School holidays and warm weather are here and our Yorkshire beaches beckon. But where is safe for swimming along England’s often polluted coast? Thankfully there is largely encouraging information for Yorkshire from the government Environment Agency’s most recent ratings of sea water purity. This makes clear where swimming is safest and where it’s most likely not.

The Environment Agency’s latest assessment for beaches around England are on: https://environment.data.gov.uk/bwq/profiles/ . This places beaches into four categories according to measurements of seawater purity: ‘Excellent’, ‘Good’, ‘Sufficient’ and ‘Poor’. The ‘Poor’ category means a warning against bathing there.

For Yorkshire beaches, listed from north to south, the 2026 rating categories are:
Excellent: Sandsend, Whitby, Cayton Bay, Flamborough South Landing, Danes Dyke, Wilthorpe, Hornsea, Withernsea.

Good: Runswick Bay, Filey, Reighton, Bridlington North Bay.

Sufficient: Robin Hoods Bay, Scarborough North Bay, Bridlington South Bay, Fraisthorpe.

Poor: Scarborough South Bay.

Some particular good news for Yorkshire this year is that Bridlington South Beach has been raised up a category from last year’s rating as too polluted for swimming. It is now rated sufficiently pure. Bridlington South Beach is one of the longest beaches in Yorkshire and especially convenient for day-visitors coming by car. The South Beach Park & Ride car park offers 1000 parking places, charges only £6.50 per day, and you can simply walk from the car park across the dunes and on to the beach. Also, this car park conveniently links visitors to buses and Bridlington’s popular Land Trains across Bridlington. As well its lengthy golden sands and well-located car park, Bridlington South Beach now meets the Environment Agency’s minimum standard for swimming.

The saddest news this year is that Scarborough South Bay, another large and beautifully-situated beach, is yet again rated unfit for swimming since its sea pollution has not been satisfactorily reduced. But very nearby, on the other side of Scarborough’s high Castle promontory, is North Bay Beach which does meet the Environment Agency’s basic standard for swimming. And just south of Scarborough is Cayton Bay, where water purity is classified as “excellent”.

Water quality is a key criterion for the prestigious international Blue Flag Award for beaches. Beach cleanliness and good general beach management also get assessed for the Blue Flag. For 2026 three of our Yorkshire beaches won Blue Flag Awards: Whitby, Hornsea and Withernsea. Recently the latter two beaches have been repeatedly winning this top award. Keep Britain Tidy also awards a second tier of accolades, the ‘Seaside Award’, likewise assessing cleanliness and safety. For 2026 the following Yorkshire beaches won a ‘Seaside Award’: Runswick Bay, Robin Hoods Bay, Sandsend, Scarborough North Bay, Cayton Bay, Filey, Bridlington North Beach, Bridlington South Beach, Wilsthorpe.

So generally it’s good news about our Yorkshire beaches this summer – eight beaches getting the very top rating and only one with a firm ‘Do not swim’ warning. This is so much better than for some other stretches of England’s coast.

Choice Guide to Yorkshire's Coast, a new guidebook about interesting and enjoyable Yorkshire Coast day trips. For details and a free sample chapter: www.amazon.co.uk/Choice-Guide-Yorkshires-Charles-Patmore/dp/B0FLWFZ5JX