Photogenic, bracing, and often footprint-free, the beaches in Scotland are a spectacular blend of sugar-white sands, untamed butterscotch coastlines, and wave-pounded, refreshing swimming spots.
Some are backed by weathered stone houses, forming community-focused hamlets. Others are secluded and swooped over by thousands of seabirds. And a few, on a balmy summer’s day, wouldn’t look out of place in the Caribbean—until you dip your toe in the Atlantic Ocean, North, or Irish Seas.
Whether you want to catch a wave, enjoy some shoreline scran, the Scottish slang word for food, like fish and chips, or paddle around the UK’s northernmost isles, these are the best beaches in Scotland.
West Voe Beach, Shetland Islands
West Voe Beach, Shetland Islands Photo by John Allan on Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
Arching towards the southernmost point of Scotland’s northernmost archipelago, West Voe Beach is a sensational crescent of pale silver sands. Only a 30-minute drive from Shetland’s capital, Lerwick, the easy-access shoreline is rippled by clear, cyan waters.
But as with most of the best beaches in Scotland, it’s not only the diminutive dunes or windswept walks that draw in the crowds. The vegetation-clad headlands flanking the beach hold plenty of treasures.
Minutes from the beach is the Old Scatness Broch archaeological site. Only discovered in 1975, the Iron Age settlement has since been excavated, revealing a compelling complex of circular stone walls, some reaching 12 feet high, a hint as to how life would have been 2,000 years ago on these rural isles.
Sumburgh Head, Shetland Islands
Stroll slightly further south towards the stubby white lighthouse topping Sumburgh Head, and you’ll witness another spectacle: thousands of seabirds swooping above the craggy cliffs. It’s especially bewitching during puffin season—roughly April through August—when hundreds of pairs can be seen amongst cormorants, fulmars, and other species.
Bay of Skaill, Orkney Islands
Bay of Skaill, Orkney Islands
Beautiful and mystical, the Bay of Skaill on Mainland Orkney captures all that is magical about the beaches in Scotland without needing to stray more than 30 minutes from Kirkwall, the group’s largest settlement.
The bay itself is sensational. Grassy, low-slung hills give way to pebbles, followed by a fine sweep of protected sands, making it the perfect golden spot for a sunny day picnic.
Settle in with your sandwiches and watch the spectacle of the Hole o’ Row, a wave-carved headland hole often spouting water, courtesy of the assertive Atlantic Ocean.
Skara Brae, Orkney Islands
Yet the best spot to appreciate the bay isn’t the shoreline but Skara Brae, a Neolithic settlement a stone’s throw from the sand. The group of grass-topped, stone slab walls, dating back around five millennia, is a beguiling site, especially with the waters glistening in the background.
Walk around the incredibly well-preserved prehistoric homes, some still with interior aspects intact. A recreated Neolithic house affords additional historical insights and the visitor center contains excavated artifacts. It’s by far one of Scotland’s most impressive sights.
Dores Beach, Loch Ness
Dores Beach, Loch Ness
Scotland is famous for its lochs, and few are as legendary as Loch Ness. It’s famed for hiding the mythical Loch Ness Monster, or Nessie, in its depths and a beast-searching boat trip here is practically a rite of passage.
Yet, while the protagonist may be a mythological creature, the loch’s other allures are authentic. Drive southwest of Inverness and you’ll soon arrive at Dores Beach. Crunch across the pebbly lake beach and on a clear day you’ll have sweeping views across the entire lake.
After a mandatory paddle in the loch’s dark water, enjoy an ice cream from the seasonal truck. For something more filling, dip into The Dores Inn, a traditional whitewashed pub at the water’s edge serving all the Scottish favorites, including haggis with neeps, or turnips, and tatties, the local word for potatoes.
Urquhart Castle
After lunch, venture to the other side of the beautiful lake to see the 16th-century ruins of Urquhart Castle up close, or track the shore south to meet the Loch Ness alpacas. Book ahead to join a gentle stroll with your own alpaca for company.
Portobello Beach, Edinburgh
Portobello Beach, Edinburgh
Edinburgh’s tangle of medieval streets and its world-famous castle deserve the spotlight. But on a sunny day, you’ll find many of the city’s residents roaming along the promenade of Portobello Beach.
