Devon beats Cornwall in list of best beaches in Britain

The Devon beach, Woolacombe, scored fourth place in the survey. Credit: PA images

Devon has beaten Cornwall in a list of best beaches in the UK, according to a survey in The Sunday Times.

Woolacombe placed fourth in the list of top 40 beaches across the country.

Treyarnon, near Padstow, lost to its rival by a narrow margin and came fifth.

This photo from 1965 shows the seagulls enjoying the beach just as much as the people Credit: PA images

The high-scoring Devon beach was praised by the paper for its "brightly painted beach huts" and having enough space to "accommodate a festival crowd".

It was also described as "one of the world's finest beaches", providing a space for surfers, kayakers, kite fliers and cricketers.

The highlights of Treyarnon, according to the paper, are the rockpools and the caves. The sand is also apparently "perfect for building sandcastles".

Bude is another Cornwall hotspot for surfers. Credit: ITV West Country

Also appearing in the top ten of 'Best British Beaches' survey was Bude, particularly for its campsites and boutique hotels.

Rushy Bay, in the Isles of Scilly, was voted the best beach in the country for 'castaways'. According to the paper, "it's likely the only other visitors will be seals".

How did the rest of the West Country do?

  • 11th - Great Lantic Beach, Corwall

  • 13th - Mill Bay, Devon

  • 15th - Beer, Devon

  • 18th - Carne, Cornwall

  • 20th - Bigbury, Devon

  • 21st - Holywell Bay, Cornwall

  • 24th - Gwithian, Cornwall

  • 30th - Gwynver, Cornwall

  • 35th - Tintagel, Cornwall

The annual Sunday Times survey critiques more than 400 UK beaches and sees 40 of the best published in the paper every summer.

They are selected on several factors including cleanliness, ease of access and quality of public toilets.