WHEN you think private beaches, you’re imagining a stretch of golden sand on a tropical island somewhere far from home.
But I’ve discovered the perfect place for paddling, taking a dip and enjoying an ice cream on a sandy shore that’s nowhere near the sea.
In my bit of the East Midlands, we’re a couple of hours away from the coast, so every bit of beach, even if it’s inland, is bound to be a bonus.
Spring Lakes in Long Eaton is only half an hour away from home, so the money saved on travel costs helps towards the £30 ticket to access the 50m shoreline for a family of four.
The pros of paying to come to a private beach for the day include having a lifeguard on duty to keep swimmers safe in the water and the fact that the area isn’t overcrowded as you have to book a timeslot for entrance.
You enter through a gate tucked away at one end of the car park and once you’re on the beach, you can stay as long as you like.
There’s a section of water cordoned off for visitors to enjoy a paddle or take a dip, although I did spot a nosy swan making its way over the barrier to check out what was happening closer to land.
If you’re well up for sharing the water with wildlife, this might be the perfect place for you as the lake is spring-fed and crystal clear.
Dogs aren’t allowed on the beach and children aged 10 or under need to wear a buoyancy aid or armbands.
It’s recommended that you wear watershoes or sandals while on the sand because freshwater mussels can be found here and the shells are rather sharp underfoot.
One of the big problems with other inland outdoor swimming spots is they can be a bit of a free-for-all on hot summer days as everyone wants to cool off in the water.
Overcrowding and no supervision creates safety issues and can also be a problem for people living nearby if the roads are blocked by parked cars.
We actually got to visit Spring Lakes free as my son was taking part in the annual Swim Safe scheme that runs here in May half term.
It’s well worth signing your little one up to take part as it’s running at various UK beaches like Falmouth in Cornwall and Rhyl in North Wales this summer.
In my case, I got the bonus of sitting on the beach and enjoying the sun for an hour while he was splashing about with his friends and chasing about on the sand.
Of course, some families may not want to pay more than £30 to sit on the beach, when the majority of the UK’s beaches are free.
Whether I’d constantly pay £38.50 for my family of five to sit on a sandy lakeside for a few hours is debatable, especially as costs can quickly add up if everyone wants an ice cream or a cool drink.
There’s free parking on site, but you are restricted to one car per family as it does get busy, thanks to the variety of activities on offer.
However, there is also an inflatable aqua park on a different part of the lake, as well as a puddle park with bouncy slides and obstacles for children under six years old.
There’s wakeboarding and paddle sports like kayaking nearby and also a separate lake reserved for open water swimming at the end of a boardwalk.
So you could easily enjoy a full day of family fun here and then cool off at the beach afterwards.
It might not be free, but it’s safe and close to home, so that’s a huge win when it comes to family beach time.
And even better? Also in Long Eaton is the 2024 Pub of the Year for the area.
Named by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) Rowells Drinking Emporium, in Long Eaton was named the very best across Derbyshire.
Manager Tyrell Gaunt told local media: “As they put their glasses down on the bar and said goodnight, one said ‘you’ve won Pub of the Year’ and proceeded to carry on walking out the door. I was dumbstruck. We weren’t expecting it at all.”
Just a 30 minute walk from the beach, it serves local ales and beers, with many praising it for it’s cosiness.
If you’re looking for some other beaches around the country, the UK’s largest sandy inland beach is found in Shorncote in the Cotswolds.
But if you fancy heading to the English coastline, we’ve found a pretty UK town is right on the beach – and home to the UK’s largest Wetherspoons.
The World's Best Beaches consulted more than 750 judges including travel journalists, influencers, and beach ambassadors to rank the beaches.
