THE COAST IS CLEAR

Escaping the crowds is all the more important this summer. We pick some of

our favourite bustle-free beaches for a day on the coast with the kids

Earnse Bay, Cumbria

BEST FOR:

Few people come to Cumbria for its beaches, but west-facing, empty Earnse Bay on Walney Island (you’ll reach it across a bridge from Barrow-in-Furness) is perfect for a picnic. Views of the largest wind farm in Europe, the mountains of the Isle of Man and, on a clear day, Snowdonia, can be spectacular. visitcumbria.com

Blackgang Beach, Isle of Wight

BEST FOR:

Blackgang Beach is surely one of the least visited of all the island’s beaches and getting there’s as much fun as being there: you have to slither down a steep, sometimes slippery (but generally safe) path from Niton. The payoƒ is a glorious beach of fine-grained, ochre pebbles, overlooked by a magnificent sandstone escarpment that resembles a vast slab of honeycomb. visitisleofwight.co.uk

Botany Bay, Kent

BEST FOR:

It’s hard to believe this spectacular beach lies within striking distance of the grand facades of Broadstairs and seaside cheer of Margate. The soaring chalk stacks reach up to 130ˆ and there are also large stretches of pristine white sand — ideal for long lazy walks or a spot of sunbathing. visitkent.co.uk

Chapman’s Pool, Dorset

BEST FOR:

Tucked away on Dorset’s Isle of Purbeck, Chapman’s Pool is far quieter than its betterknown neighbour, Lulworth Cove. Its beauty is more than worth the modest eƒort needed to navigate the footpath to the sand and shingle. And as this is the Jurassic Coast, the kids will have every chance of finding ammonites, shell fossils and even small bits of Paleolithic reptiles. visit-dorset.com

Embleton Bay, Northumberland

BEST FOR:

Vast, crescent-shaped Embleton Bay hides in plain sight behind the commanding Dunstanburgh Castle. Even on the sunniest day you can wander, fly a kite or watch the pu•ns and terns with few concerns about social distancing. The castle looks like something a six-year-old might draw, perched on a cliƒ, with crumbling ramparts and a huge portcullis. visitnorthumberland.com

Covehithe, Su€olk

BEST FOR:

Reached from a lane that ends abruptly at a crumbling cliƒ edge with a backdrop of a roofless church, Covehithe, south of Lowestoˆ, has an edgy, dramatic beauty that is sure to capture any kid’s imagination. Explore the water-smoothed trunks of trees taken to the shoreline by the collapsed cliƒ, before taking a break on the soˆ, golden sand. visitsu olk.com

Lee Bay, Devon

Chapman’s Pool

on the Jurassic Coast in Dorset is ideal for fossil hunting

BEST FOR:

An isolated beach in North Devon is hard to find even at the quietest time of year, but pint-sized Lee Bay near Ilfracombe is one such place. Close to popular Woolacombe, you’ll find a small, sandy beach and rockpools that are perfect for exploring, paddling and sunbathing away from the crowds. leebay.co.uk MARK ROWE

Read more at nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel