to want to live near a beach

[dragonway]

I have this dream for my life of getting up in the morning and walking a dog along a beautiful beach. Right now, we live in the middle of commuter land. No beach in sight and the nearest beautiful beach is over an hours drive away. My DH refuses to move because he says it’s a fantasy, people don’t live like that and that it’s good to dream but it’s not real life. So AIBU? Is there anyone on here who walks on a beautiful beach every day? Anyone who walks a dog on a beach every day?

Having moved about for a few years we are now settled in a Scottish seaside town. We love it, when the weather is nice it’s so easy to go to the beach after school etc. There’s no palava having to pack everything plus the kitchen for a few hours. Our beach is dog friendly and our dog loves it down there.
However it is an incredibly deprived part of the country, commuting to the closest city takes about 50 mins. In its hey day in the 60s/70s it was the place to go on holiday. Now the town centre is pretty sad looking and most professional jobs are in the city. It generally minimum wage for any local jobs.
We don’t mind it at all, I’m currently at college then will get a job in the city. DH drives for a local haulage company. There is nowhere I’d rather be when the sun is shining, but when the weather is miserable it’s the same as any other small ‘forgotten’ town.

I could have written your post 7 years ago. I was raised in the centre of the UK, nowhere near a beach. Moved with work a few times - always inland. About 20 years ago, we moved up North with work, and for various reasons had to settle about 30 mins from the seaside. Being so close, but not actually living there annoyed me. We would visit beaches at the weekend, and I hated going back inland to home.

About 7 years ago, I decided to try to live at the coast. Kids were half way through high school, and I wouldn't want them to change schools though. We eventually found a lovely house, right on the seafront, in a small town that has 5 beaches. Had to do long school runs for 3 years, but it's been so worth it. We can see the sea from almost every window in the house. We can get to the beach in minutes, and do so daily with the dogs.

Just do your research carefully. We are not over run with tourists at all. We are 25 mins by train to Edinburgh, so not secluded. We have lots of facilities here (Asda, Aldi, Sports centre, Bars, Restaurants, good schools, great transport links into Edinburgh or other locals towns). So we are living by the sea, but still able to get to everything really quickly. We're only 15 mins from the airport too.

It is definitely a reality, you just have to get off your bums and do it!

I moved from the hills (Peak District) to a coastal area on a bit of a whim.

Very much regret it, soon found the beaches to be rather boring and all a bit samey (and my dog feels the same and hates going on the beach too, he much prefers to be on the dunes or in the woods!)

I grew up near the coast, now live about 20 miles north and have no desire to move back

Yes, the majority of summer evenings in my teens were spent either on the beach or the cliffs, it was the standard place to go when you mitched off school and during the winter you would walk the dog there (can't in summer)

But there wasn't much to do in the town at all, youd have a good 45minutes or so on the bus to get anywhere else. There weren't many jobs, so people commuted.

Not many of my old school friends still live there

And the person who mentioned the wind - yes - never bothered owning an umbrella

Your DH is being unreasonable. People do live like that. I can see the sea from my kitchen, living room and bedroom. I could walk on the beach every morning if I had a car (DH uses it for work) - I could walk to the beach but it's the time it would take that's the problem, I'd get nothing else done!

I am in my fifties and have never lived more than a mile from a beach, in various countries.

I do not currently have a dog, but still walk on the beach around three times a week. You will find there are plenty of people on their own doing the same thing. There is research that says the negative ions you get when walking on the coast are really good for you.

I find it helps massively with my anxiety levels, as well as being great exercise. I spent three hours down there today and it was heavenly.

Why does DH think people "don't live like that?" What does he actually mean? Of course they do!

I live on an island. Most nights walk along the prom after work or sometimes get up early...which is lovely. Even in winter it can be beautiful. About 30 to 4o minutes drive from a huge selection of beaches. This time of year go loads and in winter at least 9nce every weekend. I haven’t got bored of it in 17 years. We have hills too.

We live about 10 mins by car from the nearest beach ,and go there most days TBH. Take the dog and she loves it!.Grew up in London so really appreciate it . Even in Winter have hot chocolate sometimes !

Popular Seaside town ,Lots of Summer visitors .Some parts of beach shut during summer still lots of room for doggies !

Beach on our doorstep here. Boys love it, dogs love it and i love it. Great for the soul and mind to go for a walk everyday there.

Beach after school several times a week.....

10pm last night.

My DP is a civil engineer and he says it’s the worst possible place for metals, the sea salt erodes them. He tells me every single time we visit the coast to never buy a car from a coastal area and points out the special varnish on the metal posts and signs . I don’t have a clue what he’s talking about so nod and agree but that’s why we won’t buy a house near the coast apparently!

I live 5 minute walk from the beach and I love it, I don't go every day but it's great to be able to just wander down if I feel like it, I grew up in the countryside and wouldn't go back, it feels less claustrophobic here and less heavy air (especially in weather like this!) It may be the same beautiful shithole as you @HB2019

This is my dream too. Very jealous after reading this thread.

Living near the beach has its downsides.....

I've just come back from walking the dog at the beach. Even had a paddle! I would hate to not live near the sea, there's always something to do when you live at the seaside.

@HB2019 I'm guessing you're from the Fylde coast cos that looks a lot like home?

I grew up living a couple of minutes walk from the beach and spent a lot of time there - every evening as a teenager, first dates walking along the prom, walking my grandma's dog, walking from from work along the beach when I lived close enough... It absolutely is life for some people. But, especially in the NW, the wind off the Irish sea is so, so biting in winter and your car is permanently covered in sand so there is that! I wouldn't have changed it for the world though - I live about an hour away now and feel landlocked.

I live 300m from a beach and walk our dog on it almost every day. I do know how lucky I am, and that living somewhere like this would not be possible for many.

That's how we live, when l moved here l had wanted to live by the coast for a long time. But yeah the wind. Most of our neighbours have lost their aerials in the last couple of years. Plus the day trippers especially their obnoxious parking and driving, at this time of year we walk most places. Its often better in the winter, especially mid-week. At certain times of year dogs are allowed on the beach and there is work where we live

All I need is a lottery win and I'm on the next (private) plane to Hawaii, never to return again.

Well I've just got in after an evening beach walk, as I got close to the prior there were more and more crowds and it started getting fuggy from all the barbeque trays being lit and I do find the smell of charcoal and kerosene mixed with sunscreen to be a bit ish.

Aslo there were loads of cyclists weaving through the crowds and mobility scooters and cans and bottles ecerywhere. The first hour and 40 mins was nice and quiet but when you get to the popular bit in a Saturday or Sunday, then it's not so good.

I grew up bang in the middle of the country but now I live in DH's hometown near the coast. It still a novelty and I love that I can just nip to the beach with DD and let her run around. No packing the car up and driving for hours, it's great.

The only downside is, in the winter it's COLD. We're in the north, so it might be better elsewhere but that bitter sea breeze took me a while to get used to!

I live by the sea and the dog loves it!

We have free roam over the winter and half of a few beaches the rest of the year.

Kids have beach parties light fires and swim. We’re UK not Aus.

Lots of after school meet ups are on the beach or local park and out door activities are encouraged

We have a great view and I would miss it loads

I miss the beach. So many great childhood memories.

Now I’m 45 mins drive away. Doable but I do t think I could cope with small town life as an adult.

Any good Instas of people who have relocated to beach towns?