Britain's best beaches have been named and some are just 2 hours from London

The best beaches in the UK have been named and there are even a few that are near enough to London for a lovely day out. With the weather getting hot, these are going to be prime destinations for the summer ahead.

The Telegraph recently put out a list of 'Britain’s 20 greatest beaches' that stretch up and down the country. For many of us, a trip to the seaside means fish and chips, ice cream, wasting away your coppers on the slot machines in the arcade and gambling on good weather.

These beaches were chosen for their 'scenic beauty' and a few of these gems are close to the capital so definitely worth the short(ish) trip. However the number one beach is about as tricky as it gets to reach. Par, on the Isles of Scilly, requires more than a 12-hour journey from London.

READ MORE: UK's best city to walk around named as it beats London to top spot but is less than an hour away

But, just over two hours from Central London by train is Rottingdean in East Sussex, which is more palatable for a weekend away, or even a day trip if you can handle the return journey in one day. This beach is on the quiet stretch of coast between Brighton and Newhaven, which you can walk to from Brighton along the promenade that stretches to the East.

The sheer chalk cliffs stand at its back with the pebbly beach feeling lovely and secluded. It is known as a great place to swim and has the picturesque beauty that landed it on the Telegraph's list. You'll need to first get a train to Brighton then a bus to Rottingdean.

Another beach that can be reached in about two hours and 15 minutes using the train and a bus is St Margaret’s Bay in Kent. The beach is another that has white chalky cliffs at its rear with a calm and peaceful shingle beach in front.

This beach has loads of opportunities for rock pooling, paddling and searching for fossils and is lesser known than many of its Kent neighbours making it a great spot. The walk down to the beach from the cliff-top parking spots is said to be one of its charms, but perhaps not if you're carrying a toddler and several bags.

If you did want to go a bit further afield then there are two beaches that both take just over three hours and 40 minutes to drive - which is the most direct way to get to them. Walberswick in Suffolk is a stone and sand beach. It is beautifully windswept with fun dunes to play about and get lost in.

The other is Brancaster in Norfolk which has a massive wide expanse of sand and dunes. It's great for nesting birds and is such a big beach itself, overcrowding is almost never a problem.

Full list of Britain's 20 best beaches

1. Par, Isles of Scilly

2. Pedn Vounder, Cornwall

3. Polzeath, Cornwall

4. East Portlemouth, Devon

5. Saunton Sands, Devon

6. Seatown, Dorset

7. Clevedon, Somerset

8. Totland Bay, Isle of Wight

9. Rottingdean, East Sussex

10. St Margaret's Bay, Kent

11. Walberswick, Suffolk

12. Brancaster, Norfolk

13. Morecambe North, Lancashire

14. Runswick Bay, North Yorkshire

15. Cocklawburn and Cheswick, Northumberland

16. Barafundle Bay, Pembrokeshire

17. Penbryn, Ceredigion

18. Elie Harbour, Fife

19. Silver Sands of Moror, Highland

20. Scarista Beach, Isle of Harris

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