Analysts from mother and baby retailer JoJo Maman Bébé ranked every UK beach using Google Maps, looking at its overall visitor rating, how many reviews it has received, and its proximity to shops and restaurants. A weighted rank was then calculated to give an overall beach score out of 100.
Whitby Beach in North Yorkshire came in first place with a rating of 4.7 on Google from 6,699 and an overall score of 98.0.
Formby beach flew the flag for the north west, coming in fifth place. The researchers found it had a Google score of 4.7 from 2,585 visitors and gave it an overall score of 89.1 out of 100.
No other North West beaches made the JoJo Maman Bebe list, but plenty have been hailed by experts over the years. In April 2023, TimeOut media placed Morecambe at number 28 in its ‘handpicked guide to the UK’s finest beaches’ –the only Lancashire beach to make the cut.
See our list below of 10 tempting beaches for Boxing Day walks in the North West this year.

1. North West beaches
Check out some of the best beaches near to us. Photo: NW/submit

2. Ainsdale Beach
Ainsdale beach is located between Southport and Formby. It is recognised as one of the best beaches in the UK for extreme kite activities. | nw Photo: jpi

3. Morecambe beach
Morecambe beach is a little quieter these days than in its early 1900's heyday, but there's still arcades, shops, fish and chip shops and ice cream parlours along the seafront.According to thebeachguide.co.uk "there is no lifeguard cover and visitors need to beware of the dangers in the area. Incredibly fast tides, quicksand and other hazards make it dangerous to stray far out into the bay."Dogs are banned from the beach from the start of May to the end of September, but are allowed on the promenade if on leads. | NW Photo: Kelvin Stuttard

4. Cleveleys beach
This beach is located four miles north ofBlackpool.According to thebeachguide.co.uk "the beach front here is a vast expanse of sea and sand, backed by a promenade and the Jubilee Gardens all of which have benefitted from a recent large scale renovation." | Jayne Barbara Gaffney Photo: Jayne Barbara Gaffney