10 best British beaches

For white sands

Mull is Scotland's most dramatic island, with mountain peaks and steep cliffs, edged by three hundred miles of coastline, plus the occasional white sandy beach. Calgary Bay, tucked between two headlands in the  north-west corner, is the best. The beach feels secluded and in winter you're likely to be the only person admiring the views to the islands of Tiree and Coll beyond. Basking sharks, seals, dolphins and porpoises are regularly sighted off the coast.

Visit Scotland (0845 225 5121, www.visitscotland.co.uk)

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