Trimpley beach

The beach at Trimpley isn't what you'd expect from inland Shropshire. It's a proper riverside spot on the Severn, just outside Bewdley, where the water widens out enough to create a genuine sandy stretch - rare and rather wonderful for these parts.

You get a mix of activities depending on what you're after. Swimmers wade in during summer. Walkers use it as a pit stop on longer routes along the Severn Valley Way. Families with young kids appreciate the shallow shelving and the fact there's actual sand to dig about in rather than just grassy banks. It's not vast, mind you - maybe twenty minutes if you're having a proper explore - but that's rather the point. You're not here for a day at the seaside. You're here because you've been walking or cycling nearby and fancy a break by the water.

The setting matters more than the beach itself. Trees lean over the banks, the river flows past properly (watch for the current if you're swimming), and it feels like you've stumbled on something locals know about rather than some tourist trap. Getting there from Bewdley takes five minutes by car if you're staying at Lodge Coppice Holiday Park or exploring the town itself.

Go in late spring or early autumn when the water's warmer but it's not rammed with school holidays trippers. Summer weekends can get busy. Free to visit, naturally. Bring a picnic and make an afternoon of it combined with a riverside walk.