The Long Strand

Three miles of sand stretching out towards the horizon - that's the Long Strand near Newtownards, and it's precisely what the name promises. It's the kind of beach that rewards you for turning up, particularly when the tide's out and the whole expanse opens up. The strand sits on the Ards Peninsula, that finger of land pointing into the Irish Sea, and you get proper views across the water towards Scotland on clear days.

Walkers will spend hours here without complaint. The sand's firm enough for easy walking, and the beach doesn't get rammed even during school holidays. Families with young kids will find it genuinely useful - shallow shelving means paddling's safe, and there's enough space that you're not constantly dodging other people's windbreaks. Dog owners tend to congregate here too, so if your pooch needs a run it's a decent bet.

The beach itself is free - no car park charges that I could find, though parking's limited and it can fill up weekends. Allow at least an hour, longer if you've got time to kill. The best call is heading there an hour before low tide, when you get the full expanse. Wind can whip across the peninsula, so don't come expecting Mediterranean conditions even on sunny days.

It works well alongside the holiday parks dotted nearby - Springvale's just under a mile away, Sandycove a touch further. Both give you easy access without needing to plan an outing. The Long Strand is straightforward and unpretentious - no facilities, no fuss, just sand and sea.