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Holiday Park Guru's Brown Flag Awards 2025
Our 'top of the plops' guide to England's cleanest and dirtiest beaches for swimming during your holiday
13 beaches in England are being offered these, er, prestigious flags to display this summer
Swimming in the sea is a high priority for us on holiday – but I want to be the only thing floating.
And so, in an effort to highlight England's beaches that you might want to avoid...we are proud to present the second ever Holiday Park Guru Brown Flag Awards!
We've spent hours analysing official Environment Agency water quality data to select the ‘winners’. We have even offered to send tasteful brown flags to the worst beaches, so they can warn swimmers!
Here's a summary before we move onto the full awards:
On a more positive note, we have also made a county-by-county league table to reveal England’s best counties for swimming in the sea.
Northumberland ranks top, with more than 90% of its beaches being three-star stunners that achieve the highest score possible for water cleanliness. Dorset, Devon and Cornwall are also highly rated.
Once again, Lancashire is rock bottom of the county league table with none of its ten designated bathing spots achieving the Environment Agency's coveted three-star ‘excellent’ rating for cleanliness. Somerset, Cumbria, Merseyside and Kent are all in the bottom half of the league table.
The Isle of Wight, County Durham, Lincolnshire and Suffolk deserve praise, with all of their designated bathing areas gaining one of the top two ratings (‘good’ or ‘excellent’).
Before we proceed, we need to make clear that Whilst Holiday Park Guru's 'Brown Flag Awards' uses official Environment Agency data, it does not have any official link with the Environment Agency or any other awards. It is intended as a tongue-in-cheek award to support the campaign for cleaner beaches.
And so, in an effort to highlight England's beaches that you might want to avoid...we are proud to present the second ever Holiday Park Guru Brown Flag Awards!
We've spent hours analysing official Environment Agency water quality data to select the ‘winners’. We have even offered to send tasteful brown flags to the worst beaches, so they can warn swimmers!
Here's a summary before we move onto the full awards:
- The Brown Flag beaches are those rated 'poor' for water quality by the Environment Agency. This is because of their levels of bacteria such as e-coli from sewage and other waste.
- ‘Winners’ include beaches in Cornwall, Hampshire, Kent, Lancashire, Norfolk, Somerset, Sussex, Tyne and Wear and Yorkshire.
- Some of the worst water cleanliness readings were found at beaches at popular resorts including Blackpool, Weston Super Mare and Bognor Regis. This doesn't necessarily mean the whole beach is 'poor' for bathing - it is sometimes just one section of beach.
- The water quality readings are based on readings taken in the warmer months (i.e. May 15th to September 30th). The sea is less likely to be clean in winter, as it rains more which leads to more unpleasant stuff overflowing into rivers and into the sea.
On a more positive note, we have also made a county-by-county league table to reveal England’s best counties for swimming in the sea.
Northumberland ranks top, with more than 90% of its beaches being three-star stunners that achieve the highest score possible for water cleanliness. Dorset, Devon and Cornwall are also highly rated.
Once again, Lancashire is rock bottom of the county league table with none of its ten designated bathing spots achieving the Environment Agency's coveted three-star ‘excellent’ rating for cleanliness. Somerset, Cumbria, Merseyside and Kent are all in the bottom half of the league table.
The Isle of Wight, County Durham, Lincolnshire and Suffolk deserve praise, with all of their designated bathing areas gaining one of the top two ratings (‘good’ or ‘excellent’).
Before we proceed, we need to make clear that Whilst Holiday Park Guru's 'Brown Flag Awards' uses official Environment Agency data, it does not have any official link with the Environment Agency or any other awards. It is intended as a tongue-in-cheek award to support the campaign for cleaner beaches.
The Brown Flag Awards Winners 2025 - Who Is Top of the Plops?
The Brown Flag Awards are reserved for those select beaches which score the lowest-possible ‘poor’ rating (Ed: or should that be ‘poo rating?’) from the Environment Agency’s water quality tests. In alphabetical order by county, the 'winners' for 2025 are:
Weston Super Mare’s three water quality reading locations all scored the minimum score possible but we have just given them one Brown Flag Award, as they are adjacent. Also, we aren't flushed enough to send them three flags.
