Scotland’s beaches are some of the most beautiful in Europe, and on most of them you will have room to spare. The water is cold all year, but the sand is white and the light is extraordinary. On a sunny day in the Highlands or the islands, you could be in the Caribbean, until you dip a toe in the sea.
Here are eight of the best, from city beaches to remote bays reached only on foot. Many are a long way from towns and railway stations, and the roads to them are often single track. Midges can be fierce on still summer evenings in the west, so bring repellent.
1. Luskentyre, Isle of Harris
Luskentyre, on the west coast of the Isle of Harris in the Outer Hebrides, is often called the most beautiful beach in Britain, and it is hard to argue with on a sunny day. Its white shell sand and turquoise water are breathtaking. The mountains of North Harris rise behind it.
At low tide, the sand stretches for miles across the bay. The beach is so large and remote that you can walk for hours without seeing anyone. It is a place of peace and space.
The water is cold, as this is the Atlantic, but it is crystal clear. Otters, seals and seabirds live along the coast. The light changes constantly with the passing clouds.
Harris is reached by ferry from Uig on Skye to Tarbert, or from Lewis by road. Accommodation on the island is limited, so book ahead. The roads are single track.
2. West Sands, St Andrews
West Sands, in the golf town of St Andrews in Fife, is a two mile stretch of wide, golden sand. It is one of the most famous beaches in Scotland. It runs right beside the Old Course, the oldest golf course in the world.
The beach was the setting for the famous opening scene of the film Chariots of Fire, in which a group of athletes run along the sand to the stirring music. Visitors still recreate the run. It is a lovely place for a walk or a run.
The beach is backed by dunes, part of a nature reserve. It is popular with families, dog walkers and kite flyers. The views back to the town and the golf course are wonderful.
St Andrews has a ruined cathedral, a castle and Scotland’s oldest university. East Sands, on the other side of the town, is a smaller, more sheltered beach. St Andrews is about twenty five minutes from Dundee.
3. Sandwood Bay, Sutherland
Sandwood Bay, in the far north west of Scotland in Sutherland, is one of the most remote and beautiful beaches in Britain. It can only be reached by a walk of about four miles each way from the nearest road. The effort keeps it wild and quiet.
The beach has pinkish sand, huge dunes and a freshwater loch behind it. At its southern end, a tall sea stack called Am Buachaille rises from the waves. The Atlantic rollers crash onto the shore.
The walk to the beach crosses open moorland, on a clear path. It takes around one and a half to two hours each way. Bring food, water and waterproofs, as there are no facilities.
The land is looked after by a conservation charity. Local legend says the bay is haunted by the ghost of a sailor. It is wild and unforgettable.
4. Achmelvich, Sutherland
Achmelvich, near the fishing village of Lochinver in Sutherland, is a small bay of white sand and turquoise water, surrounded by rocky hills. It is one of the most beautiful beaches on the North Coast 500 route. On a sunny day, it looks almost tropical.
The beach is sheltered and lovely for paddling and swimming, though the water is cold. Rock pools around the edges are full of life. The surrounding landscape is wild and rugged.
A short walk from the beach leads to the Hermit’s Castle, a tiny concrete building on the rocks, sometimes described as the smallest castle in Europe. It was built in the 1950s. It is a curious sight.
The road to Achmelvich is single track, with passing places. There is a car park and a campsite. Lochinver has a famous pie shop and a harbour.
5. Calgary Bay, Isle of Mull
Calgary Bay, on the north west coast of the Isle of Mull, is a sheltered bay of white sand backed by machair, the flower rich grassland of the Scottish west coast. It is one of the loveliest beaches in the Hebrides. In early summer, the machair is covered in wild flowers.
The city of Calgary in Canada was named after the bay, by a Scottish soldier who had visited it. The beach is peaceful and sheltered. The water is clear and shallow.
Near the bay, an art trail winds through the woods, with sculptures among the trees. There is a café. The sunsets over the sea are beautiful.
Mull is reached by ferry from Oban to Craignure. Tobermory, the island’s main town, has a harbour of brightly painted houses. The island is full of wildlife, including eagles and otters.
6. Portobello, Edinburgh
Portobello is Edinburgh’s own seaside, a long sandy beach about twenty minutes from the city centre. It has been a popular place for a day out since the Victorian age. It has a relaxed, friendly atmosphere.
A long promenade runs beside the beach, lined with cafés, bars and ice cream shops. It is lovely for walking, cycling and running. On sunny days, the beach is busy with families.
The Portobello Swim Centre has Victorian Turkish baths, one of the few left in Scotland, where you can relax in the steam rooms. The beach is popular with open water swimmers, who swim all year round. There is a lively community of swimmers.
Portobello is easy to reach by bus from the city centre. The views across the Firth of Forth to Fife are lovely. See our Edinburgh guide.
7. Balmedie, Aberdeenshire
Balmedie, just north of Aberdeen, has miles of sandy beach and some of the largest sand dunes in Scotland. The beach stretches north along the coast for miles. It is wild and open.
The dunes are part of a country park, with walks through the grassy hills of sand. The beach is great for long walks, kite flying and exploring. It is rarely crowded.
At Newburgh, a little further north, a large colony of grey seals rests on the sands at the mouth of the River Ythan. You can watch them from across the river. It is one of the best places in Scotland to see seals.
The Sands of Forvie, nearby, are a nature reserve with huge moving dunes. Balmedie is about twenty minutes from Aberdeen. See our Aberdeen guide.
8. Camusdarach, Arisaig
Camusdarach, near Arisaig on the west coast of the Highlands, is a beautiful beach of white sand, with views out to the Small Isles of Eigg and Rum and the mountains of Skye. It is one of the loveliest beaches in Scotland. It appeared in the famous film Local Hero.
The beach is on the Road to the Isles, the scenic road from Fort William to Mallaig. The area has a series of beautiful white beaches, known as the Silver Sands of Morar. The water is clear and turquoise.
On the way, the road passes the Glenfinnan Viaduct, the curving railway viaduct made famous by the Harry Potter films, where the Jacobite steam train crosses. The Glenfinnan Monument, beside Loch Shiel, marks where Bonnie Prince Charlie raised his standard in 1745. It is a beautiful journey.
The area is remote, and the roads are narrow. Mallaig, at the end of the road, has ferries to Skye and the Small Isles. Accommodation books up early in summer.
Several of these are a long way from a railway station. A driver who can take you from the airport or the station to the beach, and back again, opens up the whole coast.
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