Winners of Scotland’s Beach Awards announced

Scotland’s Beach Awards celebrate the achievements of well managed beaches across Scotland. The prestigious flag helps visitors and locals chose where they want to visit, with the knowledge that the beach is being looked after for people and the environment.

A total of 52 beaches have received the award this year, from Aberdeenshire to the Scottish Borders – with Newton Beach on Millport in North Ayrshire making a welcome comeback following investment work.

Fife retains its title as the region with the most awards, boasting 13 winning beaches while Aberdeenshire and East Lothian follow with eight award winning beaches.

Scotland’s Beach Awards have been managed by Keep Scotland Beautiful for more than 30 years, playing a vital role in protecting our beaches for people and nature, encouraging people to visit responsibly and signposting people to beaches that best meet their needs. 

A range of criteria must be met, including beach safety, access and facilities, and cleanliness. Focusing on local environmental quality, the award is designed to complement the work undertaken by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency on bathing water quality.  

To see the full list and map of all the award-winning beaches check out the Keep Scotland Beautiful website.