Driving tips and other life stuff

The best beaches in Scotland and Ireland

Although we're sat here writing this from leafy Surrey, we’ve got drivers all over the UK and we love looking out for new and exciting places to explore.

Looking for some road trip inspiration a bit further afield? Here's some of the best insta-worthy beaches in Scotland and Ireland.

Scotland

1. Luskentyre Sands, Isle of Harris

   OK, so someone must have got the picture of this place mixed up with a previous visit to Hawaii or something...

   It looks THAT amazing. If you don’t live in Scotland this one may be a biiiit of a trek to get to and if you do live in Scotland - well, it may still be a fair trek to get to. Just brace yourself for the single lane road you need to take to get to paradise. It'll be worth it.

   

2. Mellon Udrigle, Wester Ross

   OK I’m not going to lie, this one made the list for the name alone. You can actually tell people you went to Wester Ross (and if you don’t know what I mean, I’m disappointed).

   This place has amazing views, crystal clear turquoise waters and clean white sand. What more do you need? Other than Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen of course.

3. Loch Morlich, Cairngorms National Park

   If you like water sports and forests I think we’ve found the perfect beach for you.

   This place is a hotspot for kayaking, sailing, stand up paddle boarding, windsurfing in one direction and mountain biking in the other. If all of that sounds far too adventurous for you, you can just sit back and take in the beautiful Scottish views.

   That’s my holiday request form submitted.

4. Elie, Fife

   A crescent shaped beach next to an Inn with a beer garden and a cricket pitch on the sand - I already feel the stresses of life melting away.

   They say time moves slowly here, so if that sounds more like a place to ditch Mum and Dad then you can head to St. Andrews which is a 30 minute drive away. Lots of shopping, lots of places to eat = best of both worlds.

Ireland

1. Dog’s bay, Galway

   Dubbed ‘one of Ireland’s best kept secrets’ and only 2 miles from the pretty village of Roundstone, it's not hard to see why this is a dream spot. Just be careful heading down those narrow roads as there's a high possibility you'll meet some sheep and goats along the way.

   It’s also got a free car park and a horse shoe shaped beach but if you're planning on taking a dip - beware - it’s meant to be blinking freezing.

   Did someone say free car park? Winning.

   

2. Coral Beach, Galway

   Sticking with Galway, just an hour's drive away you'll find yourself at Coral Beach. As the name suggests this beach isn’t sandy or pebbly, it’s made up of ancient coral. Pretty cool huh? It’s also a great place to snorkel and enjoy a good old-fashioned picnic.

   A review of Coral Beach on TripAdvisor says, ‘unusual and beautiful’ - the perfect combo in our eyes.

3. Seapoint Beach, Dublin

   We found a little gem just a 30 minute drive from Dublin Centre or if you plan to have a Guiness or two - a short DART bus or train ride away.

   It’s meant to be great for swimmers and there’s lots of family run cafes nearby to fuel up after. About 2 hours after full tide, we hear that a nice little sandy beach is revealed. Aww! Just lovely.

4. Inchydoney beach, Cork

   This one features in pretty much all the top Irish beach searches - so that has to be a good sign, right?

   It’s quiet and unspoilt, but there’s lots of activity not too far away in the market town of Clonakilty. Whether you're into crafts or looking to tuck into some proper Irish grub there's something for everyone here.

   I spent about 10 minutes walking around this town on Google Street View and I'm now packing my bags!