Coastal Cities, Towns, Villages A – Z

The resort town of Nairn sits on the southern side of the Moray Firth. It is both a traditional market town and a popular seaside town, with a traditional centre filled with shops and other amenities, and various coast-related attractions that bring in many visitors each year. Golf is a popular pastime, and two links courses are placed in and around the town. A marina filled with sailboats juts off from the River Nairn, which runs through the town to the sea. Nairn is surrounded by beautiful natural scenery, with the rolling countryside of eastern Scotland surrounding the town, and three lovely sandy beaches placed along the coast. The landscape to the west of the town is particularly stunning, with a tidal lagoon separated from the sea by a large sand bar. The eastern end of Culbin Forest – a vast woodland filled with pine trees – borders this section of the coast, providing a great hiking opportunity.

Although Nefyn is considered to be a town, its small size means that it feels much more like a large village. The settlement includes a network of streets and lanes, all of which are flanked with rows of stone-built terraced cottages. A collection of shops and a pub are located in the centre of Nefyn, along with a maritime museum situated in a disused church. A sandy beach lies to the north of the settlement, which curves around a large bay.

Located around 4.5 km (3 miles) to the south of St. Bees, the hamlet of Nethertown is made up of a few cottages and bungalows, and a couple of caravan parks used by holidaymakers. The shore is a short distance from the hamlet, and mainly consists of a shingle beach. A row of houses directly borders the shore. A train station is located at Nethertown, which can be quite popular with visitors during the summer months.

The village of Netley is situated on the northern side of Southampton Water, around 4 km (2.5 miles) to the southeast of central Southampton. A mainly suburban-style village of Victorian houses and a parade of shops, Netley is known for its ruins – the remains of a 13^th century Cistercian abbey located to the north of the village. The Royal Victoria Country Park, a large park of footpaths and woodland, is placed on the other side of Netley. A café and a miniature railway are located in the country park, which brushes up against Southampton Water, providing great views across the estuary.

The village of New Grimsby can be found on the western side of Tresco. Like its older counterpart, New Grimsby is built around a lovely bay of sand and crystal-clear water, with a short stone-built harbour wall jutting out into the water. Two collections of cottages, a general store, a café and a hotel named The New Inn make up much of the village. Tresco Abbey Garden is located to the south of the village – home to 20,000 plant and tree species, it is a renowned botanical garden that includes many sub-tropical species. It takes advantage of the island’s warm (and almost frost-free) climate in order to grow many species that one would typically find in the Mediterranean.

Although New Quay is regarded as a town, its population of just over 1,000 means that it feels like a large village. It is a picturesque resort, with quaint cottages that run down the side of a coastal hill, arched around a scenic rocky bay. New Quay is popular with tourists, with a collection of shops, cafes and a couple of pubs located in the centre. Two beaches of fine golden sand are placed next to the waterfront, divided by an old breakwater that forms the side of a harbour. Cardigan Bay Marine Wildlife Centre, a visitor centre that showcases information about the marine wildlife of the local area, is located in New Quay.

The adjoined villages of New Romney and Littlestone are located in south-eastern Kent, around 12 km to the south of Ashford. New Romney is a picturesque and traditionally Kentish village – situated only a stone’s throw away from the coastline, it is filled with many historical brick-built buildings. Although none of the original buildings exist today, earliest traces of New Romney existing as far back as 741AD as a fishing village. However, the village is now located over a kilometre away from the sea. The newer village of Littlestone sits between New Romney and the English Channel – this is a rather relaxed and residential seaside resort town, filled with many houses and various holiday homes. A stretch of green space named the Littlestone Gardens separates the village from the pebble beach that makes up the shoreline. The Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch steam railway also stops here.

Newbiggin is a small seaside town that is situated on the coast of Northumberland. With an industrial heritage that includes coal mining, it has a rather traditional feel to it, with a great deal of terraced housing curved around Newbiggin Bay. The bay itself is bordered by a sandy beach that starts and ends at two rocky promontories – the Needles Eye headland to the south, and Newbiggin Point to the north. Newbiggin East Beach is located northwards of Newbiggin Point – this is in a quieter and more rural location than the beach around the bay. Since the coast faces the North Sea, the area is known for its great sunrises. Newbiggin Bay also contains some artwork – designed by artist Sean Henry, a sculpture of a couple facing out to sea stands on a platform in the centre of the bay.

The coastal village of Newburgh lies on the western side of the River Ythan, just before it flows into the North Sea. Many traditional stone-built cottages, townhouses and a few shops line the main road that runs through the town. To the south-east of the village, a public car park provides access to the Ythan Estuary and Newburgh Seal Beach, which is a common nesting ground for seals and other types of wildlife. A long and extensive system of dunes borders the sandy beach.