- Porthluney in Cornwall
- Coastguards Beach, Erme Estuary in Devon (Poocomer for 2025)
- Lyme Regis Church Cliff Beach in Dorset (Poocomer for 2025)
- Southsea East in Hampshire
- Deal Castle in Kent (Poocomer for 2025)
- Dymchurch in Kent (Poocomer for 2025)
- Littlestone in Kent
- Blackpool North in Lancashire
- St Annes North in Lancashire
- Heacham in Norfolk
- Weston Main, Weston Super Mare Sand Bay and Weston Super Mare Uphill Slipway in Somerset
- Dunster Beach in Somerset
- Blue Anchor West in Somerset (Poocomer for 2025)
- Bognor Regis, Aldwick in Sussex
- Worthing Beach House in Sussex (Poocomer for 2025)
- Tynemouth Cullercoats in Tyne and Wear
- Littlehaven Beach in Tyne and Wear (Poocomer for 2025)
- Scarborough South Bay in North Yorkshire
- Bridlington South Beach in East Riding of Yorkshire
Weston Super Mare’s three water quality reading locations all scored the minimum score possible but we have just given them one Brown Flag Award, as they are adjacent. Also, we aren't flushed enough to send them three flags.
Weston Super Mare has won a Brown Flag Award for 2024
Give us some good news! Which are the cleanest beaches for swimming?
Fear not, it's not all bad news. We've also crunched the numbers to find out which English county has the cleanest beaches for swimming in summer.
We analysed data at every designated bathing beach in England. The study looked at the percentage of beaches in each county that achieved the Environment Agency’s top rating for water cleanliness (three stars = “excellent”).
Hopefully it will help you understand how likely you are to be swimming in a seaside resort with excellent quality bathing water.
We analysed data at every designated bathing beach in England. The study looked at the percentage of beaches in each county that achieved the Environment Agency’s top rating for water cleanliness (three stars = “excellent”).
Hopefully it will help you understand how likely you are to be swimming in a seaside resort with excellent quality bathing water.
The results of the county by county league table
Dorset is at the top of the table with nearly 90% of its beaches getting the top mark from the Environment Agency. Devon, Suffolk and Cornwall also score well as the cleanest places to go for a swim at the seaside this summer.
Lancashire and Somerset appear at the bottom of the table whilst Norfolk, Yorkshire and Kent are all in the lower half.
The Isle of Wight, Lincolnshire, Northumberland and Essex deserve praise, with all of their designated bathing areas gaining one of the top two ratings (‘good’ or ‘excellent’).
From best to worst:
Lancashire and Somerset appear at the bottom of the table whilst Norfolk, Yorkshire and Kent are all in the lower half.
The Isle of Wight, Lincolnshire, Northumberland and Essex deserve praise, with all of their designated bathing areas gaining one of the top two ratings (‘good’ or ‘excellent’).
From best to worst:
- Northumberland: 92% of beaches rated 'excellent' for water quality (↑5 places compared to last year)
- Dorset: 87% (↓1)
- Devon: 86% (↓1)
- Cornwall: 82% (=)
- Lincolnshire: 78% (↑2)
- Hampshire and New Forest: 73% (↑2)
- Isle of Wight: 73% (↑2)
- Norfolk: 69% (↑6)
- Suffolk: 67% (↓6)
- Yorkshire: 52% (↑6)
- Essex: 50% (=)
- Tyne and Wear: 50% (↓7)
- Sussex: 47% (↓ 1)
- Kent: 42% (↑1)
- County Durham: 33% (↑2)
- Merseyside: 29% (↓6)
- Cumbria: 25% (↓4)
- Somerset: 10% (=)
- Lancashire 0% (=)
Dorset has one of the highest percentages of 'excellent' rated swimming spots
So, which holiday parks are near to beaches with the cleanest sea water?
Next up in this epic guide, we're going to show you how you can choose a holiday park near to a beach with clean sea water.
We’ve looked up every Environment Agency bathing water rating for beaches in England in 2025 and organised them by county.
Each beach has a rating of:
Three stars - Excellent
Two stars - Good
One star - Sufficient
Zero stars - Poor
We’ve looked up every Environment Agency bathing water rating for beaches in England in 2025 and organised them by county.
Each beach has a rating of:
Three stars - Excellent
Two stars - Good
One star - Sufficient
Zero stars - Poor
Which are Cornwall's cleanest beaches for swimming?
