W

hen it comes to beaches in England, stretching out on the sand is still high on the list for most of us. But if your idea of a beach break is something you do on a surfboard, there are tons of coastal sweet-spots to explore.

Like Sennen , for example, which gets more swell than most places thanks to its position on the south-west tip of Cornwall. Or how about the multi-million-pound artificial reef at Boscombe in Dorset? The waves may not be as high as in Cornwall, but they’re great for beginners – and you’ve got the beach resort’s new pier nearby when you’ve finished wiping out.

However beach holidays in England can be low-key, too, with many areas providing important wildlife habitats. Take Braunton Burrows in Devon, for example, home to a whopping 400 species of wild flowers, 33 varieties of butterfly and (as the name suggests) the odd bunny rabbit.

Meanwhile, nature-lovers and families will love Newton Haven on the spectacular Northumberland coast, where the wildlife is a different kind of ‘cute’: exotic-looking lobsters, shrimps, spider crabs and edible mussels are just a few of the things you’ll find on an afternoon of rock-pooling. Just mind those toes…