Your pictures of Scotland's award-winning beaches

The number of beaches meeting the criteria for a Scottish beach award has risen this year.

Prestwick in South Ayrshire and Yellowcraig in East Lothian join a list of 61 beaches from across Scotland.

Environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful assesses beaches on accessibility, cleanliness and signage, but not water quality.

Fife has 15 award-winning beaches - the most in the county. The Highlands is second with 12.

We've gathered together the pictures you've sent us from some the beaches that made the list.

Keep Scotland Beautiful said the annual Scottish Beach Awards celebrated some of the "best-managed beaches in the country".

Yellowcraig returns to the list after not qualifying last year.

Gullane Bents in East Lothian and St Andrews West Sands in Fife have qualified for the award every year for the last 26 years.

And Aberdour Silver Sands, Fife, and Nairn Central in the Highlands have been recognised by the charity for 25 consecutive years.

Derek Robertson, chief executive of Keep Scotland Beautiful, said: "Now in their 26th year, the Scottish Beach Awards help to set the standard for our stunning coastlines and inland shores - making sure that they provide visitors with litter-free sand, excellent amenities and helpful information about water quality.

"Organisations from all across Scotland have been working hard to ensure that the beach continues to provide a great day out for all the family alongside benefitting people's health, wellbeing and local economies."

Although beaches are not assessed on their water quality, they must provide information about it as part of the award criteria.

You can send us your beach pictures - or any other great shots from around Scotland - for our weekly gallery here.