3 Star Beaches (Excellent):
2 Star Beaches (Good)
1 Star Beaches (Sufficient)
Zero Star Beaches (Poor)
- Booby’s Bay
- Cawsand
- Carbis Bay
- Chapel Porth
- Charlestown
- Church Cove
- Contstantine Bay
- Coverack
- Crackington Haven
- Crinnis Beach
- Crooklets
- Daymer Bay
- Downderry
- Duporth
- Fistral North (quite near Park Holidays Trevella Holiday Park)
- Fistral South
- Godrevy Towans
- Gorran Haven Little Perhaver
- Great Western
- Gwynver
- Gwithian Towans
- Gyllyngvase
- Hayle Towans (near John Fowler St Ives Holiday Village and Haven Riviere Sands Holiday Park)
- Harlyn Bay
- Holywell Bay (near Parkdean Resorts Holywell Bay Holiday Park)
- Kennack Sands (near Parkdean Resorts Sea Acres Holiday Park)
- Long Rock
- Lusty Glaze
- Mawgan Porth
- Mexico Towans
- Mother Ivey’s Bay
- Northcott Mouth
- Pendower
- Pentewan
- Perranporth (near Haven Perran Sands Holiday Park)
- Perranporth Penhale Sands
- Perranuthnoe
- Poldhu Cove
- Polstreath
- Polurrian Cove
- Polzeath (near Parkdean Resorts St Minver Holiday Park)
- Porthallow
- Porthcothan
- Porthcurnick
- Porthcurno
- Porthgwidden
- Porthleven Sands
- Porthmellon
- Porthmeor
- Porthminster
- Porthoustock
- Porthpean
- Porthtowan
- Portreath
- Portwrinkle
- Praa Sands East
- Praa Sands West
- Sandymouth (near Away Resorts Bude Holiday Resort)
- Seaton (Cornwall)
- Sennen
- Sharrow
- Shorthorn Beach
- Summerleaze
- Tolcarne
- Towan (near Away Resorts St Ives Bay Holiday Park)
- Tregonhawke
- Trevone Bay
- Trevaunance Cove
- Treyarnon Bay
- Upton Towans
- Vault Beach
- Watergate Bay
- Widemouth Sand
2 Star Beaches (Good)
- Crantock (near Parkdean Resorts Crantock Beach Holiday Park)
- East Looe (near Parkdean Resorts Looe Bay Holiday Park)
- Kingsand
- Maenporth
- Marazion
- Millendreath
- Penzance
- Polkerris
- Porth (near Away Resorts Newperran Holiday Park and Away Resorts Newquay Bay)
- Porthkidney Sands
- Readymoney Cove
- Swanpool
- Trebarwith Strand
- Wherry Town
1 Star Beaches (Sufficient)
- Par Sands
Zero Star Beaches (Poor)
- Porthluney
Perranporth is one of Cornwall's three star rated beaches for cleanliness
Which are County Durham's cleanest beaches for swimming?
3 Star Beaches (Excellent):
2 Star Beaches (Good)
1 Star Beaches (Sufficient)
Zero Star Beaches (Poor)
- Seaton Carew North Gare
2 Star Beaches (Good)
- Crimdon (near Parkdean Resorts Crimdon Dene Holiday Park)
- Seaham Beach
- Seaton Carew Centre
- Seaton Carew North
- Seaham Hall Beach
1 Star Beaches (Sufficient)
- None
Zero Star Beaches (Poor)
- None
Which are Cumbria's cleanest beaches?
3 Star Beaches (Excellent):
2 Star Beaches (Good)
1 Star Beaches (Sufficient)
Zero Star Beaches (Poor)
- Silecroft
- St Bees
2 Star Beaches (Good)
- Allonby
- Seascale
- Walney Biggar Bank
- Walney Sandy Gap
- Walney West Shore
1 Star Beaches (Sufficient)
- Haverigg
Zero Star Beaches (Poor)
- None
Which are Devon's cleanest beaches for swimming?
