Beachgoers in Lancashire and Cumbria have spoken of their surprise that the Sunday Times Best Beach Guide in the North West has none.
This weekend, the Sunday Times published its annual Best British Beach Guide, including the Top 51 voted by chief travel writer Chris Haslam.
In its rating for this year’s guide, Haslam visited 805 beaches over 63 days and compiled its list of the best in the UK.
“Many deserved little more than a look – too full or too grim – while others required lengthy hikes for a thorough inspection,” he wrote.
“In all cases, I had to know the practical aspects – parking, lifeguards, wheelchair access, tidal properties, toilet cleanliness and the price of a 99 – and the intangible values such as friendliness, beauty and atmosphere.”
The guide is broken down into regions, but the Northern England section only includes beaches on the northeast coast – Bamburgh, Runswick, Sandsend, Hunmanby Gap, Roker, Boulmer and Beadnell.
In comments posted in the guide, many asked why Lancashire and Cumbria were left out.
Haverigg Beach, Cumbria
(Image: Andrew Hill / Geographer)
One reader, Peter Edwards, commented: “I seem to remember some extraordinary beaches in the north west of England. I’m surprised not to see any of them on this list. “
However, another reader, Peter Jackson, said, “Thank goodness there was no mention of the amazing undiscovered beaches of Lancashire and Cumbria. I like them peaceful. “
Earlier this month, a list compiled from TripAdvisor reviews found St. Anne’s and Blackpool in Lancashire, Formby and Crosby in Sefton, and Haverigg in South Cumbria as the top five beaches in the Northwest.
Lancashire is home to a number of spacious and beautiful beaches, with St. Anne’s, Blackpool, Pilling Sands and Cleveleys being the most popular.
Alderman Michael Seward, chairman of the Fylde Council Leisure and Tourism Committee, said it was “sad” that neither Lancashire nor Cumbria were on the new list.
“We have some wonderful beaches,” he said.
“How rude St. Anne’s wasn’t there. We have a fantastic beach and are introducing beach wheelchairs.
“Accessibility for everyone is very important to me; nothing should be inaccessible to anyone.
“We have teams of brilliant garbage collectors who dedicate their team to protecting our stunning sands and with all of these great things going on on our Lancashire beaches it’s a little sad not to be there, but it gives you something what you can strive for. ”
In Cumbria, the five-mile stretch of beach around Allonby Bay on the Solway Estuary is sand, gravel, and pebbles along the high tide mark and is widely considered to be one of the best in the county.
Roger Hart is the chairman of the Allonby Parish Council and said he was surprised that one of Cumbria’s beaches was not on the list.
“Our beach is of a very high standard, it is very wide and has long sandy beaches, and the water quality has improved tremendously since United Utilities did a lot of work,” he said.
“There are some amazing beaches in Cumbria and I would say ours is one of the most popular beaches in Cumbria.
“We have a lot of visitors from outside Cumbria as well as regular visitors from Cumbria and they know a good thing when they see it.”
Also among the top-rated beaches for visitors to Cumbria is Earnse Bay on Walney Island, where kite surfers are regularly spotted, and to the south of the island there is a nature reserve that is home to gray seals.
Bardsea Beach, which overlooks Morecambe Bay, is a popular spot for hikers, and Silecroft Beach, which sits beneath the towering Black Combe Fell, is a hit with horse riders.
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