Five of The Times’ best beaches that are within two hours drive of Leeds as UK braces for another heatwave
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Leeds is once again preparing for extreme heat and an amber weather warning issued by the Met Office and temperatures reaching 30 degrees over the weekend.
One of the UK’s favourite ways to keep cool in the heat is a nice swim, whether it be in a pool, a lake or in the sea.
The Times has released its 50 Best UK Beaches 2022 list, with the beach named Beach of the Year 2022 less than two hours away from Leeds.
And while Leeds might be great for a lot of things, beaches are unfortunately not one of them. But if you’re ready to drive for at least an hour you will be able to enjoy some of the best beaches in the UK.
Which are the best beaches within two hours drive of Leeds?
Beach of the year: Sandhaven, South Shields
Distance from Leeds City Centre: 1 hr 57 min
South Shields’ Sandhaven has been named the Sunday Times Beach of the Year 2022.
The beach caters to everyone whether you’re looking for a desolate beach for a quiet swim or if you want food stalls and roller coaster rides. Should skateboarding be your thing, the South Shields Skatepark is for you.
The beach offers great water quality, cafes, easy and cheap parking and lifeguards, and is the perfect place to cool off in the heat.
Whitby West, North Yorkshire
Distance from Leeds City Centre: 1 hr 55 min
If you have a dog, Whitby West beach is the beach for you. Located in Whitby, North Yorkshire, this east coast beach offers excellent water quality, cafes, minigolf, beach huts and clean sands.
Cornelian Bay, North Yorkshire
Distance from Leeds City Centre: 1 hr 50 min
This hidden gem, located on Smugglers’ Coast between Scarborough and Cayton Bay is not for those who want to sit on soft sand and sip a cocktail.
If you’re feeling adventurous and looking for a beach which offers great swimming and lots of rocks, Cornelian Bay is for you.Follow the steep path downhill from Osgodby and you should be on your way.
Redcar Coatham, North Yorkshire
Distance from Leeds City Centre: 1 hr 25 min
According to the Sunday Times, Redcar’s Coatham aims to ‘rival Whitby and Scarborough, with a beach that beats both.’
Redcar has been in decline ever since the steelworks closed in 2015, so it might be surprising to find one of northern England’s best beaches here.
Coatham offers bars, ice-cream parlours and excellent water quality. Parts of the beach is dog-friendly for those who wants to bring their four-footed friends.
Blackpool Central, Lancashire
Distance from Leeds city centre: 1 hr 37 min
Blackpool offers a seven-mile long beach with three piers. The only beach on the west coast might not sound like the most attractive destination with Blackpool’s old glory days long gone, but the beach has plenty to offer, and its location means there are plenty of pubs, restaurants and activities close to the water.
Public toilets, donkey rides and rentable deckchairs are all available.
Check out the Sunday Times full list of the UK’s top 50 beaches 2022.
How hot is it going to be in Leeds?
The Met Office has issued an amber warning from Thursday, 11 August to Sunday, 14 August with temperatures reaching 29 degrees on Thursday and Friday and 31 degrees over the weekend.