How we calculate beach distances
Why we use road distances, not crow-flies estimates — and how our calculation works.
Most “nearest beach” sites measure the straight-line distance between two points — ignoring roads entirely. A beach that is 15 miles as the crow flies might require a 45-minute drive on winding coastal roads. That information is useless for planning a beach trip.
Our approach
We calculate road distances— the actual number of miles you need to drive. This is what matters when you’re deciding whether a beach trip is realistic on a sunny afternoon.
For our top 500 most-searched UK towns, we pre-calculate road distances to every beach in our database using real routing data. These numbers are stored and served directly — no estimation involved.
Estimated distances
For all other towns (where road data is not yet pre-computed), we use a calibrated Haversine formula with a road-factor correction.
The 1.3 correction factor accounts for the fact that UK roads typically add 20–35% to straight-line distances. This gives accurate estimates for the vast majority of inland towns. Pages using estimated distances are clearly labelled with a “~” prefix.
Drive time estimates
Drive times assume an average speed of 50mph on UK roads — which accounts for a mix of motorway, A-road, and local road travel typical for coastal journeys. These are indicative estimates; always check Google Maps for live traffic before you travel.
Beach data sources
Accuracy & corrections
We aim to be the most accurate beach distance resource on the internet. If you find an error — incorrect distance, wrong beach type, outdated dog rules — please let us knowand we’ll correct it promptly.
It happens — beach rules change, new carparks open, water quality ratings are updated. Help us keep the data accurate.
Report incorrect data →