The UK’s ‘worst beach’ where visitors say there’s no sea and mud everywhere
- UK Hidden Gems
- Dec 23, 2025
- 2 min read
When planning a beach holiday, many people in the UK often look abroad to Europe, which is known for its wide choice of popular seaside resorts.
Countries like Spain, Portugal, Greece and Italy are often top of the list.
These destinations usually promise warm weather, plenty of sunshine and long stretches of sandy beaches along beautiful coastlines.
That said, if you are after a shorter break, the UK has lots of great beaches too. According to the Beach Guide, there are around 1,500 beaches across the UK and Ireland to choose from.
The guide highlights many of the best beaches in the UK, but one well known spot is missing from the list.
Southport Beach sits at the northern end of Sefton’s 22 mile coastline and has one of the most unusual natural landscapes in the country.
It is an important home for thousands of wading birds and is also well known for hosting the Southport Air Show.
Sadly, many visitors have said they were disappointed with their trip, based on reviews shared on TripAdvisor.
One visitor, Azyar, wrote: "The sea is very far out, and everyone I spoke to said it is always like this. The beach was awful and the worst one we visited.
"The signed path and car park to the beach felt like walking through a small swamp. It was not suitable for toddlers, and we ended up covered in mud and slush with no sea even close enough to dip our feet in."
Another reviewer, Wildjinny, said: "Pleasureland and the surrounding area looked very run down and sad. Visiting the beach made us feel even worse.
"There were a few cars parked on the only clean white sand we could see. The rest of the beach was a huge area of slippery mud with a light layer of sand and sharp shells."
Southport Beach has been named by Which? magazine as one of the worst seaside towns in the UK for two years in a row.
Despite the criticism, some visitors have still enjoyed their time there and have given the beach a full five star rating.
Remember - LeaveNoTrace!
As with anywhere outdoors, kindly keep these areas pristine and wild by taking all trash with you. The amount of complaints we have seen since the pandemic is crazy. It's really not that hard to take your rubbish with you!
Litter tends to spread, so if you see any and are able to pick it up and dispose of it outside the hidden gem, it will help keep the area tidy.
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