List of bays of the British Isles facts for kids
A bay is a part of the sea that curves inward, forming a sheltered area of water. Think of it like a big dent in the coastline! Bays are often calmer than the open ocean. This makes them great places for ships to dock, for fishing, and for wildlife to thrive. They are also popular spots for beaches and seaside towns.
This article lists many of the bays found around the British Isles. We'll explore them by island, moving around the coast in a specific direction.
Contents
Bays Around Britain
Let's start our journey around the largest island, Great Britain. We'll begin at the River Tweed in the northeast and travel clockwise around the coast.
England's East and South Coasts
From the River Tweed down to the Bristol Channel, England's coast has many interesting bays.
- Tees Bay is a large bay on the northeast coast.
- Robin Hood's Bay in North Yorkshire is famous for its charming village and fossil hunting.
- The Wash is a very large square-shaped bay on the east coast, important for birds and wildlife.
- Further south, you'll find bays like Rye Bay and Pevensey Bay.
- Near the famous Isle of Wight, there are bays like Christchurch Bay and Poole Bay.
- In Dorset, you can explore beautiful spots like Swanage Bay and the unique Kimmeridge Bay, known for its geology.
- Lyme Bay is a large bay shared between Dorset and Devon.
- In Cornwall, there's the well-known St Ives Bay, a popular surfing spot, and Mount's Bay, home to St Michael's Mount.
- On the Bristol Channel, you'll find Barnstaple Bay (also called Bideford Bay) and Bridgwater Bay.
Bays in Wales
Wales has a stunning coastline with many beautiful bays.
- Cardiff Bay is a redeveloped area in the capital city, now a lively waterfront.
- Swansea Bay is a large, sweeping bay in South Wales.
- Rhossili Bay on the Gower Peninsula is often voted one of the best beaches in the UK.
- Carmarthen Bay is another large bay in the south.
- Moving north, you'll find St Bride's Bay and the very large Cardigan Bay, which is home to dolphins!
- On the north coast, there's Conwy Bay.
England's North West Coast
From the River Dee up to the Solway Firth, this part of England also has significant bays.
- Liverpool Bay is a large bay at the mouth of the River Mersey, important for shipping.
- Morecambe Bay is a huge, sandy bay known for its vast tidal flats and cockle fishing.
Bays in Scotland
Scotland's coastline is rugged and full of inlets, often called "lochs" or "firths," but it also has many bays. We'll look at some key areas.
Scotland's West Coast
From the Solway Firth to Oban, and then further north to Cape Wrath, the west coast is dotted with countless bays. Many of these are smaller, sheltered coves.
- In the southwest, there's Wigtown Bay and Luce Bay.
- Near Glasgow, you'll find bays like Ayr Bay and Irvine Bay on the Firth of Clyde.
- The Isle of Arran has lovely bays like Whiting Bay and Brodick Bay.
- Further north, as you head towards the Highlands, bays like Oban Bay are important for ferries and local life.
- Sanna Bay on the Ardnamurchan Peninsula is known for its white sands.
- Applecross Bay is a beautiful spot in a remote part of the Highlands.
- Gruinard Bay and Enard Bay are further north, offering stunning scenery.
Scotland's North and East Coasts
From Cape Wrath around to the Moray Firth and then down to the River Tweed, the east coast is generally less indented than the west.
- Dunnet Bay is a wide, sandy bay in the far north.
- Moray Firth is a large firth (a type of bay or estuary) on the northeast coast, famous for its bottlenose dolphins.
- Within the Moray Firth area, you'll find bays like Cullen Bay and Banff Bay.
- Fraserburgh Bay is on the very northeastern tip.
- Further south, on the North Sea coast, there's Peterhead Bay and Aberdeen Bay, important for the city of Aberdeen.
- Stonehaven Bay is a picturesque bay with a historic harbour.
- Montrose Bay and Lunan Bay are further down the coast.
- St Andrews Bay (Fife) is famous for its golf courses.
- Finally, Coldingham Bay is near the border with England.
Bays of the Hebrides
The Hebrides are a group of islands off Scotland's west coast, known for their wild beauty.
Islay
- Laggan Bay is a large sandy bay on the south coast of Islay, a famous whisky island.
Mull
- Carsaig Bay and Calgary Bay are notable bays on the Isle of Mull, with Calgary Bay being particularly scenic.
Lewis
- Broad Bay is a significant bay on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides.
Bays of Orkney Mainland
The Orkney Mainland is the largest island in the Orkney archipelago.
- Scapa Bay is a well-known bay, part of the larger Scapa Flow, famous for its naval history.
- Bay of Kirkwall is near the capital town of Kirkwall.
Bays of the Isle of Man
The Isle of Man is located in the Irish Sea. We'll go clockwise from the Point of Ayre.
- Ramsey Bay is a large bay on the northeast coast.
- Laxey Bay and Douglas Bay are important bays with towns.
- In the south, you'll find Derby Haven and Castletown Bay.
- Port Erin Bay is a beautiful, sheltered bay on the southwest coast.
- On the west, there's Peel Bay, known for its castle.
Bays of the Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a large island off the south coast of England. We'll travel clockwise from Cowes.
- Osborne Bay is near Osborne House, a former royal residence.
- Sandown Bay is a large, popular bay on the east coast, home to the towns of Sandown and Shanklin.
- Ventnor Bay is a picturesque bay on the south coast.
- Chale Bay and Brighstone Bay are on the more exposed southwest coast.
- Freshwater Bay is famous for its chalk cliffs and stacks.
- Alum Bay is known for its colourful sand cliffs.
- Totland Bay and Colwell Bay are on the west coast.
Bays of Ireland
We'll look at some bays on the island of Ireland, moving anti-clockwise from Lough Foyle.
Northern Ireland
- Dundrum Bay is a large bay on the southeast coast of Northern Ireland.
- Red Bay and Ballycastle Bay are on the Antrim coast.
See also
