Stroll by the seashore

From unspoilt coves to sandy beaches, Europe's got it all. Ready for a hike?

From unspoilt coves off the beaten track to sandy bays perfect for salty-air strolls, here's a pick of favourite beaches for walkers.

1Platja de Sant Llus, Cap de Creus, Catalonia: The surreal rock outcroppings of the Cap de Creus natural park and a low-key vibe make the precarious scramble to Platja de Sant Llus well worth your while.

The beach is one of the first hidden coves off the narrow road that leads from Cadaqus to the Cap de Creus lighthouse.

An easily missed sign points the way to a stony path that meanders among olive groves for some hundred yards and then drops sharply down to a secluded cove. A sheltered pebble beach awaits below.

Stay: Hostal Cristina is a simple hotel on the water's edge in Cadaques, on the eastern coast of the Cap de Creus peninsula. Rooms start from £49-£67 (Dh293-Dh401) per night.

2Playa de Castro de Baroa, Porto do Son, Galicia: Archaeology and traditional rural life come together at Galicia's Playa de Castro de Baroa, one of northern Spain's most unusual and enchanting beaches.

The short path to get there begins next to a small roadside restaurant four kilometres to the south of Porto do Son, along the C-550. You descend steeply through woods until you reach some cultivated fields coming right down to the sandy beach.

A small promontory jutting out into the sea is covered with the mysterious concentric remains of a Celtic citadel. If you are lucky, you may even see dolphins coming close to the shore.

Stay: Pesquera del Tambre is a beautifully located hotel on the Tambre River in Noia, a 20-minute drive from Porto do Son. Rooms start from £79 (Dh473) per double.

3Cacela Velha, Algarve: Cacela Velha is a charming village located in the easternmost Algarve, on top of a hill, looking out over the Ria Formosa - a system of barrier islands that stretches for 60 miles.

As with all of the Ria Formosa, its status as a nature reserve means walking is obligatory.

Leave your car on the rocky bluff and take the small path down to the right of the imposing fort, which dates to 1143.

Getting the timing right is important, the trick being to arrive within an hour or two of low tide, so you can wade across to the island. You can sunbathe until the water drops low enough to return or catch a ride home with a fisherman if the tide is high.

This tranquil white beach has a desert-island feel about it and there are storks and eagles to watch in the lagoon.

Stay: Casa Vale del Rei, in nearby Tavira, is a beautifully restored farmhouse with a pool. Rooms from £61-£96 (Dh365-Dh575).

4Praia Cabo Mondego, near Buarcos, Figueira da Foz: Park your car at the viewpoint on Serra da Boa Viagem mountain range. This is where you can see sweeping landscapes of the pine forests meeting the beach all the way up the coast to Porto. Begin your descent on foot, following signs to Cabo Mondego lighthouse for approximately one kilometre. You will be walking on a rutted track at the side of a mountain road, so keep your wits about you.

Following the descent, take a left at the sign for Cabo Mondego lighthouse on to a path cut into the side of the mountain, where you begin picking your way down to the lighthouse and the beach beyond it. Take a breather at the lighthouse and watch the lines of swell crashing on to the beach below before climbing the final half kilometre down to the sandy cove with rocky outcrops. This is best for total seclusion, surfing with no one around and watching the sun sink into the sea at the end of a long afternoon.

Stay: Residencial Saozinha has rooms from about £52 (Dh311) for a double in peak season. There's also a campsite in Quiaios, the town on the other side of the mountain, Orbitur Quiaios with space for tents, caravans and bungalows to rent.

5Nero, Kato Koufonissi: The twin islets of Ano and Kato Koufonissi are renowned for their translucent turquoise waters. While Ano Koufonissi has several excellent fish tavernas, guesthouses and even a road, on Kato Koufonissi there's nothing but a handful of houses, a taverna and a tangle of dirt tracks leading to a string of stunning beaches. Fishing boats leave from Ano Koufonissi a few times a day. There are two stops: Taverna (the ramshackle Venetsianos serves delicious patatato, or goat-and-potato stew) and Nero, a golden bay backed by palm trees. From there, it's a 20-minute hike over the scrubby headland to Pezoulia, a sweeping bay enclosed by porous cliffs.

