The best beaches for a day trip from Britain’s biggest cities

Spring has arrived in the UK and experts are predicting the hottest March in 100 years.

Warmer than average weather will be blown over from continental Europe with the highest temperatures seen in the country so far this year.

The mercury is set to reach an unseasonable 20C with conditions remaining fine and dry into the weekend.

Any sign of sunshine in the UK has many of us flocking to the seaside to enjoy the warm weather. Not everyone can afford to take a weekend away at such short notice, however.

If you are looking for a day trip instead, here is a selection of beaches in easy reach of some of the UK’s major cities.

London: Camber Sands, Sussex
This stretch of sand is around two hours from London, making it perfect for a day trip from the capital. It’s unusually soft underfoot for this region of the UK – where most of the coast is covered with shingles and pebbles.

The beach and surrounding area are a breath of fresh air from the busy city with the only dune system in East Sussex. A large section of this unique dune is a Site of Special Scientific Interest because of its important animal and plant communities.

The waters are usually calm and good for a swim on a warm day but be careful if you visit in the offseason as lifeguards are usually only present from May to October.

Manchester: Lligwy and Traeth yr Ora, Anglesey, Wales
It’s worth the two hour drive from Manchester to reach this gem on the North Wales coast. Park up at Lligwy for the wide sands and beachside facilities. It has relatively safe waters and perfect conditions for sandcastles making it great for families looking to get out of the city.

If you don’t mind a short walk, then Traeth yr Ora is 1.6 km along the coast. This secret beach can only be reached by foot but you’ll be rewarded with soft, golden sands.