As the weather warms up, if you’re looking to capture a stunning sunset on your camera, why not head to the beach?
With the sand between your toes and unspoiled seascapes stretching as far as the eye can see, few vistas make for such breathtaking images.
With this in mind, Parkdean Resorts wanted to discover which beaches were the very best for capturing the setting sun.
To come up with their favourite five, the holiday park company analysed the number of Instagram hashtags for sunsets at popular UK beach resorts.
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Top 5 beaches to watch the sunset
Brighton Beach
8,469 hashtags
The sunset at Brighton beach is the most hashtagged beach in the whole of the UK, with 8,469 and counting!
Brighton’s coastline makes for the perfect sunset spot, with the Victorian pier acting as the perfect feature for Instagram posts.
Margate beach
2,071 hashtags
Margate is home to the second-best sunset spotting beach in the UK, with 2,071 Instagram posts showcasing these stunning views.
Blackpool beach
1,515 hashtags
Blackpool is the third most Instagrammed beach to watch the sunset, with 1,515 posts including #Blackpoolsunset.
Not only will the bright lights of this seaside resort wow you, but so will the romantic sunset views from the beach.
Morecambe beach
1,390 hashtags
The seaside resort of Morecambe beach is the fourth most hashtagged sunset in the UK, with 1,390 hashtags displaying the golden hour in all its glory.
Newquay beach
1,083 hashtags
The fifth most hashtagged sunset in the UK belongs to the breathtaking Newquay beach, with over a thousand hashtags featuring the spectacular setting sun, proving the town is not just a great place for the surf.
Top tips for photographing the sunset
As part of the research, Parkdean also found out how you can best photograph the stunning UK sunset by speaking to professional photographer Kelvin Davies.
“When shooting a sunset on any form of camera, I would always recommend using the grid setting to ensure your shot is in a ‘rule of third’ format. You can then line up the horizon with the upper or the lower third to emphasise the sky or the foreground.
“Depending on the surroundings, try to use leading lines to create something that points towards the sun.
“If you are using a smartphone, you can amend the brightness to make the photograph more dynamic. This can make the sunshine brighter or the silhouette more dramatic.
"If you would like to capture a photograph using a subject or person, I would always try to angle it so that the sun is creating an interesting silhouette around the subject.”
As well as Davies’ tips, follow this additional advice to make the most of your beach trip.
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1. Plan ahead - Look at the time the sun is due to set and get there ahead of schedule to secure your spot.
2. Take snacks - You might be waiting a while to capture the perfect shot, so it's best to be prepared.
3. Take layers – When the sun sets, the weather gets colder, and you’ll be so mesmerised by the view, you won’t want to leave!
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