Which are the top 10 British piers?

The Victorian pleasure pier is a seaside resort staple, offering nostalgic holiday charm, cheap and cheerful amusements and a pleasant place to soak in the sea views. We’ve chosen our top 10 British piers that are all well worth taking a stroll down on your next seaside visit.

Brighton Pier

Brighton Pier is packed full of exciting family fun thanks to its two amusement arcades and assortment of excellent rides. There are fantastic thrill rides to suit older children and adults, as well as fun rides that are perfect for providing entertainment for young kids. In addition there are plenty of places to enjoy a tasty meal and refreshing drink, making the pier a great place to spend the day. The now ruined West Pier is also with checking out.

Clevedon Pier 

Clevedon Pier is England’s sole surviving Grade 1 listed pier and was also the winner of the National Piers Society’s 2013 Pier of the Year award. This beautiful pier is uncluttered and free from amusements and developments, instead offering superb sunset views, lovely strolls and a pleasant place to fish. You can take boat trips from the pier and there is also a small gift shop for picking up a memento of your visit.

Blackpool Central Pier

Blackpool boasts three piers. The last to be built was the Central Pier, also known as the fun pier, which opened in 1968. The star attraction is the 33m tall Big Wheel, but this pier is known for its variety of amusements including a fun fair, lots of stalls and theatre offering a range of daily shows. The North Pier and South Pier also offer a mix of family-friendly rides, stalls, restaurants, tea rooms, bars and theatrical shows.

Ryde Pier

The historic Ryde Pier on the Isle of Wight is a working pier as well as Britain’s oldest pier. Ryde Pier was opened in 1814 and today it is still used by trains and also serves as a docking point for ferries. A walk along the pier is a good way to take in the lovely views of the surrounding area that are on offer during clear weather.

Boscombe Pier

Boscombe Pier is a great place for watching the surfers who make use of the artificial reef on Boscombe Beach in Bournemouth. The pier has a distinctly modern aesthetic and includes a beach shop, a café and takeaway, seating options and a viewing platform for making the most of the views.

Southend-on-Sea Pier

Fancy exploring the longest pleasure pier in the world? Then head to the 2km long Southend-on-Sea Pier, which offers a variety of pleasures to suit fun seekers of all ages. An assortment of entertaining events such as concerts, plays, puppet shows and festivals take place at the pier each year. The pier incorporates its own railway as well as a museum and is also a good location for fishing.

Yarmouth Pier

Yarmouth Pier is not only a wonderfully located pier on the beautiful Isle of Wight, but also Britain’s longest timber pier open to the public. The decking planks bear the engraved names of people who contributed £25 towards the restoration of this Grade II listed pier. This is a very pleasant place for a seaside stroll, taking in the great views and enjoying some laidback fishing.

Clacton Pier

Bold, brash, bustling and boasting a diverse range of attractions, there’s something to suit all tastes at Clacton Pier. The SeaQuarium provides the opportunity to see marine life up close, while visitors who are feeling competitive can try the Ten Pin Bowling. A family arcade and amusement rides offer fun for all members of the family, while adult gaming facilities keep older visitors entertained.

Llandudno Pier

Llandudno Pier is the longest pier in Wales and has no shortage of attractions to draw visitors. These include plenty of traditional places to enjoy food and drink, two amusement arcades, as well as a range of shops. It’s a great pier to stroll along, offering fantastic views out to sea and of the town and Welsh Mountains behind you.

Swanage Pier

Numerous scuba divers are drawn to Swanage Pier each year as it offers a sheltered sea diving location for new and experienced divers alike. A dive shop is located on the pier and other watersports such as kayaking can also be enjoyed here. The Swanage Pier exhibition centre features a variety of displays on areas such as Swanage’s maritime history, lifeboats and items that have been brought back from diving trips to ship wrecks along Dorset’s coast. There is also a live underwater camera in the pier shop that enables onlookers to view local marine life without the need to get wet.

Pier delights that are perfect additions to a day at the beach

Not only do these British piers offer a variety of attractions such as shops, rides and shows but they are also a distinct part of British seaside history. Being able to walk along them is also a fantastic opportunity to marvel at the splendour of being surrounded by the sea from a safe and dry vantage point, so you can take in the wonderful views on offer at your leisure.