Not everyone was glued to the tennis on July 7. As Britain basked in glorious sunshine, thousands of us missed out on Andy Murray becoming the first British man to win Wimbledon in 77 years, and instead headed to the seaside. Brighton beach was a sea of people, with barely a pebble visible among the bodies. With the heatwave set to continue for the rest of the month we thought it was time to reveal a few 'secret' beaches – gorgeous stretches of honeyed sand or pretty little coves that remain uncrowded even on a sunny weekend in July or August. You may need to pack a picnic and wear some sensible shoes to get there, but the reward will be your very own little patch of beach.

Moor Sands, Prawle Point, south Devon

The dramatic Prawle Point coastline, between Salcombe and Dartmouth, is the most southerly point in Devon and offers some of the finest hidden coves in the UK. My favourite is Moor Sands, the best of a trio of remote pearl-white beaches found at the end of a beautiful walk through quiet meadows. There is an abundance of wildlife here in summer, holly blue butterflies flutter on the breeze and buzzards circle high overhead. Moor Sands has a small off-shore rock stack to swim out to and you can also seek out sandy Elender Cove, nestled in the corner of Gammon Head, half a mile to the east. Refresh afterwards with good food and ales at the quirky Pig's Nose Inn in East Prawle village.

Getting there: Entering East Prawle from the north, turn right at the water tower (signed East Portlemouth/ Cycle Route 2), then turn left after half a mile at Vinivers Cross to find the bridleway on the right.
Daniel Start, author of the Wild Guide to Devon, Cornwall and the South West, which features over 100 secret coves

Musselwick Sands, Pembrokeshire

There's never any doubt about escaping crowds at Musselwick: for a start it's a good half mile from the nearest car parking and, the killer punch, you need to know the tide times. The approach is down an idyllic dell that narrows to a shelving slab of rock that is cut into steps. To your left appears one of the most ravishing curves of golden sand you will ever see. However, if the tide is in, you won't be able to reach it. Hopefully, you have timed it correctly and now have two or three hours to enjoy the sand and the rocks – kids love hide and seek here. If you got it wrong, head over the peninsula to Marloes Sands.

Getting there: Park in the village of Marloes and take the footpath at the western end of the village, heading north. It leads you straight there.
Kevin Rushby, regular Guardian Travel contributor and author of Guardian Travel's Unsung Corners of Britain

Heddon's Mouth, near Lynton, north Devon

If the true measure of a secluded beach is that it could have been captured several times during World War II without anyone noticing, then Heddon's Mouth is likely to come out top. A few years ago, a former U-boat captain admitted that he had often anchored off shore, so that his crew could get in a bit of R&R there. Today, this rocky cove remains hidden from view by huge cliffs and thick woodland. Like all the best quiet beaches, it takes a little effort to get there, so treat this as a full day out.

Getting there: Take the train to Barnstaple, then the 309 or 310 bus to Parracombe, from where it's a three-mile walk along footpath and country lane to the Hunter's Inn pub. Then it's a one-mile walk along a river through the tunnel-like Heddon's Mouth Cleave, Exmoor's deepest V-shaped valley, down to the beach.
Dixe Wills, author of Tiny Islands and Tiny Campsites

Lantic Bay, south-east Cornwall

One of a series of secluded suntrap coves on the rocky stretch of National Trust coastline between Fowey and Polperro, this is one of those out-of-the-away Cornish gems we locals like to keep to ourselves. Not that we have to try very hard: access is a 25-minute walk via farmland and steep cliff-paths (not for the unfit, particularly on the return journey) and there's nothing there (no loos, no café, very little shade), except white pebbled sand, spectacular views of Pencarrow Head, sheltering cliffs, rock pools, clear water and a handful of people (some of them come by boat). For an easier option, head to nearby Lansallos. Or for something wilder, try Lantivet – but only when the tide is out.

Getting there: From the A38 between Liskeard and Bodmin, turn on to the A390, and then left on to the B3359. Keep turning right until you find Lantic Bay's National Trust carpark. Best way is to arm yourself with a good OS map (National Trust provides co-ordinates). On foot, take the South West Coast Path from Polruan (one and a half miles) or Polperro (four miles).
Lesley Gillilan, author of The Best of Britain guide to Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly (Crimson, £12.99)

Roanhead beach, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria

So incongruous is its location on the outskirts of post-industrial Barrow, and so discreet its signposting, that when you find this deep, wide beach on the south side of the Duddon estuary, you won't quite believe it's there. The sandy beach is backed by a vast dune system, where the grassy dips and mounds are dotted with rare wild flowers and butterflies. Across the estuary, an identity parade of famous fells – Crinkle Crags, Coniston Old Man, Scafell – crowns a distant view of Lakeland.
Getting there: Follow the A590 from Ulverston towards Barrow-in-Furness. After passing Dalton-in-Furness look out for a right turn (Oaklea Road) signposted Roanhead.
Rachael Oakden, journalist based in Cumbria

Covehithe, Suffolk

At Covehithe, four miles north of Southwold, you'll find a golden sandy beach, scattered with sea-polished tree trunks and roots that have tumbled from the eroding cliffs – an iconic symbol of the changing Suffolk coast. It's one of the few properly sandy beaches in Suffolk and also one of the nicest places to swim. In his book Waterlog, Roger Deakin swam in the warm inland lakes (or broad) and then the bracing sea; now the broads are fenced off but swimming in the sea is as invigorating as ever.

There's no cafe here, not even a car park, so take a picnic, buckets and spades with you. The nearest pub and village shop are in Wrentham, where you turn off the A12 to Covehithe – or head to Southwold for a wider choice.

