Surf Cat

Weston-super-Mare

Distance from Birmingham: 105 miles, journey takes 1 hour 50 mins

By our reckoning, the closest beach to Brum is at Weston-super-Mare. It’s the nearest in terms of journey time as well as mileage (via the M5) and is very popular with Brummies.

Weston has one of the longest beaches in the UK. There are golden sands and a clean promenade and it’s popular even in winter with walkers and watersports enthusiasts.

Visitors can enjoy the Grand Pier, donkey rides, children’s rides, the SeaQuarium and The Bay cafe, plus the beachfront shops selling postcards, kites and buckets and spades.

Water quality earns three stars out of five and there are no restrictions on dogs between The Grand Pier and Knightstone Island and between Royal Sands and Uphill Beach. However, dogs are not allowed between The Grand Pier and Royal Sands between May and September, or on the beach at Marina Lake at any time of year.

Brean, Berrow and Burnham-on-Sea

Distance from Birmingham: 112 miles, journey takes 2 hours 6 mins

Just a bit further down is the longest stretch of sand in Europe running six miles from Brean to Berrow to Burnham-on-Sea. This piece of Somerset coastline is divided into eight beaches.

The water at Burnham’s award-winning Main Beach has strong currents and is not safe for swimming, except from two hours before high tide until two hours afterwards. The sandy beach has a pier, donkey rides and children’s entertainments.

There’s good parking on the seafront at the Main, South and North beaches.

Lighthouse Area Beach has an open stretch of sand with dunes at the top – and the well-known lighthouse on wooden stilts – but there isn’t much parking at this spot.

Dogs are welcome all year at Lighthouse Area Beach, Brean Beach, Brean Down and Berrow Beach, but there are restrictions at the others.

Don’t walk out to the sea at low tide because of the danger of sinking in the soft sand and mud.

Barmouth

Distance from Birmingham 113 miles, journey takes 2 hours 27 mins

This vast, long sandy beach is a family favourite for holidays. There’s a train along the promenade as well as the usual activities such as donkey rides and amusement arcades.

There are restrictions on dogs and no lifeguard service. Water quality is five star.

At the moment Wales is not allowing people to visit beaches – but Covid restrictions should change by July 6.

Tywyn

Distance from Birmingham 117 miles, journey takes 2 hours 37 mins

Tywyn means ‘sand dunes’ in Welsh and this sandy beach stretches for five miles.

The part directly in front of the town of Tywyn itself has a promenade behind it. It’s a popular spot for bathing as well as for surfing, jet-skiiing, sailing and wind-surfing, with a coastal path that’s good for walks.

There are no lifeguards and pet owners should note there is a restriction on dogs.

Again, please wait for Wales to lift restrictions in July as it is currently off limits to tourists.

Borth

Distance from Birmingham: 118 miles, journey takes 2 hours 45 mins

Dogs aren’t allowed on this beach – a mix of sand and shingle – between May and the end of September. The shallow waters, with four-star quality, are ideal for for swimming and bathing as well as sailing, surfing and fishing.

At the northern end is an ancient sunken forest that’s only exposed at low tide.

At the moment Wales is not allowing people to visit beaches – but Covid restrictions should change by July 6.

Rhyl

Distance from Birmingham: 124 miles, journey takes 2 hours 6 mins

Rhyl offers miles of sandy beaches. The busiest is Rhyl Central, opposite the top of the high street. It’s great for bathing, has a lifeguard service and offers free beach sports such as volleyball. Dogs aren’t allowed between May and September. Beware of the sandbank where you could get stranded by the rising tide.

Rhyl West beach is a great spot for paddling and there’s a Drift Park Water Play Area for children. No dogs are allowed here between May and September.

Across at Rhyl East beach there’s a craft zone for sports activities – and a restriction on dogs. You can also hire sand-friendly wheelchairs.

If you do want to take the dog, then head to the Splash Point beach where they are allowed to roam freely.

At the moment Wales is not allowing people to visit beaches – but Covid restrictions should change by July 6.

Aberystwyth

Distance from Birmingham 124 miles, journey takes 3 hours

The shortest travel time to Aberystwyth s via the M6 and A5. Alternatively, go via Kidderminster and Ludlow – it will take half an hour longer to arrive but cuts the trip to 115 miles. Going by train takes around the same time.

Aberystwyth’s South Beach – a sheltered sand and shingle beach in the middle of Cardigan Bay, between the castle and the harbour breakwater – has won a Seaside Award and boasts five-star water quality.

It’s a great spot for surfing, wind-surfing, sailing, body-boarding and canoeing, with a lifeguard service on hand throughout the summer but restrictions on dogs. You might be able to see porpoises out in the bay on warm days.

