Coldingham Bay, Scottish Borders

When summer hits the Berwickshire Coast, its sky-high cliffs, buzzing with the clamour and spoor of fledgling seabirds and their appeasing parents, are hard to resist.

This exhilarating spectacle shouldn’t be missed, but after a morning gazing down at that sparkling sea, you may well feel it’s time to get in it. Happily, just down the coast from the mighty cliffs of St Abb’s Head is an equally magnificent beach, and the perfect spot for a cooling afternoon swim.

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Visiting Coldingham Sands

Coldingham Sands is a beach for everyone. Lifeguards keep watch over the waters seven days a week from 30 June–8 September, so you can swim in confidence.

After your dip, build sandcastles in the clean, soft sand, hunt for hermit crabs and anemones in the rockpools, and explore the dunes behind a string of technicoloured huts.

Dogs are allowed on the beach (on a lead over summer), and there is a café, toilets, disabled access and car parking.