On Trend: A home overlooking Britain's new favavourite beaches

Porthmeor beach, St. Ives, Cornwall

Spoilt for choice with four sandy beaches.  Porthmeor is the longest and great for surfing with lifeguard in the season, restaurant, café, toilets and beach huts; Porthminster is half a mile of soft golden sand with restaurant and café. Can be reached by St. Ives branch train line. Porthgwidden has bathing huts and a kiosk; the smallest is Harbour Beach with no facilities, but toilets in the car park.

Property for Sale: The Galleries: two bedroom contemporary apartment in converted Victorian terraced house overlooking Porthmeor beach. £450,000. Miller Countrywide.

Weymouth, Dorset

A sheltered three-mile long beach with soft golden sand that makes for a pretty backdrop to the town’s seafront. There's a lifeguard in season plus a café, severalbeach kiosks, toilets and in the summer beach activities include a kite festival, volleyball and Motocross.  Easy access to the town.  

Property for Sale: This two bedroom first floor apartment is close to the beach and offers stunning views over the coastline. Offers over £275,000. Palmer Snell. (Buy now if you want to watch the 2012 Olympic sailing).

North Beach, Tenby, Wales

Another location with four sandy beaches to choose from. North Beach has rock pools and is accessed via steps from North Cliff or through the harbour. There are no facilities on the beach. Lifeguard in season. Castle Beach in a small cove is a short walk from town centre with rock pools at low tide, café and toilets. Lifeguard in season. South Beach has 2 kilometres of golden sand backed by sand dunes. At one end, there are shops, café, toilets and car park. Lifeguard in season. The smallest – Harbour Beach is a short walk from the centre and where you can pick up a boat trip. No facilities.

Property for Sale: High Seas, a six bedroom Grade II listed Georgian townhouse overlooking North Beach, £895,000. Fine and Country.

Woolacombe, North Devon

One three mile long sandy beach lying between Morte Point and Baggy Point.  You need a car to get there and there are no facilities, except for a lifeguard in the summer. Speed boats and jet-skis are prohibited, so it’s a great beach for a quiet day out and safe swimming, canoeing and windsurfing. Good for surfers too.

Property for Sale: Beach View, a two bedroom apartment on the cliff top overlooking the bay with terrace and parking. £370,000.  Taylor Underwood.

Shanklin, Isle of Wight

Long sandy beach with esplanade behind it and lift up cliffs to town above. Seaweed is removed daily and used by local farmers as compost. Fisherman’s Cottage is a lovely old pub on the beach at the far end and there are beach shops and cafes on esplanade.  Car park and deck chairs. Lifeguard during the season.

Property for Sale: Chine House, a five bedroom Grade II listed Regency house overlooking waterfall at top of Shanklin Chine, which leads down to beach, £635,000. Creasey, Biles & King.