South Beach is also quieter than the resort’s North Beach, which has a mile-long promenade that draws lots of walkers, joggers, skaters, roller-bladers and bikers. Here you will find donkey rides, a paddling pool, bandstand, pier and a that takes tourists to the summit of Constitution Hill for spectacular views of the area.

At the moment Wales is not allowing people to visit beaches – but Covid restrictions should change by July 6.

Blackpool

Distance from Birmingham: 125 miles, journey takes 2 hours 2 mins

This is the UK’s best known seaside resort, where millions of visitors bask on the beach every year and then come home with a ‘kiss me quick’ hat. It’s also the only British resort with three piers.

There are seven miles of sand in total, with the main beach lying between two of the piers and backed by the famous Golden Mile promenade.

There are donkey rides, deck chairs for hire – and a ban on dogs. Note that although many visitors love to take a dip in the sea, the water quality is only two stars.

Behind the seafront is the Blackpool Pleasure Beach theme park offering 125 rides, attractions and shows

Barry Island

Distance from Birmingham: 126 miles, journey takes 2 hours 14 mins

Barry Island is a seaside resort that’s part of the town of Barry, in South Wales – so again lockdown restrictions mean you cannot currently go until these are lifted by a proposed date of July 6. It was an actual island in bygone times, up until the 1880s when Barry Docks bridged the gap to the mainland. The island was home to a Butlins holiday camp from 1966 to 1996.

Barry Island offers a golden crescent of sand at Whitmore Bay, which also has a promenade and is perfect for swimming and sunbathing.

There are horse and carriage rides and just behind is Barry Island Pleasure Park which is buzzing with a whole host of rides, arcades, shops, bars and restaurants. The other main beach is the smaller Jackson’s Bay.

Poole

Distance from Birmingham: 176 miles, journey takes 3 hours 6 mins

Sandbanks Beach at Poole stretches for three miles as far as Bournemouth. And it’s a favourite with many tourists, offering children’s games, paddle boats, crazy golf, wiindsurfing and a swimmers-only zone among the activities.

Sometimes dubbed Britain’s counterpart to Palm Beach, Florida, the seafront has five-star water quality and a lifeguard service.

Dogs are only allowed on the western end of the beach.

Shore Road Beach is also a popular choice, with a promenade and scenic views.

Many of the other beaches here are quieter and more secluded if you want a more tranquil day out at the seaside.

Tenby

Distance from Birmingham: 194 miles, journey takes 3 hours 45 mins

At Tenby you can find South Beach, a long stretch with dunes behind it, and the smaller North Beach with a promenade and backed by cliffs and by the town itself.

There’s also Castle Beach. All beaches are dog friendly, have a lifeguard service and offer water quality at the highest rating of five stars.

South Beach is popular for watersports such as surfing, windsurfiing and sailing, while the other two are used only for swimming and bathing.

For some other ideas on places to get out the bucket and spade and soak up the sun on the seashore, see our earlier guide to Brum’s nearest beaches.

At the moment Wales is not allowing people to visit beaches – but Covid restrictions should change by July 6.

Your suggestions for nearest/best beaches

1. New Brighton, Wallasey, Wirral – 98 miles from Birmingham, journey takes 2 hours 18 mins

2. Hoylake, Wirral – 99 miles from Birmingham, journey takes 2 hours 18 mins

3. Camber Sands, East Sussex – 204 miles from Birmingham, journey takes 3 hours 45 minutes

4. Weymouth, Dorset – 178 miles from Birmingham, journey takes 3 hours 53 mins

5. Shell Island, Gwynedd, Wales – 137 miles from Birmingham, journey takes 3 hours 22 minutes

And the nearest nudist beach?

There are a number of nudist beaches in the UK but the nearest to Birmingham is Morfa Dyffryn Naturist Beach, in Gwynedd, north Wales.

This is a sandy beach several miles long and an oficially recognised naturist spot.

It’s 124 miles from Birmingham, journey takes 2 hours 52 mins.

Hidden beaches worth treking to from Birmingham

Of course there are loads more beaches further afield – so we have pulled out the ones we think are worth the longer trek to visit.

There’s Port Iago in Wales, Chapel Porth in Cornwall and Barafundle Bay in Pembrokeshire.

All absolutely gorgeous!

Find out more here.

Man-made beaches near Birmingham

If you don’t fancy a journey in a stuffy car to get to a real beach – we do have some artificial alternatives near to Birmingham.

We have found some permanent man made beaches and some pop up ones just open for the summer.

These include Cotswold Country Park, Bosworth Beach in Nuneaton and Twinlakes in Leicestershire.

Find out more here.

Outdoor swimming spots

If you are looking for some wild swimming or a lido for the kids, we have found some gorgeous places in and around the city.

For wild swimmers, you can try Ragley Hall or Midlands Open Water Swim Centre at Kingsbury.

For lidos, there’s Droitwich, Kenilworth to try.