The hamlet of Newgale is placed near the northern end of a stunning 3 km (2 mile) long beach, which curves around the north-eastern part of St Brides Bay. The beach is popular with visitors, particularly during holiday season, who are attracted to its fine golden sand and superb open scenery. Newgale is great for swimming and paddling, and its west-facing orientation means that it is ideal for surfing. The hamlet itself is a collection of bungalows and semi-detached houses, a surf shop, and a pub and inn named the Duke of Edinburgh. A campsite also borders the beach.

Placed at the mouth of the River Ouse, Newhaven is a bustling East Sussex port town. It is home to a ferry terminal that provides frequent services to the French town of Dieppe, along with a marina that houses a cluster of sailboats. Rows of townhouses, many of them built in recent decades, overlook the Ouse, whereas the centre of Newhaven is filled with terraced houses. A series of shops, a couple of pubs, and a range of different eateries line the high street. Newhaven is placed next to the South Downs National Park, and is surrounded by the hills to its east and west. Castle Hill lies to the south of the town, where it stands above the shore below – a 19^th century fortress is placed on top of the hill, and is open as a museum.

Located just to the south of Penzance, the small and charming town of Newlyn is renowned for its great fishing heritage, a centuries-old industry that is still thriving today. In fact, the town is home to the largest fishing port in England, a large and bustling harbour that flanks Newlyn’s waterfront. For one day in August each year (Bank Holiday Monday), the Newlyn Fish Festival is held in the town. Newlyn itself is a rather pretty collection of old granite-built cottages that border narrow streets; a number of independent shops, a couple of inns, and a few seafood restaurants and takeaway outlets can be found here. However, as well as its fishing industry, Newlyn is also famous for being an art hub during the late 19^th century, with an art museum located here, along the seafront just to the north of the harbour.

The pretty village of Newnham is placed along the upper reaches of the Severn Estuary, just to the east of the sprawling Forest of Dean. A lovely high street runs through the village, flanked by an array of quaint townhouses and cottages, and lined by a row of lime trees. A small park is located to the north of the village, along the bank of the Severn, providing a great viewpoint across the estuary. Newnham is one of the best locations for seeing the Severn Bore, a wave that is generated by the incoming tide – as it moves northwards, it is constricted by the narrowing estuary, building up into a wave that can reach up to 3 metres (9 feet) high during certain times of the year.

Located on Pembrokeshire’s northern coast, Newport is a charming place that often draws visitors during holiday season. Although it is considered to be a town, its small population of little over 1,000 means that it feels much more like a village. It is a rather pleasant location, with old stone-built cottages, a few traditional pubs, and a range of guest houses to choose from. Newport also includes attractions such as the Ty Twt Dolls House and Toy Museum, which is located on the main street that runs through the centre. A country lane links Newport with the beach – a mixture of sand and rocky outcrops that line the southern side of the Afon Nyfer estuary. A larger beach is located on the opposite side.

The town of Newport-on-Tay sits on the north coast of Fife, bordering the southern side of the Tay Estuary. It is penned in by the Tay Road Bridge to its east, and the Tay Rail Bridge to its west, both of which connect the Fife Peninsula directly with the city of Dundee. It is a rather quiet and pleasant town, with rows of suburban houses sprawling down the hillslopes to the side of the estuary. The town centre has a quaint village-type feel to it, with a high street lining the shore, bordered by a parade of shops. Several cafes, restaurants and bars are also located in the town, as well as a handful of guesthouses. Since the early 20th Century, Newport has attracted numerous artists to the area – the Taitha Art Gallery was opened in the town in 2014, and regularly hosts exhibitions.

The city of Newport is located near the mouth of the River Usk, just before it merges with the Severn Estuary. Even to this today, it is still a rather industrial city, with a great number of warehouses that border the river, accompanied by the Alexandra Docks. Newport is a vibrant city, with a busy shopping district, a theatre, a cinema, and a range of pubs and restaurants. A combined museum and art gallery is located in the city, with a range of displays that tell the story of Newport and its surrounding area from prehistoric times to the 20^th Century. A contemporary arts centre named The Riverfront overlooks the Usk, and is located close to the Newport City Campus of the University of South Wales. Newport is also known for its large transporter bridge – completed in 1906, the unusual river crossing consists of a moving platform that is suspended from an overhead girder. It is one of only a dozen transporter bridges ever built across the entire world.

Consisting of little more than a row of cottages, Newport is a rather remote village that lies on the A9 to the north of Berriedale. It overlooks the North Sea, providing some incredible views across the water, and also of the wild coastline to the north, which extends up to and beyond Lybster.

