If you live at the seaside, do you go to the beach often..?

[LieLikeALoungeroomLizard]

Or is it something after a while you take for granted?

We live within walking distance of one, and the kids are in school and DH works, in town, five minutes drive, with a lovely prom and harbour.

For us one of the advantages is that going to the beach doesn't have to be a big day out, which is a challenge with various SN and medical stuff to consider. So being able to just pop down for an hour or so and being near home if someone suddenly needs a wee or similar works brilliantly for us.

I don't know that we take it for granted, although we're certainly not there all the time. We have mountains and lovely countryside in striking distance as well so we're as likely to head off in another direction.

I run the beach road 3-4 times a week and go out for a sunset walk most evenings.
I only live about 2-3 minutes walk away though, and I'm not in the UK and have year round sun. I love it and will find it very hard if I have to move inland again - it's kept me sane during lockdowns.

Yep, we also live within spitting distance, take the dogs occasionally. Get narked by litter, especially the nappy dumpers once summer rolls round. Dog poo bags all year round tho...

We have a 10 min walk to the beach. Tend to walk on the coastal path 2-3 times a week. Have never really sat on the beach even when the children were little - more taking a football down for 60mins or so.

I didn't appreciate it until we moved away for 8 years, now I love it. Not walking distance but cycling/quick drive to the bits we like... After school/work swims are thing of wonder in the summer, also go for runs when not too hot/cold and winter walks

I really want to move now! I love to walk by the beach rather than sit on it. I also enjoy paddle boarding so would love to have my own one. Think I’ll have a little lookey on Rightmove!!

@LieLikeALoungeroomLizard

I always found that I had plenty of things to do as a teen, as I said earlier my town has a lovely quiet beach but we have a big resort nearby. The teens I work with never have trouble picking up weekend cafe jobs, ride operators, face painters etc and make use of the pleasure beach, arcades and other tourist activities so always have something to do. When they go to uni they tend to keep their summer jobs and come back to them for Easter, and then the summer hols so it works really well.

Ofcourse if you move to a very rural area with a very out of the way beach then you will have the same problems entertaining teens as you would in any rural location.

@SwimBaby what's your budget? I love a hunt on rightmove.

Ofcourse if you move to a very rural area with a very out of the way beach then you will have the same problems entertaining teens as you would in any rural location

Yes they'll be wanting to learn to drive asap.

HPandTheNeverEndingBedtime can I pm you?

Ten minutes away and never go really. Probably once or twice a year when my daughter takes her horse.

@SwimBaby yes

I’ve lived no more than a 5 minute walk from a beach all of my life but we never have the traditional “day at the beach”. In summer the crowds make it unpleasant to spend all day there and in winter it’s too cold!

We wander on the beach in some form at least a couple of times a week though and see it frequently when leaving the house. It makes me happy to know it’s always there - I love the sea breeze and the thought of living away from the coast just doesn’t appeal, anymore than a week inland and I’m itching to get back!

I grew up a 5-10 min drive away from the beach, but somewhere with all year round sun and warmth.

In winter we used to go to the seaside one evening each weekend for a walk and to our favourite restaurants and ice cream places, which happened to be there. In summer almost every day, but then the temperatures reach 35-40º so being on the beach every day is the only way of making it through the summer.

As someone who lives in Leicestershire, which is as far from the coast as it’s possible to be in these islands, I just want to say I’m very jealous of all of you! I would love to live ten minutes walk from a beach, and I know I would never take it for granted.

Summer we go all day every weekend if the weather is good and after school. We often have our dinner down there and stay til it gets dark. In winter not so much but I swim all year round (in a wetsuit!) so at least fortnightly.

Used to live 30 mins drive away. Went twice a week or more. I’ve a need to be beside or in water evidently.

I walk out my front door, cross the lawn, cross the path, and I’m on the beach. It’s not sandy though, shingly and pebbly. When I moved here I swore I’d walk along it every day ... I don’t.

I have lived within 5 miles of the sea for the last 38 years. I can't remember the last time I 'went to the beach' as in packed lunch, bucket and spades, towels, windbreak (north east here) etc. but I have never got bored of it.
I walk by it at least weekly and do things looking at the sea frequently. This morning I met friends for a takeaway coffee in a cliff top shelter (chilly breeze) and we enjoyed just watching the sea.

@Bargebill19

Used to live 30 mins drive away. Went twice a week or more. I’ve a need to be beside or in water evidently.

It's one of my few requisites when moving somewhere new. It needs to be by the sea or at least have a river. I need water close by.

I live approximately 20 seconds from the beach. We walk along it, or another close by, most non-work days. In the spring/summer we will generally sit and play on the sand or paddle once a week or so.

We live 10 to 15 mins away . Go once a week usually .Never take it for granted ,lived in London as a child.Enjoyed growing up there ,but love it here so fresh ,and feels like your troubles are far away when you hear waves crashing.Really good Spring /Autumn not too hot and can walk freely with my dog .

15 mins drive and we go a couple of times a month though I'd say 3 out of 4 times it's to the prom (play parks, for a walk or a bike ride) not to play on the sand. We treat it like another type of outdoor space at that distance.

You would be shocked how many Cornish children have never or hardly ever get to go to the beach.

My dB and sil have a seaview but also say they hate the beach as too sandy.

Lots of people take it for granted and children who live close to the beach take it for granted in the same way as people take for granted having a garden or having a dog or pony or a trampoline or cleaner or living in a hot country or a ski chalet etc. (I know of one mum who has to bribe her DC to go to their ski chalet by offering to pay for her DC's friends to go too!).

It's normal to want what you don't have and then take it for granted within a few days of having it

I don't live by the sea now, but I did for a very long time. Barely went to the beach at all. Even when I lived about a ten minute walk away. Went sometimes, but very rarely really.