Six coastal cabins you can ACTUALLY walk to the beach from

There are not one, but three beaches within walking distance of Halzephron cabin. Gunwalloe Fishing Cove (5-minutes) a beautiful long stretch of sand that connects to Porthleven at low tide. At Dollar Cove (10-minutes), silver dollars are still washed up (very rarely these days) following storms and Church Cove (12-minutes) has lifeguards during high season if you’re keen to swim. Chuck in the fact that your walk back goes through a beautiful garden and ends, most likely, at the big bath in the cabin, and it’s the perfect seaside break.

There’s “walkable to the beach”, then there’s “so close to the beach that you could step onto it by accident.” Not as well known a measure of distance, we admit, but that’s because it’s so rare. Sandy Toes is literally right on the shore, with only a low fence separating you from the beach. Inside it’s got casual beach house charm in buckets and spades, with the big wood burner or the long deck perfect for stretching out napping.

Northumberland is blessed with a coastline that features dramatic castles looming over the sea, island monasteries and throngs of migratory birdlife in season, as well as beautiful white sand beaches that make for great blustery walks. The sea isn’t even that cold if you time it right. Alnmouth huts, sitting just above the dunes next to the village of the same name, are so close to the water that you can hear the sea as you sleep. Take a walk as the sun rises or sets and watch the rocks catch the light, then head back up to your beautifully designed hut for dinner.

A shipping container that hasn’t physically travelled far from the sea since retirement but has come a long way in terms of design. Now its cargo is a leather sofa and a big double bed, all with views of the water, which is only a 20-minute walk away. What's even better is that the walk is past a field full of alpacas. You can wave to them as you head for the beach, or even arrange with the owners to take them along, although they're terrible at beach cricket.

This is the absolute dream family holiday in France – a big space for games, fire pits, hot tubs and beautiful little beach right through the trees. There are even kayaks to borrow so you can explore the coast. Back up in the lodge you’ve got proper beds and camp kitchens on the deck, so you can work on dinner while the kids crash about in the field. You can all walk down to the beach for sunset, on a soft sandy track, before coming back up to soak in the hot tub and hope the little ones are tired enough for bed.

The are coves and bays all along the Glamorgan coastline and you can hit any number of them from Dyllas. Just across the road from the cabin is one of the access points (George V Gate) to The Glamorgan Heritage Coast, a striking path which stretches fourteen miles from Aberthaw to Newton along the coastline of South Wales. The owners have their secret favourite stops along the way and can point you to whatever you’re looking for, from rock pooling spots to tiny strips of sand for a private picnic or a great local pub for a hearty lunch.