Bamburgh tops our bucket and spade list

WITH a majestic castle that towers above pristine sands, the tiny village of Bamburgh regularly attracts more daily tourists than its 400 residents.

And today the Northumberland resort is the toast of the coast after it was named Britain’s favourite seaside destination.

According to a survey of 4,300 holidaymakers, by the consumer magazine Which?, the village came top for the second year running, beating Llandudno, in Wales, and St Andrews, in Scotland.

Resorts were marked out of five for the quality of beaches, seafront, attractions, food and drink, scenery, peace and quiet and value for money.

Of 87 resorts featured, Bamburgh scored 87 per cent, securing full marks for its 1.5mile beach, seafront and scenery. Skegness, in Lincolnshire, came last with 49 per cent. Wales had four resorts in the top ten: Llandudno, Tenby, St Davids and Conwy. Southern England had three: Dartmouth, Aldeburgh and Lyme Regis. St Andrews was one of just three places that scored five stars for food and drink – alongside Padstow in Cornwall and Lytham St Annes. Folkestone, in Kent, where the average hotel bill is £63 a night, was the cheapest.

Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel, said that Covid restrictions keeping tourists at home, had started a trend. ‘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,’ he added.