3 Star Beaches (Excellent):
2 Star Beaches (Good)
1 Star Beaches (Sufficient)
Zero Star Beaches (Poor)
- Anstey’s Cove (Torquay)
- Babbacombe
- Bantham
- Beacon Cove
- Beer
- Bigbury on Sea North
- Bigbury on Sea South
- Blackpool Sands
- Bovisand
- Breakwater Beach (Shoalstone)
- Broadsands
- Budleigh Salterton
- Challaborough (near Parkdean Resorts Challaborough Bay Holiday Park)
- Combesgate Beach, Woolacombe
- Croyde Bay (near Parkdean Resorts Ruda Holiday Park)
- Dartmouth Castle and Sugary Cove
- Dawlish Coryton Cove
- Dawlish Warren
- Exmouth
- Hartland Quay
- Hollicombe
- Hope Cove
- Ilfracombe Tunnels Beach
- Lancing, Beach Green
- Ladram Bay
- Lynmouth
- Maidencombe
- Meadfoot
- Mill Bay
- Ness Cove
- Oddicombe
- Paignton Paignton Sands
- Paignton Preston Sands
- Plymouth Firestone Bay
- Plymouth Hoe East
- Plymouth Hoe West
- Putsborough
- Salcombe North Sands
- Salcombe South Sands
- Seaton (Devon)
- Shoreham Beach
- Sidmouth Jacobs Ladder
- Sidmouth Town
- Slapton Sands Monument
- Slapton Sands Torcross
- Southwick
- St Mary’s Bay (Devon) (near John Fowler South Bay Holiday Park)
- Saunton Sands
- Teignbridge
- Teignmouth Holcombe
- Thurlestone North
- Thurlestone South
- Torre Abbey
- Watcombe
- Westward Ho!
- Woolacombe Village
2 Star Beaches (Good)
- Combe Martin (near John Fowler Sandaway Bay Holiday Park and John Fowler Combe Martin Beach Holiday Park)
- Dawlish Town
- Goodrington
- Mothecombe
- Teignmouth Town
- Wembury
1 Star Beaches (Sufficient)
- Ilfracombe Hele
- Sandy Bay (near Haven Devon Cliffs Holiday Park)
Zero Star Beaches (Poor)
- Coastguards Beach, Erme Estuary
Sidmouth - one of Devon's cleanest beaches for swimming in summer
Which are Dorset's cleanest beaches for swimming?
3 Star Beaches (Excellent):
2 Star Beaches (Good)
1 Star Beaches (Sufficient)
Zero Star Beaches (Poor)
- Bournemouth Alum Chine
- Bournemouth Boscombe Pier
- Bournemouth Durley Chine
- Bournemouth Fisherman’s Walk
- Bournemouth Hengistbury West
- Bournemouth Manor Steps
- Bournemouth Pier
- Bournemouth Southcombe
- Charmouth West
- Christchurch Avon Beach
- Christchurch Friar’s Cliff
- Christchurch Highcliff Castle
- Christchurch Mudeford Sandbank East
- Church Ope Cove
- Durdle Door East
- Durdle Door West
- Eypemouth
- Highcliffe
- Hive
- Kimmeridge Bay
- Lulworth Cove
- Poole Branksome Chine
- Poole Canford Cliffs Chine
- Poole Sandbanks Peninsular
- Poole Shore Road Beach
- Portland Harbour Castle Cove
- Portland Harbour Sandsfoot Castle
- Ringstead Bay
- Seatown
- Shell Bay North
- Swanage
- Studland Knoll House
- West Bay (West) (near Parkdean Resorts West Bay Holiday Park)
- Weymouth Lodmoor
2 Star Beaches (Good)
- Lyme Regis Front Beach
- Poole Harbour Rockley Sands (near Haven Rockley Sands)
- Weymouth Central
1 Star Beaches (Sufficient)
- Bowleaze Cove (near Haven Weymouth Bay Holiday Park and Haven Seaview Holiday Park)
Zero Star Beaches (Poor)
- Lyme Regis Church Cliff Beach
Several sections of Bournemouth beach get the top rating for water quality in summer
Which are Essex's cleanest beaches for swimming?
