An Essex coastal town has been named for having one of the best beaches in Britain and the best in the county.
Walton is often shadowed by coastal counterpart Frinton when it comes to praise for shoreline spots.
But, the I newspaper has recognised it as the best in Essex, alongside other beaches across Britain.
Travel writer Martyn Howe has walked 4,000 miles of Essex coastline for the past few years analysing the entirety of the British coastline and picked out a beach from each county.
Why did Walton make the cut?
The I newspaper said: "Both Walton-on-the-Naze and Frinton-on-Sea have miles of sandy beaches, with colourful beach huts on either side of the amusement pier.
"The two towns are connected by a coastal cycle track as well as bus services.
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"From Walton station, catch the seasiders bus to your beach of choice, or walk 15 minutes to the Leas Beach, an ideal place to build a sandcastle for the tide to wash away."
What does it have to offer?
Walton-on-the-Naze is one of north‑east Essex’s classic bucket‑and‑spade resorts, combining old‑school seafront fun with some surprisingly wild coastline.
The town sits just south of Harwich on the North Sea, its long, sandy beach backed by seafront gardens and lines of pastel beach huts that give it that instantly recognisable Sunshine Coast look.
Walton Pier – said to be the second‑longest in England – has had a recent refresh and now mixes traditional fairground rides with ten‑pin bowling, escape rooms and sea angling, keeping it firmly in family‑day‑out territory.
Head north and things feel very different.
The Naze headland is an unspoilt sweep of heath, saltmarsh and crumbling cliffs, part of the Hamford Water National Nature Reserve and an important stop‑off for migrating birds.
Fossil hunters scour the London clay for shark teeth and pyritised wood, while the 18th‑century Naze Tower offers art exhibitions, a small museum and big views along the coast.
Walton’s history as a Victorian resort still shows in its narrow streets and early seafront terraces, but coastal erosion is a live issue here, adding an edge to the otherwise nostalgic promenade.
It’s an easy rail trip on the Sunshine Coast line with everything – station, pier and beach – within a few minutes’ walk.
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