Yahoo Autos Britain's most beautiful seaside villages
The sound of lapping waves on the shoreline, huddles of children giggling as they hunt for sea life in the harbour and the smell of fresh seafood in the air – Great Britain is blessed with a vast and beautiful coastline, along which are dotted an abundance of quintessential seaside villages.
With summer 2021 set to be yet another of staycations, while foreign travel remains alarmingly chaotic, and with the British weather (finally) playing ball and the mercury rising, now's the time to explore the British shores and these seaside gems.
Start plotting a trip to one of the UK's prettiest coastal villages, chosen by our experts, below.
UK's most beautiful seaside villages
Polperro, Cornwall
Quite possibly one of the UK's most idyllic coastal villages, Polperro in Cornwall is a picture-postcard treasure found between Fowey and Looe. While traffic has been a problem in the past, locals have sorted the issue by making all visitors use a park-and-ride. It also has a popular fishermen's choir which can be found performing on most Wednesday evenings at 7:30pm at Polperro Quay.
Staithes, North Yorkshire
This tiny village in North Yorkshire is one the county's greatest hidden gems. Once the home of Captain Cook, the small fishing village is packed with history. For those interested in Staithes' artistic heritage, catch the Staithes Festival of Arts and Heritage (staithesfestival.com), due to resume in 2022. It's also a great spot for foodies, and you can tuck into freshly caught fish at Cleveland Corner or take a boat trip to catch your own with local captain Sean (sea-angling-staithes.co.uk).
Hope Cove, Devon
Living up to its name, Hope Cove in Devon has everything you could wish for from a British coastal village. It is, in fact two villages, Outer Hope and Inner Hope, and sits on golden sandy beaches, amid thatched cottages and the lulling sound of the sea. It's a great place for diving, with 30 shipwrecks in the surrounding area, and is renowned for its delicious crab and lobster – hauled in each day by local fishermen. The Hope Cove Weekend is an annual festival of live music, good food and family fun at the end of August, but is unfortunately postponed until 2022.
Portmeirion, Gwynedd
While it may be the only village on the list with opening hours, Portmeirion in Wales has to be one of the most interesting. Created by Welsh architect Clough Williams-Ellis from 1925 to 1976, who wanted to show that you could develop a naturally beautiful landscape without ruining it, the colourful tourist village offers free 20-minute tours between Easter and October, as well as a complimentary land train tour of the nearby Gwyllt woodlands (portmeirion.wales).
Tobermory, Isle of Mull
While this too-twee-to-be-true harbour village may look like it belongs in Denmark, it actually sits found on the Isle of Mull in the Inner Hebrides. Just a short ferry ride from Oban, it was built in 1788 on a design by Thomas Telford and is home to the Tobermory Distillery, an art gallery, live music venue, theatre and a Marine Visitor Centre. You can also hire a kayak and head out to explore the surrounding waters.
Mousehole, Cornwall
Mousehole (pronounced Mowzel) is one of the most picturesque harbour villages in Cornwall. In fact, in 1930, Dylan Thomas described it as the 'loveliest village in England', and it remains little changed today. Growing up around its small fishing harbour between Penzance and Land's End, the village is home to a small coastal beach as well as small shops, galleries and restaurants.
Walberswick, Suffolk
The wooden bridge leading from the picturesque village of Walberswick to the beach is always crammed with children clutching crabbing lines and plastic buckets. Clamber over the ridge of dunes into the magical light of the Suffolk coast and you'll understand why so many artists are drawn to paint this long, empty stretch of sandy beach.
Blakeney, Norfolk
One of Norfolk's prettiest coastal villages, Blakeney back lanes are speckled with small flint cottages and a narrow, winding high street. The quayside is a prime spot for crabbing (or gillying) and children can be regularly spotted dangling their legs over the side, catching crabs on locally-bought lines. Blakeney Point bird sanctuary is a must and is home to common and grey seals, which sprawl lazily by the water's edge.