3 Star Beaches (Excellent):
2 Star Beaches (Good)
1 Star Beaches (Sufficient)
Zero Star Beaches (Poor)
- Brightlingsea
- Clacton
- Dovercourt (near Parkdean Resorts Dovercourt Holiday Park)
- Frinton
- Shoebury East
- Shoeburyness
- Southend Three Shells
- Southend Thorpe Bay
- Walton
2 Star Beaches (Good)
- Clacton Beach Martello Tower
- Jaywick (near Park Holidays Martello Beach Holiday Park and Park Holidays Seawick Holiday Park and Park Holidays Seawick Holiday Park. It's also quite near to Haven The Orchards Holiday Park).
- Holland
- Leigh Bell Wharf
- Southend Chalkwell
- Southend Jubilee
- Southend Westcliff Bay
- West Mersea
1 Star Beaches (Sufficient)
- Manningtree Beach, Stour Estuary
Zero Star Beaches (Poor)
- None
Which are Hampshire and the New Forest's cleanest beaches for swimming?
3 Star Beaches (Excellent):
2 Star Beaches (Good)
1 Star Beaches (Sufficient)
Zero Star Beaches (Poor)
- Beachlands Central
- Beachlands West
- Calshot
- Christchurch Bay
- Eastoke
- Hillhead
- Lee on Solent
- Lepe
- Milford on Sea
2 Star Beaches (Good)
- Eastney
- Stokes Bay
1 Star Beaches (Sufficient)
- None
Zero Star Beaches (Poor)
- Southsea East
Which are the Isle of Wight's cleanest beaches for swimming?
3 Star Beaches (Excellent):
2 Star Beaches (Good)
1 Star Beaches (Sufficient)
Zero Star Beaches (Poor)
- Colwell Bay (near Away Resorts The Bay Colwell)
- Compton Bay
- Cowes
- East Cowes
- Seagrove
- Shanklin (near Parkdean Resorts Landguard Holiday Park and Parkdean Resorts Lower Hyde Holiday Park)
- St Helens (near Away Resort's St Helen’s Coastal Resort and Parkdean Resorts Nodes Point Holiday Park)
- Totland Bay
- Ventnor
- Whitecliff Bay (near Away Resorts Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park’s )
- Yaverland
2 Star Beaches (Good)
- Bembridge
- Gurnard
- Ryde
- Sandown
1 Star Beaches (Sufficient)
- None
Zero Star Beaches (Poor)
- None
My favourite beach - Compton Bay - is also an excellent beach for summer water quality
Which are Kent's cleanest beaches for swimming?
3 Star Beaches (Excellent):
2 Star Beaches (Good)
1 Star Beaches (Sufficient)
Zero Star Beaches (Poor)
- Botany Bay, Broadstairs
- Herne Bay
- Hythe
- Joss Bay, Broadstairs
- Margate Fulson Rock
- Margate The Bay
- Minnis Bay, Birchington
- Ramsgate Sands
- Sandgate
- Sheerness
- St Margaret’s Bay (near Parkdean Resorts St. Margaret's Bay Holiday Park)
- St Mildred's Bay, Westgate
- Tankerton
- Westbrook Bay, Margate
2 Star Beaches (Good)
- Broadstairs, Stone Bay
- Broadstairs, Viking Bay
- Leysdown
- Minster Leas
- Ramsgate Western Undercliff
- Walpole Bay, Margate
- West Beach Whitstable
- Sandwich Bay
1 Star Beaches (Sufficient)
- Herne Bay Central
- Folkestone
- St Mary’s Bay (Kent)
- West Bay, Westgate
Zero Star Beaches (Poor)
- Deal Castle
- Dymchurch
- Littlestone
Which are Lancashire's cleanest beaches for swimming?
3 Star Beaches (Excellent):
2 Star Beaches (Good)
1 Star Beaches (Sufficient):
Zero Star Beaches (Poor)
- None
2 Star Beaches (Good)
- Bipsham
- Cleveleys
- Fleetwood
- Morecambe South
1 Star Beaches (Sufficient):
- Blackpool Central (quite near Haven Marton Mere Holiday Park)
- Blackpool South
- Morecambe North
- St Annes
Zero Star Beaches (Poor)
- Blackpool North
- St Annes North
Which are Lincolnshire's cleanest beaches for swimming?
