SCOTLAND is blessed with thousands of miles of gorgeous coast, dotted with beautiful little islands and bays, and picturesque villages and towns. Many, particularly on the west coast , are lapped by azure-blue seas that could easily be mistaken for the Caribbean. 9 West Beach sits right in front of the town and you get views of Bass Rock from it 9 Beautiful North Berwick is a favourite day trip destination Credit: Getty 9 View of North Berwick and its lovely harbour Credit: Alamy So it’s no surprise to hear that one has been ranked the second Most Beautiful Coastal Town in the UK by online travel site Big 7 Travel and HolidaysCars.
com . While it might not enjoy a tropical climate or palm-tree-fringed beaches , North Berwick if rightly known for its stunning stretch of powder-soft sand beach and fabulous views. The East Lothian favourite is just a 30-minute train journey from Edinburgh and an hour more from Glasgow by rail or road.
This wonderful coastal retreat has a high street buzzing with independent shops and artisanal cafes, the seafood is ultra-fresh, and the natural beauty comes in spades Read more in travel DREAM ISLAND Inside tiny Scots island where only 12 people are allowed to camp at a time HIGH LIFE I saw dream job ad on way to work, now I live in luxury and fly around world HolidayCars experts said: “ It feels like an extension of artsy, culture-rich Edinburgh, only by the sea.” The town hosts The Fringe by the Sea, in conjunction with the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August. But its wide-stretching, vast, and windswept beaches are worth the visit anytime.
Nature lovers can take a boat ride out to see the gannet colony which call the famous Bass Rock home . The gobsmackingly gorgeous Portree on Skye was the next Scottish coastal town to make the list, coming in at no7. Most read in Travel SANDS QUIET Europe's best secret beach is near pretty coastal city with cheap flights SHIP INTO HARBOUR Scots port welcomes its largest-ever cruise ship in its 900-year history NATURAL CHOICE Little-known Scottish landscape given world heritage status ISLE GO Spain's overlooked 'magical' holiday island has £1.
55 beers and cheap flights 9 Skye is one of Scotland's most popular island destination and the colourful town of Portree pulls in the crowds Known for the cute colourful houses that ring harbour, it is hugely popular with Scots and international visitors year round. Skye is adored for its far-flung, atmospheric, and wild natural beauty, constantly hailed as one of the UK’s most beautiful places. Portree thriving artsy community, sprinkled with artisan bakeries and brunch spots, and there’s plenty of handicraft and independent shops to rifle through.
But those who come to Skye usually come for nature. The famed Old Man of Storr is just a 15-minute drive from the town and atmospheric Fairy Glen is 25 minutes away. There’s also plenty of scenic walks that begin in Portree.
Another colourful Scots town made it into the top 10. Tobermory on the Isle of Mull was rated no10 thanks it’s attractions, shops, bars and restaurants . 9 Famous as the backdrop to hit TV show Balamory, Tobermory is another coastal cracker Children (and grownups) will might recognise the colourful waterfront as the cottages from the kids’ TV show , Balamory and anyone who visits Tobermory agrees it is every bit as delightful.
HolidayCars said: “Visit the whisky distillery, eat freshly caught seafood, catch a local show at the An Tobar art centre, and visit the Mull Museum for an insight into the island’s mysterious heritage.” You can also soak up more of the wind-whipped, salty coast by taking a walk to the Rubha nan Gall lighthouse. and if you’re desperate to get out on the water , but the Scottish weather didn’t get the memo, you can head out on a sailboat.
Regular trips depart from the harbour to catch sight of basking sharks , dolphins, and minke whales. The quaint, impossibly cosy seaside town of Cullen in Moray was ranked 12th on the list of the top 20 in the UK, thanks in part to the crescent-moon-shaped beach which mirrors the towering viaduct and leads to flat-topped cliffs. 9 You might get the whole beach to yourself in lesser-visited Cullen 9 Cullen town right on the beach Credit: Getty 9 Spectacular beach and sand castle at Cullen Credit: Alamy The Moray Coast is one of the least visited Scottish coastal regions, so you won’t have to push through hoards of tourists, in fact you might even have the beach all to yourself.
If that sounds perfect to you, then you’ll particularly love Sunnyside Beach, which feels deserted in the best way. Surprisingly one of Scotland’s most popular towns only came in at no20 - stunning St Andrews, which was recently named the best seaside town in the country and no2 in all of the UK. St Andrews is a mix between a seaside haven and an eclectic university town and is stuffed with a range of galleries, independent restaurants, gothic architecture , student hangouts, theatres, and tonnes of historical sights.
Of course it is most famous for being the home of golf , with several coastal golf courses offering gorgeous teeing-up scenery, with some overlooking the famous West Sands beach where scenes from Chariots of Fire were filmed. The no1 slot in the UK was won by the town of New Quay in Ceredigion, Wales . 9 Stunning New Quay in Wales, voted the most beautiful coastal town in the UK It’s a small but buzzy town, yet not completely overrun with tourists, so it’s a happy medium for those who seek relaxation but not isolation.
The harbour is a popular boat trip jumping-off point, with sailboats taking visitors out on dolphin-spotting, seal-spotting, and fishing trips. Days end with spectacular over-the-water sunsets and, of course, fish and chips. Victorian terraced houses tumble down to New Quay’s main sandy bay, which is typically dotted with kayaks, sailboats, paddleboards, and families building sandcastles.
Read more on the Scottish Sun HOT DOG & FLIES Cheeky seagull swoops on Scots schoolgirl and steals hot dog from her hand CROWD ROW 'Worst I've ever seen' says gig fan as they slam behaviour at Glasgow show But if a wilder beach sounds more like it, then Traeth Gwyn Beach and Cei Bach Beach are just the thing. For the full top 20 see here..
