A UK beach has unexpectedly been compared to Hawaii and ranked among the “most spectacular” in the world.
Thurso Beach, a stretch of 500-metre-long seaside on the shores of one of Scotland’s northernmost towns, is nestled in a cove that looks out onto the Orkney Isles.
Its placement means it sees some of the coldest temperatures Scotland has to offer, with highs up to just 6.4C reported in December and January and lows of 1C to 0.8C.
But that hasn’t stopped the stretch of beach from making a list that includes coastal communities in some of the most sun-drenched parts of the world.
One publication has listed it as the ideal destination for a beach holiday away from the potentially suffocating heat of recent years.
Argentine-Spanish news outlet Infobae has listed Thurso Beach alongside nine other coastal destinations selected for their glittering sands and blue seas.
As expected, the publication placed sunny destinations in the top spot, with Algar De Benagil Beach in Portugal taking the top spot, followed by Ninety Mile Beach in Victoria, Australia, and Jumeirah Beach in Dubai.
Thurso was placed much further down in last place, ranking tenth on the list of 10.
Despite its ranking, Infobae was still full of praise for the destination, making note of its reputation as “one of the best surfing destinations in the country”.
The publication concluded: “The heat in summer can be too suffocating for some people, but that doesn’t mean they have to give up spending their days at the beach.
“The perfect solution is found in Thurso, a small town in northern Europe. Thurso Beach is located there, nothing more and nothing less than the beach in Europe with the coldest atmosphere in summer, and at this time of year the average temperature is only 15 degrees.
“The beach extends for around 500 meters into Thurso Bay and is one of the most northerly points on mainland Britain. In addition, being exposed to the Atlantic winds, it is one of the best surfing destinations in the country.”
Thurso is known by locals as a “cold water surfing Mecca”, and attracts thousands of people every year.
In 2022, the beach was voted the sixth best place for surfing in the world, alongside other coveted destinations in Canada and Australia.
Mark Boyd and Iona McLachlan, Scottish surfing champions who honed their craft on the north coast, have helped bring the town even more prestige in recent years.