3 Star Beaches (Excellent):
2 Star Beaches (Good)
1 Star Beaches (Sufficient)
Zero Star Beaches (Poor)
- Anderby
- Chapel St Leonards
- Huttoft and Marsh Yard
- Ingoldmells South
- Mablethorpe Town (near Parkdean Resorts Sunnydale and Haven Golden Sands)
- Skegness (near to Butlins Skegness and Haven Skegness Holiday Park)
- Sutton-on-Sea
2 Star Beaches (Good)
- Cleethorpes (near Haven Cleethorpes Beach Holiday Park and Away Resorts Cleethorpes Pearl Holiday Park)
- Humberston Fitties
1 Star Beaches (Sufficient)
- None
Zero Star Beaches (Poor)
- None
Which are Merseyside's cleanest beaches for swimming?
3 Star Beaches (Excellent):
2 Star Beaches (Good)
1 Star Beaches (Sufficient)
Zero Star Beaches (Poor)
- Formby
- Moreton
2 Star Beaches (Good)
- Meols
- Wallasey
1 Star Beaches (Sufficient)
- Ainsdale
- Southport
- West Kirby
Zero Star Beaches (Poor)
- None
Which are Norfolk's cleanest beaches for swimming?
3 Star Beaches (Excellent):
2 Star Beaches (Good)
1 Star Beaches (Sufficient)
Zero Star Beaches (Poor)
- Cromer
- East Runton
- Gorleston Beach
- Great Yarmouth North (near Haven Seashore Holiday Park)
- Great Yarmouth Pier
- Great Yarmouth South
- Hemsby
- Mundesley
- Sea Palling
- Sheringham
- West Runton
2 Star Beaches (Good)
- Caister Point (near Haven Caister on Sea Holiday Park and Parkdean Resorts California Cliffs)
- Wells
1 Star Beaches (Sufficient)
- Hunstanton (Old Hunstanton)
- Hunstanton Main Beach
Zero Star Beaches (Poor)
- Heachem (near Parkdean Resort's Heacham Beach Holiday Park)
Head for Cromer if you fancy a swim in 'excellent' quality water on a Norfolk holiday
Which are Northumberland's cleanest beaches for swimming?
3 Star Beaches (Excellent):
2 Star Beaches (Good)
1 Star Beaches (Sufficient)
Zero Star Beaches (Poor)
- Bamburgh Castle
- Beadness
- Blyth South Beach
- Druridge Bay North
- Druridge Bay South
- Low Newton
- Amble Links
- Newbiggen North
- Newbiggen South
- Seahouses North
- Seaton Sluice
- Warkworth
2 Star Beaches (Good)
- Spittal
1 Star Beaches (Sufficient)
- None
Zero Star Beaches (Poor)
- None
Which are Somerset's cleanest beaches for swimming?
3 Star Beaches (Excellent):
2 Star Beaches (Good):
1 Star Beaches (Sufficient)
Zero Star Beaches (Poor)
- Porlock Weir
2 Star Beaches (Good):
- Berrow North of Unity Farm
- Brean
- Clevedon Beach
1 Star Beaches (Sufficient)
- Minehead Terminus (near to Butlins Minehead)
Zero Star Beaches (Poor)
- Blue Anchor West
- Dunster Beach
- Weston Main
- Weston Super Mare Sand Bay
- Weston Super Mare Uphill Slipway
Which are Suffolk's cleanest beaches for swimming?
3 Star Beaches (Excellent):
2 Star Beaches (Good)
1 Star Beaches (Sufficient)
Zero Star Beaches (Poor)
- Felixstowe North
- Felixstowe South
- Southwold The Denes
- Southwold The Pier
2 Star Beaches (Good)
- Lowestoft (North of Claremont Pier)
- Lowestoft (South of Claremont Pier)
1 Star Beaches (Sufficient)
- None
Zero Star Beaches (Poor)
- None
Which are Sussex's cleanest beaches for swimming?
3 Star Beaches (Excellent):
2 Star Beaches (Good)
1 Star Beaches (Sufficient)
Zero Star Beaches (Poor)
- Birling Gap
- Bracklesham Bay
- Brighton Kempton
- Hastings Pelham Beach
- Hove
- Lancing, Beach Green
- Middleton-on-sea
- Norman's Bay
- Saltdean
- Seaford
- Selsey
- Shoreham Beach
- Southwick
- St Leonards
- West Wittering
2 Star Beaches (Good)
- Brighton Central
- Camber
- Eastbourne
- Felpham
- Littlehampton
- Pagham
- Pevensey Bay
- Rottingdean Beach
- Winchelsea
1 Star Beaches (Sufficient)
- Bexhill
- Bognor Regis East
- Goring Beach
- Worthing
Zero Star Beaches (Poor)
- Bognor Regis (Aldwick)
- Worthing Beach House
Seaford has 'excellent' quality sea water (and great sunsets too)
Which are Tyne and Wear's cleanest beaches for swimming?
