Scotland the best
Beautiful beaches
Relaxation and rejuvenation are shore things at these coastal beauty spots you’re sure to love Pete’s Beach
One of the many great beaches on the north coast that I’ve called my own. The hill above it is called Ceannabeinne; you’ll find it 7km east of Durness. Coming from Tongue it’s just after where Loch Eriboll comes out to sea and the road hits the coast again. It’s a small, perfect cove flanked by walls of coralpink rock and shallow turquoise sea. Splendid from above (land rises to a bluff with a huge boulder) and below.
Machrihanish
Foot of the Kintyre peninsula 16km from Campbeltown. Walk north from Machrihanish village or golf course, or from the car park on the A83 to Tayinloan and Tarbert. A joyously long strand (8km) of unspoiled orange-pink sand backed by dunes and facing the “steep Atlantic stream” all the way to Newfoundland.
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St Andrews West Sands
As a town beach, this is hard to beat; it dominate the view to west. Wide swathe not too unclean and sea just about swimmable. Golf courses behind. Consistently gets the Blue Flag, but beach buffs may prefer Kinshaldy or Kingsbarns, where there is a great beach walk, taking in the Cambo Estate and skirting the great Kingsbarns golf course. At the Kingsbarns car park, the caravan dispenses seriously good toasties. And, of course, there’s always Elie.
Lunan Bay
7km from main A92 road to Aberdeen and 5km of deep red crescent beach under a wide northern sky. The But ‘n’ Ben in Auchmithie is an excellent place to start or finish. You can climb up to the Red Castle. St Cyrus, north of Montrose, also a lovely littoral to wander. Walk 2km south of village.