Bamburgh.

If your ever given the opportunity to travel to Bamburgh I suggest you grab the chance to take it. Bamburgh is a beautidul small town in Northumberland and has the most amazing, quiet and clean beach you could ever hope for.
This is a firm favourite with us, even though it is an hour to an hour and a half drive for the simple reason that it is never over crowded. You don't have to sit around disgarded cigarette butts with your children or sit amidst used up beer cans.
One bonus to Bamburgh is it's fantastic castle which really is something to behold (if not expensive to view) and sits upon a hill over looking the beach. The castle is pretty much second to none in our area and is truly beautiful (a real treat for the historian or young knight to be alike).