Getting there: To reach the beach you must abandon your car in the village and take one of two footpaths down to the beach (10 minutes). The gentlest and most sheltered path heads south, near the fork in the road as you enter the village. For a more dramatic approach, walk down the lane now barred to cars (note the no-access sign), and you'll reach the cliff where the road has been swallowed by the sea. From here you can head north along the cliff down to the beach, it's a well trodden path, though rather precarious as the sea edges closer every year.
Polly Robinson, founder of Suffolk-based Food Safari

Chesil Beach, Dorset

Most beach goers are like unadventurous sheep, never straying far from the most accessible watering trough. As a result, this summer the "Broadchurch-effect" has turned West Bay into a new kind of hell. And a sunny Sunday at Hive Beach in Burton Bradstock – once the hidden jewel of the Jurassic Coast – has become a Brighton beach-style nightmare. And yet, just to the east of the nightmare is one long, straight, 18-mile stretch of Chesil Beach, before it bumps into Portland Bill. Ten miles of the beach runs along the banks of the Fleet, a freshwater lagoon that has its own beach. That's 28 miles of beach in total! So, if you want enough room to catch a mackerel, build a barbie and indulge in some naturism, Chesil Beach is the place. There are car parks and access points all along the beach, and quite simply, if you're prepared to carry your snacks on your back and flex your calf muscles, seaside solitude will be your just reward.

Getting there: Access is easiest from the car park at Ferry Bridge on the Portland end of Chesil and the views from Portland itself are gobsmacking. Or at Abbotsbury or West Bexington access is available to the meaty middle portion of the beach, where you can walk in either direction to find a piece of peace.
Nick Fisher, co-author of the River Cottage Fish Book

Walmer Beach, Kent

Walmer Beach, tucked away on the south-east Kent coast, just a few miles from Dover, stretches for miles. In fact, together with neighbouring Deal (always a relatively laidback town beach itself) and the idyllic resort of Kingsdown, it forms part of an impressive nine-mile coastal stretch. But don't expect golden sands as you might in nearby Thanet: here it's all acres of shingle populated by valerian and poppies, the smell of fennel in the air. Gaze out over the colourful Regency villas behind you, the many fishing boats, the green with its memorial bandstand, or the distant White Cliffs. In fact, we've lounged here on the hottest days of the year, with only a handful of fellow sun-seekers for company. And you can, of course, swim, but watch the sharp drops in gradient in the water.

Getting there: It's around five miles out of Dover (on the A256) or the train from St Pancras goes direct to Walmer daily (around 80 minutes), although more frequent trains change at Ashford. From Walmer, it's a 20-minute walk downhill to the seafront. Alternatively it's a 20-minute walk from Deal station.
Stephen Emms, founding editor of online magazine about north London, Kentishtowner

Fall Bay, Gower peninsula

The Gower peninsula is one of the most popular areas on the Welsh coastline. The little village of Rhossili and the immense bay that carries its name, Rhossili Bay, are perched on the peninsula's end and understandably bustling during the summer months. By taking a one-hour, round-trip walk from the village centre you will discover a perfectly secluded beach, with golden sand and a southerly aspect. Although popular with surfers at certain times of the day, it is still one of the largest and most isolated beaches on the Gower – so generous that at low tide you can stroll across to the neighbouring bay without leaving the powdery soft shoreline. There are no amenities so take some water and snacks if you want to stay for the afternoon. And don't forget to wear good shoes, as it's a bit of a scramble to get to.

Getting there: Start by walking to the lookout post opposite Worm's Head on the main path, then keep following the coastal path around the headland until you see Fall Bay ahead of you. Keep to the lower paths and you should see a small, steep pathway leading down to the shoreline on your right. It's best visited at mid-tide when the tide is on its way out. To return, either retrace your steps or follow the path inland from where the beach access path starts. You should be able to follow your nose back to the village through farmer's fields. (Take an OS map if unsure.)
Rob Smith, author of Secret Beaches: Wales

Druridge Bay, Northumberland

In Northumberland, the industrial north-east ends abruptly to be replaced by mile after mile of wide, expansive and, largely, utterly empty beaches – Alnmouth, Embleton, Bamburgh – often with a stunning medieval castle thrown in, too. Perhaps the pick is Druridge Bay, a seven-mile crescent of honeyed sand backed by dunes and acres of grassland where dog walkers have the place largely to themselves. Wandering this wilderness makes you feel you've discovered a secret miraculously unknown to the rest of the country.

Getting there: Take your bike – it's on the National Cycle Network's Coast & Castles route – on the train to Alnmouth. Then pedal the six miles to Druridge Bay, passing through Warkworth with its glorious castle.
Mike Carter, the author of One Man and His Bike, a tale of a 5,000-mile trip around Britain's coastline

Long beach, Knoydart, Scotland
There are more remote beaches and lochs to be found in this wild corner of Scotland, but Long Beach is great if you want to swim, paddle or picnic within easy access of a pub, a bunkhouse or a holiday cottage (for £4 per tent you can camp at a site run by the Knoydart Foundation). Just time it for when the tide is in, otherwise you'll have a very long walk to dip your toes in the surf. And keep an eye out for oystercatchers and seals.
Getting there: Often described as Britain's most remote spot, Knoydart is not easy to get to – hence the lack of people. Accessible only by boat or on foot (note: it's a long walk in), this is a trip that takes some planning. Take a look at the options here.
Rhiannon Batten writes Guardian Travel's Cool Cottages column