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Daily Record
Daily Record
National
Sean Murphy

Scotland's best beach is incredible but it isn't actually on the mainland

It's that time of the year when people start looking for those stunning beaches and bays around the country where they've never been before.

And with the weather heating up nicely, Holidu, the search engine for holiday rentals, has conducted an analysis to find out where the Top 50 best-rated beaches are located in the UK so you know exactly where to go.

The list of beaches was taken from Google Maps with their number of reviews and average ratings. All those with more than 100 reviews were then ranked by the average rating given by the users and the number of reviews they received.

And the best beach in Scotland is not as well known as you might think - but it definitely is an absolute cracker.

St Ninian’s Beach can be found on the Shetland Isles and connects to the small island of St Ninian's to the Shetland mainland.

St Ninian's beach in the Shetland Isles (Getty)

The strip of sand, which is surrounded on both sides by clear, aquamarine waters, is in fact the UK's biggest tombolo - a sandbar connecting one island to another.

Found on the west coast of the island, the Holidu team said it has an average rating of 4.9, adding: "Visitors to this picture-perfect beach can enjoy an array of watersports, including kayaking, canoeing, snorkelling, sailing and windsurfing. The beach is also dog-friendly, so feel free to bring your furry friend along too!"

This stunning white sands also saw it place 5th overall in the UK list.

You can read the full interactive guide here.

Top 10 Beaches in Scotland

Rank: UK Rank: Scotland Name Location No. Reviews Avg. Rating
5 1 St Ninian’s Beach Shetland Islands 290 4.9
6 2 Mellon Udrigle Beach Highlands 230 4.9
7 3 Cove Bay Moray 210 4.9
10 4 Machir Bay Inner Hebrides 140 4.9
18 5 Gullane Beach East Lothian 1,114 4.8
19 6 Newburgh Seal Beach Aberdeenshire 724 4.8
20 7 Yellowcraig Beach East Lothian 680 4.8
24 8 Seacliff East Lothian 555 4.8
29 9 Balmedie Beach Aberdeenshire 431 4.8
34 10 Lunan Bay Beach Angus 353 4.8

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READ MORE:

7 of the most beautiful lesser-known Scottish lochs to visit when the weather is good

The hidden gem beach just over 40 mins from Glasgow that's perfect for a sunny day adventure

The best beaches in Scotland named in new Sunday Times guide

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