At Independent Cottages, we are well aware of how much Brits love visiting the nation’s beaches. Whether it be a day trip, weekend getaway, or longer holiday, many people flock to the British seaside to relax, unwind, and make memories with family and friends.
And it’s not hard to see why – miles of sandy beaches, activities to suit all ages, and fantastic fish ‘n’ chips on offer!
That being said, a visit to the beach can be challenging for those with disabilities, especially if the beach is lacking in accessibility features or is inconvenient to reach.
So, to make sure everyone can enjoy what the British coastline has to offer, we have found out which beaches in the UK are the most accessible.
Taking a list of all of Britain’s ‘Blue Flag’ status beaches, we used publicly available data to analyse which facilities and amenities are in place to make them accessible for all including wheelchair access to the beach, specifically-adapted beach equipment, and accessible toilets. We also looked at travel logistics looking at car parks with disabled car parking bays and the closest accessibility category A train station, a station where there is step-free access to all platforms.
What’s more, those will disabilities or mobility impairments shouldn’t be restricted when it comes to finding a holiday rental either, which is why we have a selection of cottages for limited mobility available that have been adapted or, in some cases, designed and built to be wheelchair friendly.
Read on below to find out which beaches are perfect for those looking to enjoy the beauty of the coast without any barriers.
The Most Accessible ‘Blue Flag’ Beaches In The UK
#1 The Bay Margate
In joint first place is The Bay at Margate – a sandy, quiet beach on the North Kent coast. And one of the things that makes it ideal for anyone with additional needs is that the closest accessibility category A station is just a mere 0.5 miles away from the beach. The Bay also has disabled access to the beach, beach-friendly wheelchairs for hire, and both disabled toilets and parking facilities. And if you need any further reassurance, the average score for Google reviews including the word ‘disabled’ is 5 out of 5 with one calling it a “fantastic place to visit the sea”.
#1 Saltburn
The other beach taking joint first place is Saltburn, a sand and shingle beach located near Redcar in Yorkshire. Similarly, the closest accessibility category A train station is just 0.5 miles away from the beach and Saltburn also offers disabled access to the beach, beach-friendly wheelchairs for hire, and both disabled toilets and parking facilities. Like Margate, the average score for Google reviews including the word ‘disabled’ is also 5 out of 5.
#3 Minnis Bay
Just down the road from Margate is Minnis Bay, the secluded, sandy beach that took third place in the study. The beach offers disabled access to the beach, beach-friendly wheelchairs for hire, and both disabled toilets and parking facilities but for those hoping to travel by train, it is 4.7 miles from the closest accessibility category A train station (Margate). Minnis Bay also received 5 out of 5 on Google for reviews including the word disabled, with users saying they would “recommend this lovely little resort”.
#4 Caswell Bay
In fourth position overall, although first in Wales, is Caswell Bay, a popular sandy beach on the Gower Peninsula near Swansea. Caswell Bay offers disabled access to the beach, beach-friendly wheelchairs for hire, and both disabled toilets and parking facilities. It is even dog-friendly for seven months of the year should anyone be looking to take their four-legged friends with them. Again, for those looking to travel by train, be aware that it is 6.7 miles from the closest accessibility category A train station (Swansea).
#5 Magilligan Strand Benone Beach
Rounding up the top five is Magilligan Strand Benone Beach, a seven-mile stretch of sand in Londonderry, Northern Ireland, that is backed by one of the largest dune systems in the UK. This beach is the furthest from an accessibility category A train station in the top five though, at 10.7 miles from Coleraine, which is worth bearing in mind for anyone relying on train travel. For those who aren’t though, Magillligan Strand offers disabled access to the beach, beach-friendly wheelchairs for hire, and both disabled toilets and parking facilities. It also has a score of five out of five on Google with one review commenting on the facilities and activities for those with accessibility needs.
Methodology
In order to find out which UK seaside resorts are the most accessible, we first took a list of all of the ‘Blue Flag’ beaches in the UK (England, Wales, and Northern Ireland) and analysed each for the following data points: average score of Google reviews including the word ‘disabled’, disabled access to the beach, availability of beach wheelchairs, disabled toilets, disabled car parking spaces, and distance to closest accessibility category A station.
Please note that some beaches might be more accessible than detailed in this study as we were only able to use data available online and we welcome any new information that may have been missed.
Beaches where a full dataset was not available were omitted from the study.
Data is correct as of April 2023.
A full data set is available upon request.