Wheelchair accessible beaches in the UK

Many Brits look forward to a trip to the beach in the summer or the middle of winter. While not all UK beaches are friendly to those with access needs, some amazing wheelchair-accessible beaches are available, offering facilities necessary for people who use a stair lift or other types of mobility aids. Knowing that the beach you intend to visit has all the necessary facilities to make your visit successful could be the difference between an enjoyable day out and an unpleasant encounter. So read on to discover some of the best wheelchair-accessible beaches in the UK.

The best wheelchair-accessible beaches in the UK

• Great Yarmouth Beach, Norfolk
• Brighton Beach, Sussex
• Skegness Beach, Lincolnshire
• Bournemouth Beach, Dorset
• Benone Strand, Northern Ireland
• Swansea Bay Beach, Wales
• Paignton Sands, Devon
• North Berwick Beach, Scotland
• Summerleaze Beach, Cornwall

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Great Yarmouth Beach, Norfolk

Great Yarmouth is a historic town, home to the oldest civic building in Britain and one of the UK’s best beaches. Spanning the entire length of the town, it’s easy to access for wheelchair users. There are accessible toilets available in the summer months at North Beach, and disabled parking is also available. If you are visiting the area for a weekend, combining a trip to Great Yarmouth Beach with a visit to Thrigby Hall Wildlife Gardens will certainly make for a lovely couple of days.

Brighton Beach, Sussex

Brighton Beach is one of the most famous and one of the best wheelchair-accessible beaches in the UK. The beach spans the entire width of Brighton itself, meaning it’s never far to travel for those with limited mobility to get to the beach itself. In addition, there is wheelchair parking available, accessible toilets, and there are even wheelchair bikes for use on the promenade. It’s not just about the sea at Brighton Beach, however, as the iconic Brighton Pier is also an essential part of the beach experience.

Skegness Beach, Lincolnshire

Skegness Beach, along with the nearby wheelchair-friendly seal sanctuary, is a lovely place for those with limited mobility to visit. After seeing the seals, you can enjoy a superb time on the beach, made accessible thanks to the disabled parking and all-year-round accessible toilets thanks to the RADAR scheme. With lots of space, sand, and traditional seaside amusements, Skegness Beach is a great option for the entire family to visit.

Bournemouth Beach, Dorset

Bournemouth Beach is another of the UK’s most famous seaside locations, and it also happens to be one of the UK’s best wheelchair-accessible beaches. The RADAR scheme provides access to accessible toilets throughout the year, there’s disabled parking available on the promenade, and there are even accessible beach huts. You are never far from the beach in Bournemouth, so those with limited mobility won’t struggle to enjoy this lovely area, along with other nearby accessible attractions like Russel Cotes House.

Benone Strand, Northern Ireland

Bennone Strand in Northern Ireland’s County Derry is making a lot of efforts to welcome visitors with disabilities. They provide an array of accessible facilities for wheelchair users, including an adapted surfboard, hoists, beach wheelchairs, changing benches, walkers, and floating chairs. These efforts, along with disability parking and toilets, have made Benone Strand one of the most wheelchair-accessible beaches in the UK. 

Swansea Bay Beach, Wales

If you live in Swansea and are looking for ‘wheelchair accessible beaches near me’, Swansea Bay Beach is an excellent option. Swansea Bay is just minutes from the city centre, making it easy to get to. Furthermore, a car park has accessible spaces 200 metres from the beach. There are also accessible toilets and wheelchair access to the beach, allowing you to enjoy this lovely stretch of sand.

READ ALSO: Great accessible UK weekend breaks: Swansea

Paignton Sands, Devon

Devon is among the UK’s most beloved holiday destinations, and one of the county’s most accessible wheelchair beaches is Paignton Sands, not far from the brilliant Paignton Zoo. A great family day out, Paignton Sands is accessible to all, with two ramps from the promenade to the beach, accessible toilets, and level access to the promenade and harbour. Look forward to sand, pedalos, and boat trips from the harbour.

North Berwick Beach, Scotland

Located very close to the picturesque harbour and Scottish Seabird Centre, North Berwick Beach in Scotland is another top wheelchair-accessible beach in the UK. This popular family location is ideal for sunbathing, rock pooling, and bird watching, with accessible parking minutes from the beach and toilets on the harbour. There are also beach wheelchairs available for those with limited mobility.

Summerleaze Beach, Cornwall

Cornwall has more than its fair share of top beaches, but one of its most accessible is Summerleaze Beach in Bude. Just a short five-minute walk from the centre of town and with a car park that leads directly to the dunes, the family-friendly beach is easy to get to. Featuring level access, flat viewing areas, toilets, and accessible beach huts, Summerleaze Beach makes it easy for those with limited mobility to enjoy its many virtues.

Other accessible beaches

The UK is so blessed to have a number of great accessible beaches. Some of other excellent locations include:

• Broadhaven Beach – Pembrokeshire
• Harlyn Bay – Cornwall
• Sandbanks Beach – Dorset
• Roseisle Forest – Scotland
• Poppit sands – Wales
• Saunton - Devon

Britain’s most accessible beaches

If you are looking for a quick reference list of the most accessible beaches in England, Wales, and Scotland, you can also look at the infographic below.

READ ALSO: The most accessible cities in the UK

If you are looking to make your home more accessible, please make an enquiry with Age Co and Handicare to arrange a free stairlift consultation or to ask about our walk-in baths and showers.

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