Fronting the former town of Portobello, which was folded into Edinburgh in 1896, the beach captures the best of this charismatic suburb that’s retained its independent soul.
With plentiful pubs, restaurants, and chippies, as fish and chip shops are locally called, it’s one of the best beaches in Scotland for a waterfront walk and a spot of sea-view scran.
St. Ninian’s Isle Beach, Shetland Islands
St. Ninian’s Isle Beach, Shetland Islands
Few beaches in Scotland boast scenes like St. Ninian’s Isle. Bridging Mainland Shetland with its namesake isle, the white sand tombolo has deservedly earned its place on countless postcards.
Made all the more scenic by the isle’s sea cliffs, with seals sometimes basking at their base, there’s arguably no better place for a semi-sheltered swim in this corner of the archipelago.
St. Ninian’s Isle Beach, Shetland Islands
Walk across the sands and climb the footpath onto the isle to reach the ruins of a 12th-century chapel. A three-mile trail circumnavigates the grassy island, with panoramic views across the small neighboring isles. Just watch for gaping rabbit holes, courtesy of the island’s furry residents.
The nearby village of Bigton, far smaller than its name implies, has a small store for simple snacks—a few picnic tables face the sands—and public bathrooms for changing after an invigorating splash.
Read: Best Beaches in the UK
Waulkmill Bay, Orkney Islands
Waulkmill Bay, Orkney Islands
Drive a few minutes south of Kirkwall and you’ll arrive at Scapa Bay, one of Orkney’s most visited beaches. Continue a few miles further to witness Waulkmill Bay, which is incredibly scenic at low tide when the entire, dramatic deep pocket of sand is exposed.
Clamber down the stairs to feel like a true castaway. Cocooned by green hills and lapped on one side by water trickling from the Loch of Kirbister inland, this is as serene a slice of shoreline as they come.
Waulkmill Bay, Orkney Islands
To string together both these popular beaches in Scotland, embark on a stretch of the St. Magnus Way, Mainland Orkney’s long-distance pilgrimage route.
Tracking the coast east with a detour past the acclaimed sea-view Foveran Restaurant, the leisurely route stops at Scapa and its whisky distillery before turning inland to Kirkwall.
Milsey & West Bay Beaches, North Berwick
Milsey Beach, North Berwick
Just 40 minutes east of the port city of Edinburgh by train, the seaside town of North Berwick is an easy half-day trip. Fronting the town are a pair of sandy bays surveying the ominous Bass Rock rising from the Firth of Forth’s waters.
From afar, the cream-hued islet looks devoid of life. Get a little closer, courtesy of a boat trip departing North Berwick Harbour, and you’ll soon realize it’s anything but. It’s home to the largest gannet colony in the world, responsible for the rock’s silvery polish.
During the breeding season, more than 50,000 seabirds can be sighted here. Circling the rock and other nearby islands on the waters is quite the spectacle; the birds’ calls add further drama to the soundtrack.
Milsey Beach, North Berwick
Even without heading out on a boat, it’s possible to learn more about Scotland’s seabird colonies at the Scottish Seabird Centre, perched atop the headland separating West Bay and Milsey Bay. Acting as a conservation center, the space includes interactive experiences and live cameras of birdlife on the rocks.
Don’t forget to pack your swimwear to use the bay’s tidal pool, providing a calmer swim. And, if time allows, continue further east to the ruins of Tantallon Castle and secluded Seacliff Beach.
East Beach, Nairn
East Beach, Nairn
The laid-back town of Nairn is just along the Moray Firth inlet from Inverness. Still, it’s the antithesis of city life thanks to a splendid sweep of shoreline facing a vegetation-ribboned sandbar.
Backed by dunes dotted with tufts of grass and known for occasional dolphin sightings, this is one of the finest beaches in Scotland for blending sunbathing with marine life sightings on a balmy day.
If you’d prefer to stretch your legs, head to Culbin Forest, a dense woodland woven with gravel tracks, found at the beach’s eastern end.
Hidden amongst the pines is an excellent viewing tower called Hill 99. Climb the stairs to the top deck poking above the canopy for far-reaching views across the Moray Firth. For more marine mammal sightings, continue to Findhorn Bay, where you could spot seals basking on the shore.
Lunderston Bay, Inverclyde
Lunderston Bay, Inverclyde
Glasgow isn’t renowned as a beach getaway, but trace the River Clyde for an hour by car and you’ll reach Lunderston Bay, a slight arc of sand in the Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park.
