Best beaches in Strathclyde
Below are a list of the top 12 beaches in Strathclyde as selected by the users of the Beach Guide website.
The current most popular beach in Strathclyde is Ayr (South). If you would like to have your say on which are the best beaches in Strathclyde just follow the link to the beach and vote by clicking the star ratings at the top right of the page.
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1. Ayr (South) Beach
South Beach is part of a long, partly urban beach stretching south from the mouth of the River Ayr with its harbour and dock, down to the more remote, scenic ruins of Greenan Castle, a 16th century tower house, which was probably once a fort. There is a pier at the north end of the…
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2. Prestwick Beach
Prestwick is a long, mostly sandy beach, with some pebbles, offering excellent views out over the Firth of Clyde across to the mountainous Isle of Arran. Glasgow Prestwick Airport is very close to the beach and it is possible to see the planes landing and taking off from the beach. There is a large car…
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3. Seamill Beach
Seamill is a sandy beach with a few rocky patches. Behind the beach are some grassy areas which might make a good spot for a family picnic. Along the shoreline are quite a few rockpools exposed at low tide, where young visitors can enjoy exploring for marine life. The beach is an excellent place for…
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4. Croy Beach
This lovely rural beach lies on the Ayrshire coast between Maidens and Dunure. The beach at Croy is sandy with rocky outcrops. The area is popular with walkers and the Ayrshire Coastal Path passes close by. The mile-long beach is backed by grassy areas, with low-rise cliffs at one end, behind which can be seen…
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5. Barassie Beach
Barassie is a long, wide and mostly flat, sandy beach, although its expanse depends largely on the tide. At low tide there is a vast area for visitors explore, but when the tide comes in, water covers most of the beach. Troon Harbour lies to the south and is visible from the beach. The beach…
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6. Helensburgh Beach
Helensburgh Beach overlooks the Upper Firth of Clyde, sitting just outside the mouth of Gare Loch. It is backed by a promenade from where one can admire the views across the bay to the hilly Rosneath peninsula. Along the road opposite the beach there are shops and places to eat. Parking can be found at…
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7. Maidens Turnberry Beach
The tranquil former fishing village of Maidens lies on the gentle curve of Maidenhead Bay, about 11 miles south of Ayr. It has a sandy beach, backed by grassland and flanked by rocks, which slopes gently into the sea and is approximately one mile in length, ending close to the 260-hectares Culzean Country Park. At…
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8. Saltcoats Beach
Saltcoats is a wide, sandy beach with excellent views out over the Firth of Clyde and across to the mountainous Isle of Arran. It sits in a south-west facing bay between the towns of Saltcoats and Ardrossan. The water stays quite shallow along the bay and there is a small, crossable stream runs down the…
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9. Turnberry Beach
Turnberry is a wide sandy beach in a rural surrounding, backed by the famous Ailsa Golf Course, a regular spot on the Open Championships. It looks out over the Firth of Clyde, with views across to the mountainous Isle of Arran. The beach itself is backed by an extensive sand dune system. Whilst being an…
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10. Craig Tara Beach
Craig Tara is located on the Ayrshire coast and is backed by a lively holiday park. The beach itself is a mixture of rocks and sand, and is a good place to look for marine wildlife in the rockpools which are exposed at low tide. Although the beach becomes quite narrow at high tide, it…
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11. Heads of Ayr Beach
Heads of Ayr is a remote sandy beach backed by a low-lying fields in an area dominated by high cliffs. With excellent views out over the Firth of Clyde across to the Isle of Arran, and to the town of Ayr a few miles to the north, it is a good place to go for…
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12. Girvan Beach
Girvan is one of Ayrshire's most popular beaches, and the town offers a variety of traditional seaside activities. The beach is mostly sandy, although heading southwards down the coast, away from the harbour, it turns to a mixture of pebbles at the top of the beach and sand closer to the water. Immediately opposite the…
