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?

I grew up by the sea and I suppose did take it for granted in that it was always there, but also spent loads of time by the sea - chilling out, crabbing, playing, sneaking lagers in sixth form, getting off with boys etc

Now I don’t live there I do miss it - I suppose I did take it for granted in a way but sort of in the sense it was there and a part of life iyswim. I still love it when I’m visiting home - there is nothing I enjoy more than either a few cans on the beach in summer or a walk in drizzly, blustery, salty weather!

I grew up in a seaside town 10 minutes walk from the beach. I never enjoyed it - the water is cold, the stones are uncomfortable, I hate the sound of the music coming from the pier combined with the smell chip fat and dried out seaweed. We used to go down in the summer as kids, and my parents would make us go on a few windy walks the rest of th year. The seaside gives me the ultimate creeps and I now live inland, in the countryside, and my mum takes my kids to the beach when we visit her!

When I was 14 I came back to the UK to live with my grandparents on their Dorset farm. After school me and my friends would catch the short bus ride straight to the beach. We used to go crashing into the surf in just our bra and knickers. My gran used to give me a real ticking off for that. I remember the summer sun bleaching my hair and all my freckles coming out. My boyfriend used to play join the dots. Kept well schtum about that. We were so free then. Happy days.

The seagulls here land on our roof at 6am having full blazing rows. Opening the window and telling them to bugger off used to work, but now they just completely ignore me. They also do their best to rip open everybody's bin bags on bin day.

They're so funny though, I don't really mind them!

@OohKittens

We live in pembrokeshire in the summer we go every night after school and on weekends.

I am very jealous!

I live in a city in the North East with beaches within a mile of home. Some of our beaches are fairly industrial and tend to be used by fishermen and dog walkers. We then have Roker, Seaburn and Whitburn a short (5min) drive which are gorgeous blug flag bleaches. We go at least weekly and love it. Thankfully, the council are investing a lot in the coastline and it's a pretty vibrant place to be at the moment.

Im 10-15 mins away by car. I tend to go in the winter Or evening. Too many holiday makers otherwise. I loathe it when they are there TBH. Hence why i stick to mountains and trails they don’t bother with.

We go once a month or so in colder months and once a week in warmer months.

I live about five minutes drive away, 15 minutes walk.

I'm there 4-5 times a week with the dog. Or just to get an ice cream and sit on the sand.

I do a lot Sept-May. Less so to the main ones in June - August but there are some smaller less well known ones that locals go to when the big ones are full of tourists. I live on a bit of the coast where there are a lot of beaches within a 40 minute drive so you can definitely find somewhere if you wanted.

I don't tend to spend the day there, it's more I'll go there for a quick walk with the dog or I'll have a sit with a coffee after the school run if I have time. Last week we had tea by the beach one night, I went twice in the morning and I took my daughter and her school friend for a swim after school a different night.

I think when you're local it's not so much a day out, as it is a part of your lifestyle.

We live about 7 minutes' walk from the beach. Take the dog down there early morning most days, but wouldn't dream of going down in the late spring/summer/autumn with the hordes of people there and the stink of fish and chips, etc. I have always lived by the sea, but it's true, you really don't even think about it and the beach being there as a rule!

I used to live in a seafront flat. Although I didn’t go onto the beach all that often, I don’t think a day went by when I didn’t enjoy time staring out at the sea from my window. It was always mesmerising, whatever the weather. I especially liked watching storms roll in, and on still nights the moon reflected on the water. It was nice to watch sailing boats and water skiers, and on Saturday nights in summer they used to set off fireworks from the end of the pier. It was lovely.

I have a beautiful view of the South Downs now, but I do still miss my sea view.

I've been shamed by all those who live far away from the beach. DP and I walked the 5 minutes to the beach this morning and had a couple of hours walk along and back on the actual sand. It was lovely.

I go to the beach most days to walk my dog (weather permitting) and live about a 15 min drive away.

If it wasn't for the dog I would go a lot less

Not that often but I adore seeing it every day when I go to work or pop to Asda. I'm on the east coast of Scotland so the beach is generally a very cold place to be.

I live a 10-minute tram ride away. And no, I don’t go when the weather is windy and awful because you literally get blown backwards and it’s just so unpleasant. If it’s just raining you can go to the pier (they have shops etc inside) but I would only do that if I had a visitor...CBA myself. But when then sun is out it’s gorgeous and I take my son every weekend.

I live a 2 min walk to the beach - we go often during spring autumn and winter for walks, walking dogs, coffee, breakfast etc etc In the nice weather we go almost daily after school/work and meet up with friends weekly for beach bbqs and drinks in the evening. Occasionally we’ll spend the whole day there in the summer if its unbearably hot but we prefer to head down (as do all the locals) as the people who travel to our bay start to leave.

I live 5 minutes from the beach and tbh term time we go a lot after school, and lots of autumn/winter/spring fun. Summer though... forget it. It is absolutely packed with tourists so we just don't. Trying to keep track of three children in huge crowds isn't fun at all

It's outside our front door. Good for walking the dog for most of the year I guess. But yeah. Sandy and windy and if it wasn't for the Bass Rock, not that exciting. Please don't tell OH I said that.....

I love 21 mins drive from a range of beautiful beaches. Rocky, Sandy, touristy, hidden gems. We went today for the first time this year only because I've been trying to stick to the guidance and it didn't feel right when I have a gorgeous country park in walking distance of my house. I've vowed to go more often now as I love the coast no matter the weather. Good for the soul!

2 mins walk but rarely go , summer too many tourists , winter occasionally walk down there

Yes and no. To the more secluded, dog friendly beach... yes. The the touristy, deck chairs, ice cream, donkey ride, arcades side... Definitely not.

I say I don't go often but by that I mean actual days at the beach - might do it more if it was warmer though but having this walk available whenever I wish is something I'd hate to not have. Ddog and I wandered down there this afternoon

In the summer, no. It's packed and the tourist litter is depressing. Otherwise yes.

When my kids were little we hired a beach hut for the whole of the summer holidays and would go rain or shine, now I do take my grand kids but not that offen