In the beating heart of summer, when roads vanish into shimmering pools and buildings become storage heaters—all we can think is, beach. We want to run from cities. The centrifugal lust for sand whips us out to the coast.
But. In our mind’s eye we see emptiness. Stretches of white gold, uninhabited. Nothing but the chorus of gulls and low rumbling of breakers. The reality—summer is busy—and a popular beach is no place for quiet. Fast forward to autumn, after the school holidays, and our beaches are empty of the summer crowds.
Our 4* and 5* luxury cottages are scattered across fantastic coastal locations in the UK, the perfect base to enjoy a UK staycation and explore the vast coastline of the UK.
Here are 10 beaches, around the UK, that only get better as the first chill gusts of autumn stir the land:
Porthcurno, Cornwall
There’s a reason why people refer to Cornwall as England’s Mediterranean and Porthcurno Beach is why. The sand here is pearlescent in the sun, even into September, and when it catches the bay water it’s the cracking of a newly mined opal. Its majesty made it the perfect choice for Ross Poldark’s beach in the now famous BBC TV series. Like Ross you can visit here and take part in your own dream sequence. Though tricorn hats are, sadly, no longer fashionable.
Discover the perfect holiday cottage in Cornwall for your autumn break by the sea.
Discover an oasis of stunning natural beauty at Porthcurno Bay.
Woolacombe, North Devon
Miles of golden sand, cresting waves, and the unmistakeable rolling hills of Devon. Woolacombe Beach has previously been voted as the best beach in the UK. It’s easy to see why. It embodies everything we expect from a beach. In the off-season Woolacombe is a storm watcher’s wonderland. Uninterrupted swells surge and pregnant fronts gather; plumes of blue electric smoulder, billowing out in the cold Atlantic. Staring out at a steel sea, as the weather comes and taking lungfuls of sulphide laden air is transcendental.
Woolacombe beach is a must visit location in autumn, the perfect destination for outdoor water sports or a gentle barefoot stroll. Our collection of luxury holiday cottages in Devon are the perfect match for an action-packed adventure or rural retreat, find your cottage today.
Explore three miles of sweeping, uninterrupted golden sands at Woolacombe.
Bamburgh, Northumberland
Northumberland is a beautifully bleak hinterland of skyward moors and ruined medieval fortresses. Silent hills, patrolled by cloud shadows, reaching into the Scottish borders. The coast here is lashed by the North Sea, making it great for storm watching and surfing. Bamburgh beach, presided over by an imposing castle is close to where the Vikings first leapt from their longboats. Inked up Norse men howling at the cosmos. Bamburgh is truly an atmospheric beach to visit.
Find your perfect Northumberland holiday cottage from our collection, enjoy an autumn break exploring the wild and beautiful landscapes of this historic county.
Stroll around one of the most beautiful beaches in the UK when you holiday in Northumberland.
Robin Hood’s Bay, Yorkshire
We often associate quaint fishing villages with Cornwall, yet Yorkshire does them with impressive charm. Robin Hood’s Bay is a perfect example. Moss flecked cobble stones wind down between terracotta topped cottages and emerge upon a sandy beach. At the edges of the bay, fossil rich cliffs rise, crowned by verdant pastures. It’s the ideal place for some seasonal lunch and an Instagram session.
Discover our snug and cosy Yorkshire holiday cottages, the proper way to embrace the charming countryside and coast. Find yourself at Robin Hood’s Bay this autumn for a peaceful UK staycation in Yorkshire.
Stroll along Robin Hood's Bay, the picturesque old fishing village, located on the Heritage Coast of the North York Moors.
Holkham, North Norfolk
Easily Norfolk’s finest beach and one of the best in the UK. Holkham is a place that presents itself to you as a new realm, undiscovered, and unchanged by human toil. Stepping from beneath the bows of musky pines, twisted and hunched from salt gales, Holkham beach unfurls like a lunar desert. Stark, lonely, and awe provoking. It’s so striking a location that it’s a world-renowned filming destination. One of the latest films to use the dunes at Holkham is the psychedelic and bio-bending Annihilation.
