Woolacombe Beach is one of the UK’s and southwest England’s beaches of the year, according to the Times and Sunday Times annual best beaches guide. The 16th edition of the guide is the definitive and most comprehensive list of the UK's 50 best beaches. Chris Haslam, the award-winning chief travel writer at The Times and Sunday Times, personally visited and inspected all 50 beaches included in the guide in the past eight weeks. Criteria include water quality, cleanliness, accessibility, car-parking facilities, lifeguard presence, hygiene levels at restrooms and showers, and dog-friendliness. The 2024 guide only features beaches which are rated as ‘excellent’ for water quality by the national environment agencies.
