Our best beaches near Club Sites

Simon McGrath, Editor-in-Chief
Moray Firth

It’s really early in the morning. I unzip the front door of the tent, take three paces forward, step down a small ledge, and there’s now sand between my toes.

At Rosemarkie Club Site on the Moray Firth it doesn’t get much closer to actually camping on the beach. It’s a beautiful, rugged and exposed spot to pitch up.

I remember staring long and hard out to sea in the direction of Norway in the hope of spotting one of the dolphins that attract people to this part of the Scottish coastline. But they didn’t appear.

It’s just the reason I need to go back some time soon.
Nearest Club Site: Rosemarkie

Sheila Kiggins, Club Reporter
Beach at Scoughall, Northumberland

My dog Shakey and I enjoyed the wonderful beach at Scoughall Farm in North Berwick, the venue for last year’s National Youth Rally. It’s a popular location for Temporary Holiday Sites (THS) run by the Club’s local groups. This year Edinburgh and East of Scotland DA and Perth and Angus DA are both running THSs at the farm.

The beach is just a few steps away from the camping field. To the right, level sands stretch away towards the Tyne estuary while to the left a jumble of rocks is fun to explore. Perth and Angus keeps a tractor at the farm to launch fishing boats from the beach in the summer. If you prefer a Club Site, there’s one at Dunbar, just ten miles to the south.
Nearest Club Site: Dunbar

Vicky Sartain, Features Editor
Saunton Sands, North Devon

Three miles of Saunton Sands’ wide golden beach stretches into the distance flanked by the sand dunes of Braunton Burrows. There’s a car park, shop and café at the northerly end and if you prefer to make your entrance/exit on foot, the South West Coast Path can be accessed here too. The opposite end of the beach curls around to form the north bank of the Taw and Torridge estuary and yet more dunes and coast path.

One of the best things about the Sands is that it’s never very busy, even at the height of summer. Despite parties of fledgling surfers, picnickers and sun worshippers, most people stay close to the facilities.

We’ll find a spot midway up the beach to park the towels before jumping in the sea, wetsuits on – this is Britain after all. Hours later we’ll scramble through the dunes back to the ’van and Umberleigh Club Site about 15 miles away.
Nearest Club Site: Umberleigh

Stuart Kidman, Print Editor
Woolacombe beach, North Devon

Woolacombe beach is not far from Saunton Sands (the next cove over) but similarly it’s a long continuous stretch of sand banked by tall dunes at the back.

My family and I were at Woolacombe last summer and we loved our visit so much we spent the whole afternoon, from midday until almost sundown, swimming in the sea, spotting fish, eating ice cream and ‘surfing’ down the dunes on our boogie boards.

In July, during our visit, the beach was packed but if you’re prepared to stroll far enough away from Woolacombe itself – helpfully positioned at the northern end of the beach – you’re more likely to find room to stretch out in your perfect spot.

There are numerous car parks in Woolacombe that are close enough to the sand if you don’t fancy too much of a walk, though we chose to pay £6 to park in the spaces available on Marine Drive, which sits conveniently at the top of the dunes – fine if you don’t mind trudging uphill a short way.
Nearest Club Site: Lynton

Candy Evans, Test Editor
West Runton, Norfolk and Normans Bay, East Sussex

It’s difficult to choose just one campsite near the beach so I’d like to nominate two. West Runton is close to the Norfolk coast and some great rock pooling, with plenty of sandy beaches within striking distance.I was brought up in the south-east of England and love returning to Normans Bay, which is quite close to my childhood home.