The UK's 'best seaside town' with independent shops and beautiful beaches

We're so lucky to have an abundance of beautiful seaside towns across the UK. They make for perfect staycations and mean we don't have to fork out on expensive flights abroad.

While it can't be described as a hidden gem, Falmouth, in Cornwall, has recently been dubbed the best seaside town in the whole of the nation. The town boasts a number of thriving independent shops, beautiful beaches and the charm of a quintessential British seaside resort. There are a number of fish and chips shops and ice cream parlours for families to enjoy too.

As reported by the Mirror, Falmouth is a great place to visit throughout the year. While it gets very busy during the peak summer months, there are benefits of visiting the town during the rest of the year and avoiding the crowds.

One of the most iconic sights in Falmouth is its picturesque harbour, where visitors can watch the boats come and go. As well as offering amazing views of the sea and surrounding landscape, the harbour is located close to a number of pubs, cafes and shops.

Gyllyngvase Beach is arguably the most popular beach in Falmouth. It has clear blue waters and a picture-perfect pebble shore, making it a popular choice for families to visit and relax.

The beach is the top-rated in Falmouth on TripAdvisor. It has a number of glowing reviews with visitors praising its turqoise waters and easy accessibility.

One holidaymaker wrote: "What a beautiful beach. Found lots of sea glass! It was quite busy but we managed to find a great spot to sit down and enjoy the view."

A second said: "This is one of our favourite Cornish beaches. On a good day the water is absolutely beautiful it's like being abroad. Lovely to swim in. Good lifeguards. Toilets could be better but easily accessible from the beach."

Swanpool Beach is another popular spot among visitors. It is tucked away in a small cove and known for hosting a number of watersports.

For those after a quieter spot to relax then Maenporth Beach is for you. Meanwhile, Castle Beach is right by Pendennis Castle and popular with Brits looking for scenic walks and views.

With all of this in mind, it comes as no surprise that researched at the Co-operative Bank recently named Falmouth the UK's best seaside town. They compared a number of coastal resorts across different factors including beaches, safety, hours of sunshine and walkability.

They said: "Falmouth takes the crown as the best seaside town in the UK with an overall seaside score of 8.38/10.

"Nestled in the heart of Cornwall, Falmouth has a walkability score of 92, making it easy to get around on foot and soak up the harbour views, independent shops and local seafood spots.

"With a low crime rate of 36 per 1,000 people, it's among the safest seaside spots in the country. On top of that, Cornwall sees an average of 4.5 hours of sunshine per day and 142 beaches nearby."