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Here are the 15 best quality beaches across the Highlands, Aberdeenshire and Shetland

Nairn has made Keep Scotland Beautiful's list of the best beaches for the 30th year in a row.

Walkers on Nairn Central Beach
Pop along to the beach this summer. Image: Paul Glendell/DC Thomson.

A total of 15 beaches across the Highlands, Aberdeenshire and Shetland have been awarded Scotland’s Beach Award from Keep Scotland Beautiful.

The environmental charity awards beaches that are well looked after and maintained to a high standard for visitors and residents.

It means they must be clean and free of pollution or plastic waste, which many are due to dedicated clean-up teams in the community.

A total of 52 beaches have received the award this year, with eight in Aberdeenshire, one in Aberdeen, five in the Highlands and one in Shetland.

30 years of clear water at Nairn beach

Nairn Central Beach reached a major milestone, consistently achieving the award for the past 30 years with Dornoch Beach close behind at 29 years and Brora at 22 years.

Nairn is known for its beach with its low dunes, and large stretches of sand which attracts lots of visitors from nearby Inverness which has no beaches.

The beach at Loch Morlich entices crowds from the central Highlands in places such as Aviemore and Kingussie.

People enjoying the sunshine and warm weather at Balmedie Beach. Image: Kath Flannery/DC Thomson.

Dornoch Beach sits at the mouth of the Loch Fleet National Nature Reserve and offers large stretches of sand with diverse wildlife including nesting birds, flora and fauna.

All eight Aberdeenshire beaches have been awarded the past 14 years, with Balmedie coming out on top at 18 years.

Stonehaven and Inverboyndie Beach are firm favourites for watersports enthusiasts including surfers and windsurfers.

Here is a list of the award-winning beaches:

  • Loch Morlich
  • Brora Beach
  • Sango Sands, Durness
  • Dornoch Beach
  • Nairn Central Beach
  • West Sandwick, Shetland
  • Aberdeen Ballroom Beach
  • Balmedie Beach
  • Collieston Beach
  • Stonehaven Beach
  • Fraserburgh Waters of Philorth
  • Peterhead Lido
  • Cruden Bay Beach
  • Fraserburgh Tigerhill
  • Inverboyndie Beach

Jamie Ormiston, awards officer at Keep Scotland Beautiful said,

Aberdeen Ballroom Beach has been recognised for the past 17 years. Image: Kenny Elrick/DC Thomson

Scotland’s Beach Awards are the benchmark for quality, celebrating clean, well-managed and sustainable beaches.

“Our award-winning beaches demonstrate excellent beach management and we hope that all who visit this year play their part in keeping them beautiful.

“I’d like to thank all those who do so much to protect, maintain and enhance our beaches, protecting the sand and sea for us all to enjoy.”

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