overall destination score of 87%, as based on the experiences of thousands of holidaymakers.
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The survey had asked more than 4,300 visitors to rate the coastal resorts they visited across a range of categories including quality of beaches, seafront, tourist attractions, food and drink, scenery, peace and quiet and value for money. It said that Bamburgh, which also ranked number one in the 2021 survey, proved unbeatable once again for its sheer beauty, with its sweeping sandy beach overlooked by a clifftop castle described as “spectacular” and “imposing” by the respondents.
Next in the list was Llandudno, a close second with a score of 86%, then came St Andrews in Scotland in third place with 84%. Joint fourth place, with 83%, were Dartmouth and Tenby. In all, Britain’s coastline did itself proud with 51 destinations scoring an impressive 70% or higher.
Tynemouth scored 73%; Seahouses 71% and Whitley Bay 70%. Further down the table, Skegness, Bognor Regis, Southend-on-Sea, Great Yarmouth and Burnham-on-Sea made up the bottom five, with destination scores no better than 51%.
Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel, said: “The British seaside hasn’t boomed like this since the 1960s. Holidaymakers had such a fantastic time in their caravans, tents and beach lodges over the past two years that a coastal break on home shores is on the cards for many, even with restrictions on overseas travel lifted.
“Prices for a UK stay have increased but there’s no need to pay over the odds. For a holiday on a budget it’s best to aim for an off-season trip."
He added: "Head to one of the many well priced resorts with your bucket and spade, an empty stomach for the candyfloss and a pile of 2p coins and go make your fortune on the slots.” The results are based on a survey of 4,303 Which? Connect members carried out in January 2022.
In another list of five budget-friendly seaside destinations with hotels of £100 or cheaper, Tynemouth received an overall score of 73% with an average hotel price per night of £78. Up the coast, Berwick-upon-Tweed scored 75% with an average nightly hotel cost given as £88. For more Which? information see here.
