Five beaches in the Highlands and one in Moray have been named in The Sunday Times list of the top 50 across the UK.
The beach of the year is Big Sand in Gairloch, in the west Highlands, according to the travel section of the newspaper.
Elsewhere across the Highlands, Embo in Sutherland, Farr Bay in Caithness, Sanna in Ardnamurchan and Vesteys in the west of the region were all included.
The Highlands have more highly ranked beaches than anywhere else in the UK.
More than 800 beaches across the country were visited, with scenery and setting playing an important role in the ranking.
Judge Chris Haslam, the paper’s chief travel writer, also took into the account practical information needed to plan a beach day, including car parking, toilets, refreshments, shops and accommodation.
Roseisle beach in Moray was ranked at number seven, with the remaining three Scottish winner in Angus, Dumfries and Galloway and East Lothian respectively.
The rankings in Scotland
- Scotland winner – Big Sand, Highland
- Sanna, Ardnamurchan
- Rockcliffe, Dumfries and Galloway
- Vesteys, Highland
- Farr Bay, Highland
- Embo, Highland
- Roseisle, Moray
- Lunan Bay, Angus
- Yellowcraig, Lothian
The guide highlights the world-beating magnificence of the seaside.
The Sunday Times’ chief travel writer, Chris Haslam said: “This has been the 15th circumnavigation of the British coast for me and the second for my Jack Russell assistant Dave T. Dog.
“Over eight weeks we’ve seen sunrises and sunsets, sand and shingle, surfed with dolphins and kayaked with seals.
“We’ve navigated canyon-like lanes to empty coves, queued to get onto urban hotspots, and in one case swam through a tunnel to reach an otherwise inaccessible bay.
“This is the most comprehensive and detailed beach guide available and it proves that, when the sun is shining, our beaches are the most beautiful on earth.”
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