From the dramatic crags of Bamburgh to the gently rolling dunes of Polzeath, England has no shortage of beautiful beaches. Granted, the temperatures might not be quite as lovely as you’d like but English beaches more than make up for any inclement weather with character and charm. Whether it’s hunting for starfish on Devon’s Saunton Sands, guzzling an icecream on Deal Beach or marvelling at the dinosaur tracks on the Isle of Wight’s Compton Bay, English beaches are the stuff childhood memories are made of.

Best For Sightseeing: HOLKHAM BEACH - NORTH NORFOLK

Backed by dunes and a pine forest and with miles of golden sands, it’s no wonder Holkham Beach is a favourite with (both British and Hollywood) royalty. This is where The Queen likes to walk her Corgis and where Gwyneth Paltrow and Joseph Fiennes shot the ending of Shakespeare in Love. For the rest of us, there’s the vast stretch white-gold sand to explore and plenty of shell-gathering opportunities.

Best For Watersports: FRAISTHORPE BEACH - BRIDLINGTON

Bridlington is the place where surfing first arrived in the UK and Fraisthorpe Beach is a favourite amongst the kite surfing community on the Yorkshire coast. The beach is wide open with strong winds, so offering perfect conditions for both kite flyers and beach buggy surfers. For anyone who doesn’t fancy donning a wetsuit, the long strip of honey coloured sand is great for walkers, while the friable cliffs that back onto the beach are spectacular first thing.

Best For Wildlife Watching: GREAT BAY, ST MARTIN’S - ISLES OF SCILLY

St Martin’s might be one of the smaller Scillies but its gorgeous Great Bay lives up to its name in more ways than one. The best beach in the Scillys, Great Bay boasts a vast expanse of creamy sand, tucked away on the north side of the island. Despite its seeming remoteness, the beach is only a 20-minute walk from the quay, but feels other-worldly. Its blue waters and white sands are distinctly tropical and Isles’ climate also makes it a hotspot for dolphins in the summer.

Best For Heritage: WEST BAY - DORSET

West Bay, situated approximately two miles from the centre of Bridport on the Jurassic Coast in Dorset, is part of England’s first natural World Heritage Site. Sometimes called the Dinosaur Coast, like the rest of the Jurassic coastline, the beach is a treasure hunter’s paradise, dotted with fossils and the odd starfish. Those less interested in palaeontology can enjoy the truly stunning views and the dark gold sand.

Best for Getting Away From It All: SUGAR SANDS - NORTHUMBERLAND

The North East will spoil you for choice when it comes to dramatic sand dunes and miles of remote coastline but you won’t find a sweeter spot than Sugar Sands - a small but perfectly formed beach with pale peach sands. It’s quite hard to access, but it’s definitely a hidden gem that’s worth the idyllic walk from the village of Longhoughton.

For more information on England’s loveliest stretches of sand, see the Visit England website.