Part of the Northumberland Heritage Coast and in a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Beadnell Bay is a 2-mile long crescent of golden sand that runs from Beadnell village to Low Newton in the south. The bay forms a natural harbour and is unique for being the only west-facing harbour on the east coast of England.

It is one of the best beaches for watersports in the area, in particular surfing and bodyboarding, with the bay producing swells that up to 15 ft high. The middle and southern end of the bay produce the best quality waves, while the northern end which is sheltered from the wind works better at high tide. Winter and spring are the best times to visit when the waves are choppier, and the beach is quieter.

Beadnell Bay is also an excellent spot for windsurfing and kitesurfing as it seems to pick up more wind than anywhere else on the Northumberland coast. Wakeboarding, wingfoiling, stand-up paddleboarding, jet-sking, powerboating, and kayaking are also popular, but do be aware that the beach can get very busy in the summer and watch out for swimmers and bathers in the sea.

A watersports centre is located in the car park next to the beach that offers lessons and activities as well as wetsuit and equipment hire. They also run coasteering sessions giving you the opportunity to try out cliff jumping, caving, rock pooling, and climbing along the Northumberland coastline.

There are a couple of good dive sites just off the shoreline with lots of crevices and overhangs to explore. Lady’s Hole is about 10 m deep with a reef wall to the south side and a sandy base that holds a decent number of fish as well as lobsters and scallops.

For a fantastic shallow dive with an easy entry and exit that’s suitable for snorkelling, the rocky outcrops of Knacker Hole have a kelp forest and plenty of wildlife, including crabs, octopus, sea scorpions, sea slugs, and schooling fish.

Beadnell’s Point is the largest reef which extends for 150 m to a depth of about 14 m. It’s in the main current stream so covered in sealife including anemones, starfish, and alcyonium. The wreckage of a steamer called the MV Yewglen which ran aground in 1960 with a cargo of lime and cement can be found on the north side of the point. Look out for the hatches, boiler, plates, girders, and parts of machinery.

With plenty of space, Beadnell Bay rarely gets crowded so it’s a great beach for families to spend a day out. The clean sand is perfect for building sandcastles, enjoying a game of beach cricket or rounders, and settling down with a picnic. Dogs are allowed on the beach all year round but during the spring and summer they must be kept on a lead so they don’t disturb ground-nesting birds.

The shallow slope of the beach means that when it’s calm, the sea is safe for swimming and paddling although there is no lifeguard cover and children should be supervised. The water quality is generally good, although the northern end of the beach can sometimes get polluted particularly after stormy weather.