Newquay is a popular resort town that is located on Cornwall’s Atlantic Coast. It is often referred to as one of the best seaside towns in the UK, and it is easy to see why – it is a charming town that sits above a wide sandy beach. The coastal landscape here is incredibly picturesque, with craggy rocks rising from the sand, and rugged cliffs forming the boundary between the sand and the town. Standing on the beach, one can see the cliffs waggling their way into the distance, with the Trevelgue headland to the north-east. Newquay Harbour sits on the beach’s eastern side, filled with small boats that bob up and down during high tide. A seafront filled with townhouses and smart hotels overlooks the sea, whereas the town centre is filled with many traditional stone-built buildings. Independent shops, cafes, pubs and restaurants are located throughout the town. A Blue Reef Aquarium is situated on the seafront.

The pretty village of Newton Ferrers is surrounded by a slice of South Devon’s lovely coastal scenery. Placed where the Newton Creek meets the River Yealm, a large drowned river valley, Newton Ferrers is surrounded by ancient woodland and steep hillslopes. The village is built on the side of one of the hills, where it overlooks the creek below, and the village of Noss Mayo on the other side. Pretty stone-built cottages make up much of Newton Ferrers, with a narrow winding street that runs along the side of the shore.

The small hamlet of Newton is made up of a row of quaint cottages that face directly onto Loch Fyne. A stony shore separates the hamlet from the loch. Since the settlement is not directly placed on a main road, but at the end of a country lane, it is rather quiet. On either side of Newton, patches of coastal woodland run down to the side of the loch.

The village of Newton is well-known for its two sandy beaches, both of which are tucked away at the head of two large coves. Caswell Bay is located to the west of Newton, a sheltered bay that is well-known for its lovely stretch of golden sand. Alternatively, Langland Bay is slightly busier, with its row of beach huts and adjacent sea-facing houses, but retains a pleasant beach of sand and rocky outcrops. Both beaches are accompanied by cafes, parking facilities and toilets. Newtown itself is a pretty village with a suburban feel to it, where rows of houses and cottages line a series of streets. A few shops, and a traditional pub named The Newton Inn, are located in the village centre.

Although Neyland is considered to be a town, its relatively small size and population of just over 3,000 means that it feels much more like a large village. Situated on the northern banks of the Daugleddau estuary, Neyland includes a waterfront that looks out across the water, facing onto Pembroke Dock. A large pleasure marina is located to the east of Neyland, in a woodland inlet named Westfield Pill. A few shops, cafes and places to buy takeaway food are located in Neyland, particularly on the main road that runs through.

The southernmost village on the Isle of Wight, Niton is located just to the east of St Catherine’s Point, a large headland that forms the southern tip of the island. The village centre is situated over half a mile inland, and is a charming settlement, with old cottages and a country pub. However, the village stretches down a coastal hillslope to a lower part, which brushes up along the edge of the coast. Known as Niton Undercliff, the lower part is home to many Victorian cottages and villas, and a lovely country pub named The Buddle Inn. Footpaths link the village with the tip of St Catherine’s Point, where a white-painted lighthouse looks out over the sea. Compared with the cliffs to the west, Niton is flanked by a fairly gentle hillslope covered in patches of woodland, rather than a sheer drop. Access to the shore is fairly easy, particularly near the lighthouse.

Nolton Haven is a small hamlet situated at the head of a large cove, which includes a pleasant patch of golden sand and is flanked by rocky cliffs on both sides. Despite its small size, large visitor numbers to the hamlet and its surrounding area mean that a decent restaurant (The Haven Brasserie) is located here, along with several holiday cottages. The Pembrokeshire Coast Path, a long-distance footpath, runs through the hamlet and along the nearby clifftops, providing walkers with great views of the adjoining wild and rugged coastline.

This small hamlet sits between the English Channel to the south and the Pevensey Levels marshland to the north. Despite its name, it is not the area where the Normans landed in English soil, as this area of land was underwater during the 11^th Century. A small collection of fishing cottages makes up the hamlet, many of which back directly on to the pebble beach that makes up the shore. More info here.

Located only a stone’s throw away from Onich, much of the village of North Ballchulish sits on a small promontory that divides the eastern side of Loch Linnhe from Loch Leven. The view of the mountains that flank both sides of Loch Leven is incredible, and make for wonderful hiking territory. The village itself is rather accessible, due to its location beside the Ballachulish Bridge, which carries the A82 road across the loch. The village itself includes a few holiday lettings, as well as the grand Ballachulish Hotel on the opposite side of the loch. The Holroyd art gallery and the Pixel Spirits gin and rum distillery are also located here.

