Two Welsh beaches ranked among UK’s best for active summer adventures

Nation.Cymru Staff

Two Welsh beaches are among the UK’s best destinations for an active summer holiday, according to a new ranking.

Staycations have grown in popularity for summer 2026, with Airbnb reporting domestic destination searches have increased by over 11% year-on-year amidst rising fuel costs and geopolitical uncertainty.

Adventure travel is also growing in popularity and, with watersports among the most popular activities, SportsCover Direct analysed the UK’s most popular beaches to identify the ten best destinations for an active coastal escape this summer.

Though beaches in Kent, Devon and Cornwall took the first four spots, Whitesands Bay in Pembrokeshire rounded out the top five, with nearby Broad Haven North close behind, beating out Camber Sands and Porthcurno.

The beaches were ranked using official water quality rating, Blue Flag and Seaside Award status, RNLI lifeguard provision, average July sea temperature, and average July sunshine hours.

One of Pembrokeshire’s most popular beaches, Whitesands is a wide stretch of sand overlooking Ramsey Island that attracts swimmers, surfers, kayakers, windsurfers and families alike.

The Blue Flag beach, close to St Davids, also offers accessible facilities with parking for 60 cars, seasonal lifeguard cover, and easy access to the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, with seals, porpoises and seabirds regularly spotted offshore.

Just 40 minutes drive along the Pembrokeshire coast, Broad Haven North beach is backed by dunes and, according to Visit Wales, “has been one of Pembrokeshire’s most popular leisure spots since around 1800”.

Though rocky at first glance, at low tide the sandy beach is a favourite among families for outdoor play. Many visitors also partake in swimming, surfing and windsurfing.

Nearby, visitors can explore rock pools and coastal rock formations, while the Pembrokeshire Coast Path provides a relaxing walk along the surrounding cliffs.

Water safety

The RNLI has issued a reminder amid ongoing heatwaves in Wales that the safest place to swim is at a lifeguarded beach, and to always swim between the red and yellow flags.

A number of Welsh beaches across the Vale of Glamorgan, Bridgend, Swansea, Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion and Denbighshire are now lifeguarded full time.

Chris Cousens, RNLI Regional Water Safety Lead said: “We know how attractive our coastline is during warm weather, but the safest choice is always a lifeguarded beach. Our lifeguards are there to spot dangers you might not be able to see and respond quickly if something goes wrong.’

“Lifeguarded beaches offer the highest level of safety, but it is vital people are aware that RNLI lifeguard patrols do not operate 24/7. At RNLI lifeguarded beaches, cover ends at 6pm, and after this time there is no immediate on-beach response if someone gets into difficulty.

“If you’re planning an evening swim or staying late, we strongly encourage you to think carefully about the risks and avoid entering the water once RNLI lifeguards have finished patrolling.”

The charity encouraged anyone partaking in open water swimming or watersports this summer to familiarise themselves with their Water Safety Advice and Tips.

Data sourced from the Environment Agency, SEPA, NIEA, RNLI Beach Finder, seatemperature.org and Met Office climate records. 

---

Get more trusted Welsh news

Choose Nation.Cymru as a preferred source in Google News to see more of our journalism.