Escape to the vast expanse of golden sand at Holkham beach this autumn, our luxury holiday cottages in Norfolk are an ideal choice of accommodation to relish the relaxing calm of Norfolks open spaces.
With its stunning coastline and wide horizons you're spoilt for choice for beautiful beaches in Norfolk.
Barmouth, North Wales
North Wales is one of the few places in the UK that feels past the clutches of civilisation. The mythical place, ever beyond the next rise. This is a land of rough shod mountains, and deep valleys, overflowing with fecund forest, ripe in creeping things and surreptitious creatures.
Barmouth is at the southern reaches of Snowdonia, a vast beach of pure sand, skirted by lofty Welsh peaks. This is a traditional seaside resort in summer, and in autumn and winter, a way to wistfully commune with raw nature.
A Welsh break in autumn is a treat, reconnect with nature, explore the rolling valleys and rugged coastlines. Book your holiday cottage in North Wales with us and plan your epic autumn adventure.
View towards Barmouth Bridge. Image courtesy of VisitWales.
Rhossili Bay, South Wales
Unlike the ragged wilderness of North Wales, South Wales is a softer, more congenial place. Less of the romantic sublime and more ‘Cider with Rosie’. Rhossili Bay beach hems the undulating farmlands of the Gower Peninsula; a frill of pristine sand stretching for miles. It’s considered one of the finest beaches to be found anywhere. Watching the fire of sunset spread through western skies of the Celtic sea is a sight to cherish at Rhossili.
Find yourself in the iconic Rhossili Bay this autumn, peacefully relaxing in one of our cosy luxury cottages in South Wales.
Explore the 3 miles of gorgeous sand and coastline at Rhossili Bay.
Seven Sisters, East Sussex
Like felted ice bergs, the Seven Sister’s cliffs in East Sussex soar incongruously above the temperate lull of the English Channel. Often used as a stand in for the White Cliffs of Dover. They are a sharp bisection of the South Downs, presenting a chalk wall, visible as a paint stripe on the horizon out at sea.
Strolling along in the lee of the Seven Sisters is uncanny in a good way. Such a contrast of colours, from the grasslands above, to the pale blue of the channel below, to the polar cliffs in between. There’s nowhere else like it and the beach here is a bucket list visit.
Our holiday cottages in Sussex offer the perfect base for you to enjoy a refreshing staycation with the freedom to make your holiday whatever you want it to be.
Spend the day exploring part of the world famous Seven Sisters chalk cliffs at the National Trust's Birling Gap in East Sussex.
Durdle Door, Dorset
The beach and cove at Durdle Door in Dorset are the jewel of the Jurassic Coast. Durdle Door is a limestone arch at the tip of a stretch of headland. Walking down the steps to the beach, it appears like a behemoth serpent diving beneath the waves. The beauty of this spot is unique. In autumn, relax without the crowds, see the gilded pre-winter light flood through the door and lapse into a fairy tale. Find your perfect luxury cottage in Dorset.
Visit one of Dorset's most photographed and iconic landmarks this autumn from your luxury holiday cottage.
Ravenglass, Lake District
The only official beach in the Lake District. Ravenglass, with towering fells and fathomless lakes at its back, sounds like something Tolkien imagined. Three rivers, the Esk, Mite, and Ert unite at Ravenglass and flow into the choppy waters of the Irish Sea. The village was once a Roman fort and you can still see the walls of an ancient bathhouse. Over the way, in the Drigg Dunes, is where Europe’s largest colony of Black Headed gulls nest and hide from dark weather fronts rolling in.
Fancy a trip to Ravenglass? Our selection of luxury cottages in the Lake District do not disappoint, nestled in the rugged valleys of Cumbria, an autumn break in the lakes is a wonderful and adventurous experience.
Luxury Holiday Cottages in the UK
All the beaches above are true destinations and worth travelling for. But which will you choose? At Premier Cottages we have properties all around the UK, simply pick your region. Whether it’s just the two of you or the full entourage (including the dog) we have cottages in all shapes and sizes—each perfect as a base to explore the sights and sounds of the UK coast.
Book in autumn for a cosy and quiet UK holiday!