Summerleaze Beach in Bude, Cornwall, has been named the UK’s best beach for 2026 by The Times. The ranking was compiled by chief travel writer Chris Haslam, who spent five weeks visiting hundreds of coastal spots across the country.
What makes Summerleaze stand out
Summerleaze is the southernmost of Bude’s two beaches and features a tidal sea pool, level access, and seasonal RNLI lifeguard patrols. It sits a short five-minute walk from the town centre and offers family-friendly amenities, including beach huts and a café bar on the dunes.
Haslam said of the beach: “The southernmost of Bude’s two beaches somehow feels more civilised than neighbouring Crooklets. Both are immaculate - thanks to a lot of local love - but Summerleaze, overlooked by the castle, bordered by the River Neet and the canal, and backed by the cafés on the wharf, feels more refined.”
He recommended visitors compare the two beaches from the viewpoint on the levee, which can be reached from the sands at low tide or by walking down Breakwater Road. From there, he said, you can see the great scoop of Summerleaze, the beach huts and the Life’s a Beach café bar on the dunes, the Bude Sea Pool at Coach Rock, and a ridge of black rock marking the Crooklets border.
A Blue Flag beach
Summerleaze also holds Blue Flag status, meaning it meets high international standards for water quality, safety, environmental management and public education.
It is a popular spot for watersports such as surfing, paddleboarding and kayaking. For the best conditions, surfers are advised to visit an hour either side of high tide, when small peeling waves within the shelter of the bay are at their best.
Other regional winners
Elsewhere in the ranking, Shanklin in the Isle of Wight was named the winner for the south, Cromer in Norfolk for the east, and Low Newton-by-the-Sea in Northumberland for the north. Horgabost in the Outer Hebrides won for Scotland, Tyrella in County Down for Northern Ireland, and Broad Haven South in Pembrokeshire for Wales.
Haslam said of the overall process: “I visited over 600 beaches to figure out which is the best in the UK. Every year since 2008, I’ve circumnavigated the country, visiting every beach in the UK to decide which are the best. This year our winner is called Summerleaze. It’s in Bude, in Cornwall.”
