By Parkdean Resorts on 03/10/2022
As summer draws to a close, fun in the sun doesn’t have to.
If you’re looking for a last-minute holiday, a trip to the beach can still be a great option to brighten up your day, even in autumn. We’ve discovered which UK beaches stay the warmest and sunniest going from September to December, using climate data over the last few years. We’ve also discovered when is the best month to visit these places based on when you’re most likely to get the best weather, so you never miss a sunny day on your beach holiday again!
The warmest UK beaches in autumn
1. Porthcurno Beach, Cornwall
Our research found that Porthcurno Beach in Cornwall is the warmest beach in the UK outside of summer, making this a must-visit during your Cornwall vacation. If you missed out on visiting this beach in its warmest month July, never fear, our research found that Porthcurno has an average temperature of 13.1°C in autumn, which is warm enough to enjoy, but surely cool enough to pack an extra layer.
2. Kynance Cove, Cornwall
Kynance Cove, also in Cornwall ranked as the second warmest beach during the autumn months, following closely behind Porthcurno Beach, with average temperatures of 13°C. It’s not surprising that two Cornwall beaches made it as the top two warmest in the UK, being based in the south of England. Located just a 15-minute drive from Parkdean Resorts’ Lizard Point Holiday Park, this beautiful beach offers clear water and golden sand, leaving you feeling as though you've found a tropical paradise hidden in our very own Cornwall!
3. Birling Gap Beach, East Sussex
Although Birling Gap Beach is an East Sussex summer must-see, its beauty withstands past its warmest month of August. Our research found that the average post-summer temperature here is 13°C, making Birling Gap Beach the third warmest beach in the UK. Filled with rock pools waiting to be explored, you can get the whole family involved in searching for crabs and starfish or even see how many shrimps you can find! Birling Beach makes a great family holiday, even after the sun has set on summer!
4. Shell Bay Beach, Studland Dorset
Shell Bay Beach in Dorset is the fourth-warmest UK beach in autumn, with average temperatures of 12.6°C, only 4.7°C cooler than its warmest month, July. Dogs are welcome here too, so your furry friends can come along and enjoy your seaside staycation with you. Shell Bay Beach is also just over a half an hour drive from pet-friendly Sandford Parkdean Resorts, making it the ideal destination for your autumnal family getaway!
The coldest UK beaches in Autumn
1. Yellowcraig Beach, Scotland
Our research found that Yellowcraig Beach in Scotland is the coldest UK beach in autumn, with an average temperature of only 9°C. While this destination may be a bit too chilly to chill out on the beach, the historic Dirleton Castle can be found only a 6-minute bike ride away, making it a great place to explore and shelter from any unexpected downpours!
2. Three Cliffs Bay, Wales
Three Cliffs Bay in Wales has an average temperature of 9.6°C during autumn, making it the second coldest UK beach during this time of year. However, don’t let this stop you from paying this beautiful place a visit. Three Cliffs Bay is just as scenic even when you're wearing gloves and scarves, and has plenty of local pubs and restaurants on offer to keep you warm during your stay!
3. Kinghorn Harbour Beach, Scotland
Another Scottish destination, Kinghorn Harbour Beach, has made it into the five coldest UK beaches during autumn with average temperatures of 9.7°C. Just a ten-minute walk from the high street and a cosy café right on the beach, this makes the perfect location for a cooler autumn beach day- with some nearby spots for shelter!
4. Kingsbarns Beach, Scotland
With average temperatures in autumn at 9.8°C, you may be able to leave your sunglasses at home for your trip to Kingsbarns Beach, but your walking shoes are a must! Being a very popular location for beach walkers, with a few extra layers, Kingsbarn Beach is perfect for an autumn stroll across the sand!
5. St Andrews West Sands Beach, Scotland
St Andrews West Sands Beach rounds off our five coldest UK beaches during autumn as the fourth Scottish beach on the list! With average temperatures of 9.9°C during autumn, this beach may not leave you in search of an ice cream van but it's breathtakingly beautiful nonetheless! After visiting the scenic beach you can find warmth a short 5-minute cycle away at St. Andrews Aquarium, where you’ll find yourself face-to-face with creatures of the sea from sharks to piranhas, which hopefully you will not have encountered on the St Andrews West Sands shores!
The sunniest UK beaches in autumn
1. Birling Gap Beach, East Sussex
Nestled in East Sussex is the scenic Birling Gap Beach, which our research found is the sunniest beach in the UK, averaging 5.8 sunny hours per day in Autumn. This destination also was found to be one of the UK’s four warmest beaches, making Birling Gap Beach a fantastic autumn location! Known for being one of the best spots to surf in the South East, what could be better than catching some waves in the sunshine with a view of the beautiful Seven Sisters ahead of you?
2. Holkham Beach, Norfolk
Holkham Beach in Wells-next-the-Sea is the second sunniest beach in the UK, where you can soak in the sun for an average of 5.7 hours per autumn day. If you’ are an animal lover, you’re in luck - Holkham Beach is known for being the perfect location to spot seals basking on the shore and with autumn being the prime season for this, this beach really has our seal of approval.
3. Brancaster Beach, Norfolk
Brancaster Beach in Norfolk is the third sunniest beach in the UK. This sandy beach has an average of 5.6 hours of sunshine per day in autumn, making it a great destination for a family day out, even past summer. If tides are low you may even be lucky enough to spot Brancaster's very own shipwreck, and if watersports are your thing, kite surfing in the sunshine is a great option too!
4. Filey Beach, Yorkshire
Filey Beach in, Yorkshire is the fourth sunniest UK beach. With a fantastic five-mile wide stretch of golden sand and an average of 5.5 hours of sunshine per day during autumn, Filey Beach will have you dusting off your sunglasses and ready for a day of fun in the sun.
If you’re looking to enjoy the last of the sun this autumn, browse our last-minute holidays, and extend your summer hols!
Methodology
All climate-related data was scraped from climate-data.org. For any locations which did not have the exact location of the beach, we scraped data for the nearest location which had data available. From this data, we ranked each beach by the average temperature and sunlight hours throughout the Autumn months to see which locations would stay warmest the longest.