As the nearest sandy shoreline to Scotland’s second city, it’s a popular spot for locals eager for a quick coastal amble.
While the coastal walks with views of the Cowal Peninsula opposite are a treat, consider detouring to one of the pretty inland moorland trails before arriving at the beach. The circuit taking in fern-clad Greenock Cut Waterfall is one of the best and easiest to access.
West Sands Beach, St. Andrews
West Sands Beach, St. Andrews
St. Andrews might be known for Scotland’s oldest university and as a golf destination, but it’s also home to one of the best beaches in Scotland, which is made even prettier by the town’s spires in the background.
Snaking away from the historic settlement, the two miles of dune-ribboned sand are guarded by lifeguards in summer, making it a particularly family-friendly spot.
For an adrenaline fix, spend an hour land yachting—a cross between sailing and go-karting on the sands. Kayaking and surfing can also be arranged via the beachside surf club. Wetsuits are provided – an essential in these chilly northern waters.
Glimps Holm, Orkney Islands
Glimps Holm, Orkney Islands
The silky sands hugging the eastern edge of Glimps Holm, an uninhabited, heather-carpeted island, form one of the best beaches in Scotland.
Easily accessed from Kirkwall and Mainland Orkney via an artificial causeway, the journey takes you across a slice of the island’s history. Known as the Churchill Barriers, the four causeways here were commissioned by Churchill following a WWII German army boat reaching within striking distance of the islands.
From the beach, you can even see the hull of the SS Reginald, a shipwreck that was purposefully sunk here in WWI as an early incarnation of the barriers.
History aside, these constructions led to the creation of this handsome, sheltered shoreline, well worth a stop for a paddle en route to the Orkney Fossil Centre on the next island across.
Rosemarkie Beach, Fortrose
Rosemarkie Beach, Fortrose
Across the Moray Firth from Inverness, the highland town of Fortrose is delightfully laid-back. It’s also one of Scotland’s best seal-spotting destinations, with around 900 harbor seals calling the firth home.
Even if you aren’t lucky with a sighting, Rosemarkie Beach is worth the visit alone. Start your walk near the village, tracing the streams and falls of the so-called Fairy Glen.
Fairy Glen, Fortrose
Trek along the fine arched sands as far as you fancy. If you make it to Chanonry Point and Lighthouse, you’ll have a better chance of seeing seals and dolphins. There’s also an incredibly scenic golf course practically touching the beach.
Back in town, the red brick ruins of Fortrose Cathedral, some of which are 800 years old, are worth a visit. Then, round off your beach morning with a proper pint or wee dram accompanied by lunch in the old-world atmosphere of The Anderson Pub.
Minn Beach, Shetland Islands
Minn Beach, Shetland Islands
Small, hardy, and having been used to the elements for thousands of years, Shetland ponies are the archipelago’s most beloved creatures. Meeting one is an absolute must for any animal lover.
While you might happen upon a pony in the wild, Minn Beach, an idyllic sweep of sand popular with photographers, seals, and nesting terns, is arguably one of the most picturesque settings to get acquainted with them.
The Shetland Pony Riding School is moments from the beach, where you can pet and interact with foals and mares. It’s also possible to accompany your new furry friends on a jaunt along the coast, pairing one of the most striking beaches in Scotland with one of the country’s most iconic animals.
Before leaving, check if Marina’s Kitchen Cabinet is open so you can sample some of the island’s best freshly baked cakes and bannocks, a scone-like Scottish bread.
Irvine Beach, Irvine
Irvine Beach, Irvine
Scanning the Firth Of Clyde, the Isle of Arran looming in the distance, Irvine Beach is just a 45-minute drive from Glasgow, yet it feels like another Scotland.
The beach is far from untouched, though. Just back from the generous curve of sand is Irvine Beach Park, a grassy area with a boating pond, mini golf course, and al fresco art sculptures.
After enjoying a paddle and indulgent slab of cake from GRO near the beach, venture back into the town to visit the Scottish Maritime Museum, a warehouse-style space crammed with history, machinery, and model ships. The beaches in Scotland might be naturally magical, but the museum is a reminder that the nation’s maritime history is equally defining.
St. Ninian’s Isle Beach, Shetland Islands
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