Stay: Guesthouse Anna Villas consists of two buildings, each with five studios, from £44 (Dh263) per night, per couple.

6Fakistra, Pelion: The Pelion peninsula's tortuous roads make for slow and hair-raising driving. Thankfully, a network of cobbled tracks connects the mountain villages with spectacular beaches. From Damouhari, a seaside hamlet so quaint it featured in Mamma Mia!, it's a 90-minute trek to Fakistra, a pebble beach with pale green waters. Twisting through dense woods, the trail involves some stiff ascents with stunning views as far as the Sporades islands. Finally, it's a treacherous descent down to Fakistra, with a waterfall spilling down the hillside and two caves to explore. Go early as the shade falls fast.

Stay: There are a handful of holiday homes in the area, such as The Fakistra Traditional Houses. Visit Greekhotel.com for details.

7Plage d'Erbaju, Corsica: Midway between Bonifacio and Sartene on the southwest coast of Corsica, the only way to reach Plage d'Erbaju is down a 2.5-kilometre rutted track from Auberge de Coralli (off the main N196 road by Roccapina) and then a 15-minute scramble up a steep scrub path that skirts an old Genoese watchtower. From the boulder ridge, it's a short trek down a stony path to the one-mile, pearl-white strip of sand. Much of the beach is backed by dunes of low pine, so there's not much shade. But the openness provides views of the hilly Startenais coast and the trek there keeps the crowds away, even in high summer.

Stay: Arepos Roccapina Camping is at the end of the track.

8Plage des Oceanides, Capbreton: The southwest of France is blessed with more than 220 kilometres of sandy beaches, with many access points by towns and villages. Plage les Oceanides is between the towns of Capbreton and Labenne Ocean. Yet walk for 15 minutes and you could be on your own private beach. Park your car and walk across to the southernmost corner, aiming for the sandy path. Carry on along the base of the sand dunes, following the remains of the old vineyards, looking out for the lilac flowers of protected sea holly and the roseau des sables, or dune grass. The path gradually drifts up to the right. On reaching the peak, you are rewarded with your first glimpse of the Bay of Biscay and expanse of golden sand. On most days you can see across to Spain and the foothills of the Pyrenees and once on the sand, Biarritz to the south and Capbreton to the north come into view. If the tide and swell are working together ,you could be greeted with waves 2-12 feet high. Or you could look out across tranquil blue water. It's constantly changing, which only adds to its appeal.

Stay: H2O's townhouse from £45 (Dh269) per person, per night.

9Formby, Lancashire: Formby on the Sefton coast is part of an everchanging coastline, revealing its secrets. To get to the beach, walk through the pine woodland famous for its population of red squirrels and over the imposing sand dunes, the fourth-largest in the UK. The beach at Formby is great for walks and part of the coastline where the famous Antony Gormley figures can be found. Human footprints dating back thousands of years have been discovered here in the past 20 years. This place is constantly being shaped by the force of the Irish Sea and the power of nature.

Stay: Ambassador Townhouse in Southport is a four-star B&B with doubles from £70 (Dh418).

10Rhossili, Wales: There are few beaches in the UK as dramatic as Rhossili on the Gower Peninsula, surrounded by moorland and towering cliffs. Start the walk at the National Trust visitor centre, with its stunning views along the three miles of golden sand, and follow the route down to the beach, which is popular with surfers and home to numerous shipwrecks that can be seen at low tide. If you have enough time, walk up to Worm's Head or Rhossili Down, where, on a clear day, you can see across the Bristol Channel.

Stay: Hillside Campsite is near Rhosilli Bay (Llangenith end). In high season, it is £20 (Dh119) a night. Blas Gyr is a five-star B&B in the heart of Llangennith. Double B&B rooms from £100 (Dh598) per night.