3 Star Beaches (Excellent):
2 Star Beaches (Good)
1 Star Beaches (Sufficient)
Zero Star Beaches (Poor)
- Roker
- Tynemouth King Edwards Bay
- Tynemouth Long Sands North
- Tynemouth Long Sands South
- Whitley Bay
2 Star Beaches (Good)
- Marsden
- Seaburn - Sunderland
- South Shields
1 Star Beaches (Sufficient)
- None
Zero Star Beaches (Poor)
- Littlehaven Beach
- Tynemouth Cullercoats
Which are Yorkshire's cleanest beaches for swimming?
3 Star Beaches (Excellent):
2 Star Beaches (Good)
1 Star Beaches (Sufficient)
Zero Star Beaches (Poor)
Note: we have bundled some counties together (e.g. Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire), as it would have given us a very small data set otherwise. Skipsea was not assessed in 2024, but was rated as Good in 2023.
- Cayton Bay
- Danes Dyke, Flamborough
- Hornsea
- Marske Sands
- Redcar Granville
- Redcar Lifeboat Station
- Redcar Stray
- Reighton
- Sandsend
- Whitby
- Wilsthorpe
- Withernsea
2 Star Beaches (Good)
- Bridlington North Beach
- Filey
- Flamborough South Landing
- Redcar Coatham
- Runswick Bay
- Saltburn
1 Star Beaches (Sufficient)
- Fraisthorpe
- Robin Hoods Bay
- Scarborough North Bay
Zero Star Beaches (Poor)
- Scarborough South Bay
- Bridlington South Beach
Note: we have bundled some counties together (e.g. Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire), as it would have given us a very small data set otherwise. Skipsea was not assessed in 2024, but was rated as Good in 2023.
Whitby in Yorkshire is a good choice if you want a swim in clean water in summer
How did you create the league table and decide on the Brown Flag Award 'winners'.
Honestly, it took ages...I hope someone reads it.
We used Environment Agency data which is based on about 7000 samples at more than 400 designated "bathing waters" in England. It is "calculated annually based on samples from the previous four years”. (Source: Environment Agency). We excluded rivers and lakes and just focused on beaches. We then organised them into counties and calculated a league table based on those achieving the highest ratings.
The water quality readings look for intestinal enterococci and escherichia coli (e-coli) levels to see whether there is ‘faecal matter’ in the water. This comes from ‘sewage, agricultural livestock, wildlife, birds and road drainage’ according to the Environment Agency. Yummy!
Each bathing resort then receives an official Environment Agency score of: three stars (excellent), two stars (good), one star (sufficient) or zero stars (poor). Overall, 67% of England’s monitored resorts currently score a three star rating whilst 5% score zero stars.
Water quality readings are only taken from 15th May - 30th September. During the winter, water quality tends to be lower along England’s coastline as higher rainfall causes more sewage and waste water to overflow into the sea and into rivers.
We used Environment Agency data which is based on about 7000 samples at more than 400 designated "bathing waters" in England. It is "calculated annually based on samples from the previous four years”. (Source: Environment Agency). We excluded rivers and lakes and just focused on beaches. We then organised them into counties and calculated a league table based on those achieving the highest ratings.
The water quality readings look for intestinal enterococci and escherichia coli (e-coli) levels to see whether there is ‘faecal matter’ in the water. This comes from ‘sewage, agricultural livestock, wildlife, birds and road drainage’ according to the Environment Agency. Yummy!
Each bathing resort then receives an official Environment Agency score of: three stars (excellent), two stars (good), one star (sufficient) or zero stars (poor). Overall, 67% of England’s monitored resorts currently score a three star rating whilst 5% score zero stars.
Water quality readings are only taken from 15th May - 30th September. During the winter, water quality tends to be lower along England’s coastline as higher rainfall causes more sewage and waste water to overflow into the sea and into rivers.
