West Sands is the beach that runs north from St Andrews for two miles in a wide, pale sweep. You will recognise it from Chariots of Fire, the 1981 opening sequence was filmed here, but the real thing is better than the frame suggests. The sand is fine, the dunes back it to the west, and the cathedral ruins mark the far end of the bay. On a clear day there is no better public beach in lowland Scotland.
It is rarely crowded outside July and August, and the walk from the town centre takes ten minutes. Wind is the constant variable, bring layers in any season. The beach is free, unsupervised, and extends far enough that you can always find a stretch to yourself.