17 December 2023 , 06:00
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A gorgeous sandy beach right by a nature reserve has been named one of the UK's best hidden gems.
Berrow Beach in Somerset has long been a firm favourite with locals thanks to its six miles of sand and mudflats, surrounded by dunes - in fact, it's the second longest stretch of sand in Europe!
It's also a dog-friendly beach, and pet owners will be glad to know that pooches are welcome all year round, unlike some of the more popular destinations where restrictions apply during the peak summer months.
Meanwhile the waters tend to offer ideal conditions for some watersports, so it tends to be quite popular with adrenaline-seekers, but on calmer weather days you can enjoy a spot of swimming in the waters. There are plenty of gorgeous walks in the area too, such as a trail towards a nearby lighthouse. According to the Beach Guide, when the tide is out you may be able to spot the wreck of MV Nornen, a ship which ran aground in the late 1800s.
Berrow Beach has been named one of the UK's best spots off the beaten track (Getty Images)It may not be one of Somerset's most famous beaches, but visitors who come across it are rarely left disappointed. One happy visitor wrote on Tripadvisor: "Lovely long and spaced out beach. Dog friendly, free parking and a little nature reserve right between the two. Perfect."
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Another added: "If you want a quiet tranquil beach setting then this is it, no crowds or shops etc.. just a lovely little beach."
Berrow Beach was one of the top spots to feature in a new list of the UK's 100 best 'off the beaten track' destinations. These places feature on an interactive ‘ Get Lost with Jeep Compass ’ digital map, created by the car company and team of Ordnance Survey's experts. It's easy to use; you simply click on any location and it will unveil the best walking or cycling routes nearby as well as fun activities.
Berrow Lighthouse at sunset (Getty Images)The new map was created after a survey found that 31% of adults haven't explored much of what the UK has to offer yet, but over half admitted they found there is more to discover than they had though pre-Covid.
Nick Giles OBE, managing director of Ordnance Survey Leisure, said: "It’s heartening to know that eight out of 10 people in Britain today would love to explore more of our wonderful country. As the survey results show, so much of Britain remains unexplored for so many of us. We are delighted to work with Jeep to map the 100 ‘Off the Beaten Track’ locations and hope that this will inspire people up and down the land to get outside and have new mini adventures away from the more obvious hot spots."
Looking for more ideas for your next UK break? You may want to bookmark our UK holidays guide which we regularly update with the latest destination ideas, deals and travel tips that we think you'll want on your radar.