The charming seaside town of North Berwick is placed on the southern shore of the Firth of Forth, around 32 km (20 miles) to the east of Edinburgh. In 2021, North Berwick was voted in a Sunday Times poll as the best place to live in Scotland, and it is easy to see why. The town has an attractive ‘olde-worlde’ feel to it, with a network of winding streets and narrow alleyways lined with traditional stone townhouses. Its high street is flanked by a wide range of shops, from independent boutiques through to well-known chain stores, with inviting cafes, restaurants and cosy pubs dotted throughout the town centre. North Berwick is blessed with having two sandy beaches, which arch around a couple of bays, separated by a small headland. The town extends onto the headland, which is home to the town’s harbour, a renowned seabird centre, and the remains of a 16^th century church. The seafront provides great views across the Firth of Forth, with the rocky Craigleith island just out to sea, and the rolling hills of Fife on the horizon.

Located at the northern end of the spectacular Forth Bridge, North Queensferry is a rather pleasant seaside village. A street winds its way through the village, flanked by a row of old cottages, and larger buildings such as the Albert Hotel. The small quayside provides a great view of the Forth Bridge, with its giant red-painted iron girders that are regarded as one of Scotland’s most iconic symbols. A footpath winds its way along the coast to Carlingnose Point and beyond, providing a pleasant walking opportunity along the Forth.

North Shields is a large port town that is located on the northern banks of the Tyne estuary, close to its mouth with the North Sea. The town centre is a mix of old Georgian and Victorian townhouses and more modern buildings, the latter of which includes a shopping centre named The Beacon. A large waterfront flanks the edge of the Tyne – like many port towns and cities, industrial activity has declined significantly in North Shields over the past few decades, with apartment buildings flanking parts of the quayside. A large recreational marina is located at the Meadow Well area, where plenty of sailboats are moored. A passenger ferry connects North Shields with South Shields, which lies on the opposite side of the Tyne.

The eastern part of the town’s waterfront is home to Clifford’s Fort, a 17^th century fortress that was built to help protect Tyneside from invading armies, the Old Low Light heritage centre, which showcases the town’s maritime history, and a large Georgian lighthouse. This part of the waterfront is also home to trendy cafes and bars, including the TwelveTwentyFive restaurant, the Quay Tap House, and the cosy Low Lights Tavern. The Fish Quay Sands, a beach of sand and pebbles, faces eastwards, towards the open waters of the North Sea.

Placed on top of a small hill, the village of North Tolsta is surrounded by some rather pleasant scenery. Its remote location in the north-west of Lewis means that the village, along with the area it is located in, is rather serene and tranquil. The village overlooks a beautiful beach named Tràigh Mhor, a long stretch of sand backed by a row of large sand dunes. To the east of North Tolsta is a rugged promontory named Tolsta Head – the coastal landscape includes natural arches and large rock stacks. To the north, the coastline is rather wild, with cliffs that wind their way around countless headlands and inlets.

Northam and Westward Ho! are two small conjoined towns situated on the north coast of Devon, around 50 km to the north-west of Exeter. Located a stone’s throw away from both the coast and the Torridge Estuary, Northam has a traditional Devon feel to it – it is filled with many centuries-old buildings, including a 15th Century church. Pubs and several shops can be found here. Northam Burrows Country Park is located to the north, and is ideal for walks on the sand dunes. During low tide, exposed sand flats to the west of the country park provide an ideal opportunity for surfers. To the west of Northam is Westward Ho! – one of only two settlements in the world using an exclamation mark in its name, Westward Ho! is a quiet holiday town with an amusement arcade and a couple of pubs and cafes. With Northam Burrows to the north, and the wild and rugged North Devon coastal landscape to its south-west, there are plenty of hiking opportunities in the local area.

Located on the southwestern side of Harris, the hamlet of Northton is surrounded by some rather pleasant scenery. Large coastal hills tower dramatically over the settlement, with a large sandy bay complete with plenty of sand dunes placed on its northern side. In addition, a smaller beach is situated next to the village, a pleasant curve of white-coloured sand that is easily accessible from a country lane that runs through Northton.

Norton is a small hamlet located on the north-western edge of the Isle of Wight, just to the west of Yarmouth. It is flanked by a lush coastal woodland that is part of Fort Victoria Country Park, and includes a coastal footpath and a beach made of sand and shingle. Fossils are frequently found along the shore, including mollusc shells, turtle shells and crocodile scales. The country park takes its name from Fort Victoria, a former 19^th century fortress that sits above the shore, and is today home to a reptile house, a planetarium and a handful of gift shops. The Norton Grange coastal village is located to the east of Fort Victoria, and includes a hotel and holiday chalets.

The small village of Noss Mayo is located on the southern banks of Newton Creek, an inlet of the larger River Yealm, a drowned river valley. It is surrounded by some beautiful natural scenery, with ancient woodland and steep hillslopes surrounding the village. Noss Mayo itself is a beautiful village of old stone-built cottages, many of which are placed just above the water’s edge. A couple of traditional pubs overlook the shore, named The Ship Inn and The Swan Inn.