The award-winning journalist Chris Haslam doesn't just like beaches; he loves them.

Chris, chief travel writer for the Sunday Times, recently returned from spending seven weeks touring the coastline of Britain to produce his list of the very best beaches in Britain.

It's a mammoth undertaking, in which he and his dog — a Jack Russell called Dave — drove over 5,500 miles to inspect beaches from the tip of the Highlands to the Kent coast, and from the furthest tip of Cornwall to the broad sands of East Anglia and Lincolnshire.

He found beauty, joy, and plentiful fish and chip shops — but also came into contact with once-beautiful coastal spots that were clean and beautiful a decade ago, but are now tarnished by pollution.

For all that, though, Chris remains a huge fan and advocate of British beaches: 'Nowhere I've been in the world has the variety and raw natural beauty of the British coastline.'

He spoke to Country Life's James Fisher for this wonderful episode. You can read Chris's full list of beaches here.

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Episode credits

• Host: James Fisher
• Guest: Chris Haslam
• Editor and producer: Toby Keel
• Music: JuliusH via Pixabay and the Fly Guy Five via Epidemic Sound
• Special Thanks: Adam Wilbourn

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