‘I walked the UK coast for five years – this little-known beach felt like the Bahamas'

Scottish Sun

15-05-2025

Plus, the award-winning Welsh beach perfect for the summer holidays that won't be busy
BEACH BEAUTY 'I walked the UK coast for five years – this little-known beach felt like the Bahamas'
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IF ONE person knows where you can find the best beaches in the UK, it's Quintin Lake.
For his new book The Perimeter, Quintin travelled for five years around the entire coastline of mainland Britain which covered 6800 miles and he was armed with nothing but hiking gear and a camera.
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Quintin walked on and off for five years taking pictures of the UK coastline and found incredible beaches
Credit: Quintin Lake
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Some of the beaches look like they belong in other countries - like Achmelvich Bay in Lochinver
Credit: Quintin Lake
Photographer Quintin travelled through Wales, up to Scotland and across England, finding beautiful coastal spots and he took 1,300 pictures.
Along the way, Quintin saw all sorts, including beaches that you wouldn't believe were in the UK - and one that looked like it was in the Caribbean, was actually in Scotland.
Quintin told Sun Travel: "Achmelvich Bay in Scotland literally looks like it belongs being in the Bahamas because the sand is white.
"The sea looks turquoise, which you'll see in the book. The water is a beautiful greeny blue - it doesn't look like it belongs in this country at all.
"When I went, it was a sunny day and there were maybe six people there so it was heaven. I couldn't believe it.
"All the northwestern and Sutherland beaches have white sand, and if you go off the beaten path you can easily find a hidden bay that you'll have all to yourself."
Quintin isn't the only one to recognise Achmelvich Bay for its tropical beauty, in 2023, the beach was recognised as being one of the World's Best Beaches.
It came in at number 45, and is the only UK beach to ever be placed in the top 50.
Scotland doesn't just have beautiful beaches, it's also known for its very striking landscape.
"Faraid Head in Scotland is beautiful too, especially with the dramatic cliffs that come down to the sea."
UK beach named one of the top 100 in the world
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Scottish beaches also have dramatic coastlines like on Faraid Head in Durness
Credit: Quintin Lake
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The journey took a total of five years and Quintin wild camped along the way
Credit: Quintin Lake
He continued: "Then on the Ardnamurchan Peninsula in Scotland there's a single road where you'll come to a volcano from thousands of years ago.
"The top has blown off and you wouldn't even believe it's in Britain, the beach is so remote and eagles fly overhead - it's very dramatic."
Quintin added: "I mean in northwest Scotland, it's really easy to find a beach where there's no one there for days on end."
Applecross Beach in Scotland is a remote sandy stretch that visitors have sometimes referred to as being the 'edge of the world'.
The area is known for its wild and untamed landscape, with rugged mountains, lochs, and beaches.
A recommendation from Quintin for any holidaymakers who want to avoid beach crowds this summer is Three Cliffs Bay in Wales.
The beach is on the Gower Peninsula and spans for 0.6 miles in low tide. In 2023, Three Cliffs Bay came ninth in Big Seven Travel's 50 Most Beautiful Places in the UK.
Quintin added: "It's just beautiful, I mean, if you're from Wales, it's probably quite well-known but that beach was magical and it's huge.
"It would be great for families because it's not one of those places where everyone's on top of each other all the time."
Quintin's book, The Perimeter is out now and available to buy here.