Caswell Bay ranks as one of the UK’s most accessible ‘Blue Flag’ beaches, new study shows

Independent Cottages has found out which of the UK’s ‘Blue Flag’ beaches are the most accessible, to make sure everyone can enjoy what the British coastline has to offer with people starting to think about their summer plans. 

A ‘Blue Flag’ is an indication of a beach’s high environmental and quality standards including accessibility, but which of Britain’s ‘best’ beaches really are accessible for all?

The staycation accommodation provider used publicly available data to analyse which facilities and amenities are in place for each beach including wheelchair access to the beach, specifically-adapted beach equipment, and accessible toilets. 

Independent Cottages believes that those will disabilities or mobility impairments shouldn’t be restricted when it comes to finding a holiday rental, which is why it has an array of cottages for limited mobility available that have been adapted or, in some cases, designed and built to be wheelchair friendly. 

The UK’s Most Accessible Blue Flag Beaches 

1) The Bay Margate, Kent, England

1) Saltburn, North Yorkshire, England

3) Minnis Bay, Kent, England

4) Caswell Bay, Swansea, Wales

5) Magilligan Strand – Benone, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland

6) Shore Road – Sandbanks Poole, Dorset, England

7) St Mildreds Bay, Kent, England

8) Durley Chine Bournemouth, Dorset, England

9) Weymouth, Dorset, England

10) Polzeath, Cornwall, England

Interesting findings:

• Kent, as a region, had three of its ‘Blue Flag’ beaches in the top 10, highlighting that the region is offering some of the best options for those looking for accessible beaches.
• Dorset also saw three of its ‘Blue Flag’ beaches making it into the top 10, underlining its viability for those looking for an accessible staycation in the South-West.
• Caswell Bay and Magilligan Strand – Benone are the only two ‘Blue Flag’ beaches in the top 10 that are not in England, securing themselves are Wales’ and Northern Ireland’s most accessible beaches respectively. 

In order to find out which UK seaside resorts are the most accessible, Independent Cottages analysed each ‘Blue Flag’ beach for the following data points: average score of Google reviews including the word ‘disabled’, disabled access to the beach, availability of beach wheelchairs, disabled toilets, disabled car parking spaces, and distance to closest accessibility category A station (step-free access to all platforms).

The full ranking, including a detailed methodology, can be found here > https://www.independentcottages.co.uk/holiday-blog/accessible-blue-flag-beaches-uk/