The best piers and promenade in the UK 2021

With staycations being the holiday of choice for many UK residents in 2021, here at Ecochoice, we started thinking about the great seaside towns across the UK and in particular, those piers and promenades. There is nothing quite like taking a stroll out towards the sea on a pier’s timber decking (especially if it’s supplied by Ecochoice) with the waves crashing and splashing below. Here are our top picks of the UK’s best piers to visit this summer:

Cromer Pier, Norfolk

One hundred and fifteen years old and home to the last end of the pier show in Europe. If restrictions allow, the show is highly recommended as a vibrant, colourful show filled with singing and dancing to entertain a 500 strong audience. During the day, there is plenty to do on the pier; there are beautiful views, an arcade, or you can partake in some crabbing which seems to be a popular activity here.

Southport Pier, Merseyside

A previous winner of the pier of the year awards in 2003, Southport Pier is a 161-year-old grade II listed structure that is both beautiful and tranquil. On a clear day, you can see Blackpool Tower from the viewpoint (how far is that?). The Pier also includes a historic penny arcade to take visitors back to a simpler time. This historic pier was fully refurbished around 20 years ago after a fire in 1959 destroyed all its outbuildings. The funded project cost 7 million and has restored the pier to its former glory. The pier is also the second-longest pier in Britain (after Southend).

Worthing, West Sussex

Worthing Pier holds a simple charm that is unfussy and has been preserved beautifully. The pier has a Southern Pavilion and still allows anglers to cast (which is becoming rare nowadays). Compared to the over-commercialised and rowdy Brighton Pier, Worthing comes as a breath of fresh air and is wonderfully unspoilt.

Weston-super-Mare, Somerset

After the pavilion was destroyed by fire back in 2008, a competition was held to design a new, improved pier. The winner was an updated design that still incorporated the traditional turrets of the original. After surviving the pandemic, more cafes, restaurants and a museum of memories have been installed. Of course, there’s also a selection of rides too!

Portstewart, County Derry

This promenade in Northern Ireland is a classic and picture-perfect seaside town. Here you’ll find ice cream, fish and chips, bucket and spades, and tasty coffee, everything that makes for a perfect trip to the seaside. Enjoyed by families since Victorian times and still holding its charm.

Aberystwyth, Ceredigion

This fantastic promenade stretches across castle ruins and a striking statue and war memorial. As you walk the promenade, keep a lookout for nine mosaics below the castle walls. These tell the history of the castle. Also, look out for the striking mural by Lloyd the Graffiti. This incorporates the winner’s designs from local competitions for local young people.

Bangor, Gwynedd

Bangor Pier has excellent views of the Menai Straits and the Great Orme situated behind Llandudno on each side. If you turn around at the end of the pier, you can also enjoy wonderful views across Snowdonia. When it comes to picturesque views, Bangor pier cannot be beaten. As you would expect at all good piers, there’s also refreshments and ice cream available.

We hope you enjoyed reading about our favourite Piers across the UK. Here at Ecochoice, we have been involved in the supply of building timbers for many of the UK’s historic Piers, including Hastings and Southend.

Images: yackers1, Allen Shute, Alexey Fedorenko, Christian Mueller, meandering images, Rhodri Jones, Linda's photography / Shutterstock.com