Scotland's Beach Award: The 14 Fife beaches to receive the award in 2023

The Kingdom retains its title as the region with the most awards, with Aberdeenshire and East Lothian following with eight of their beaches receiving the award.

Scotland’s Beach Award celebrates the achievements of well managed beaches across Scotland allowing visitors and locals to choose where they want to visit with the knowledge that the beach is being looked after for people and the environment.

Across Scotland a total of 52 beaches have received the award this year.

Last year, St Andrews West Sands was one of two beaches to celebrate 30 years of achieving the accolade consistently. The other was Gullane Bents in East Lothian.

And in 2023 a second Fife beach has now received the award consistently for three decades. Aberdour Silver Sands has reached the milestone this year, alongside Nairn Central.

Additionally 40 beaches on the list have successfully achieved an award for ten or more years.

Jamie Ormiston, awards officer at Keep Scotland Beautiful, said: “Scotland’s Beach Awards are the benchmark for quality, celebrating clean, well-managed and sustainable beaches. Our award-winning beaches demonstrate excellent beach management and we hope that all who visit this year play their part in keeping them beautiful.

"I’d like to thank all those who do so much to protect, maintain and enhance our beaches, protecting the sand and sea for us all to enjoy.”

In order to achieve Scotland’s Beach Award, a range of criteria must be met including beach safety, access and facilities and cleanliness. Focusing on local environmental quality, the award is designed to complement the work undertaken by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency on bathing water quality.

Here are the 14 Fife beaches to have received the award in 2023.