to feel just a liiiiiiitle bit smug?

[PyongyangKipperbang]

We have holidayed in the UK for ages. Odd one in France but generally North Wales or the South Coast.

Go to the beach today and get sneery looks from certain groups, who were also being similarly sneery to others who were like us. Our crime? We came with a full beach set up. Pop up tent (most important!) picnic, towels, more towels, waterproof jackets and a few blankets. Yes it took some carrying (about the only thing I have found I hate about single parenting is that its all on me to carry it all!) but when the heavens opened, we went into our tent and waited it out, then when the shower had passed, out we came again. Whereas the "One bag with swim suits and a towel" mob were all in a mass panic and trying to find some shelter.

Holidays in the UK require more prep than getting your bikini on and popping to the pool! I rather suspect that there will be a lot more pop up tents on the beach tomorrow than the 4 I saw today!

Oh and yes....the seagulls will take your food out of your hands, thats why there are signs EVERYWHERE saying that its advisable not to each out in the open as the seagulls are aggressive. I saw a father read one sign, say it was probably an exagerration and then have to comfort his terrified child who had his sandwich nicked.

So yes, I do feel a tiny bit smug.

Never had a tent. Couple big umbrellas. Problem we have now is picking beach with nearby toilet due to dc needs.

We live on the coast and are a one bag with a couple of towels and some drinks family. I don't get tents on beaches unless staying overnight but each to their own. I go to the beach to swim in the sea whilst DH makes sandcastles with DS. I don't care if it rains as I'm already wet. Wouldn't bother trying to seek shelter. We only stay for half the day too so either go morning and go home for lunch or have lunch and go for the afternoon. No need to take food with us then. Just some towels and a drink. I don't like having lots of stuff to look after and possibly having to lug it all on a long walk to actually get to the beach. Less is more for us.

I have a trolley (red canvas, lovely wheels) it is one of my favourite things I have ever bought.

Having holidayed on the west coast of Ireland every summer as a kid we are always prepared and yes we have a radio flyer wagon. Why wouldn't you?

'Staycation' winds me up though, our two weeks cost a bloody fortune this year and we all came back with covid. Staycation is staying at home, not holidaying in your own country.

Wow allot of people on here trying to tell you that you didn’t see what u saw….wow someone even said “Literally no one looks or gives thought to what other people take to be beach”how can they possibly know this.
I’d feel pretty smug too OP to be in a situation where I had the forethought to be prepared when most did not.

No we dont spoil the view. We put up the very small beach tent right at the back of the beach, next to the 8 foot high wall up to the prom so we are blocking no ones view. We also put all our stuff in the tent so not creating an empire.

I am on my own with DD. I cant go down to the sea with her and leave stuff out on the beach can I? So although the tent isnt secure exactly its safer than leaving stuff out in the open.

Oh and I do hate a day sitting on the beach, I would much rather be doing stuff, but DD loves it and this holiday is for her after 3 years of horrible stuff happening. So if that means I have to sit and build sandcastles interspersed with people watching, so be it. I can tell you the average number of people on the half hourly boat trips around the bay if you like....yes I was counting as I had bog all else to do thanks to leaving my kindle at the apartment.

And yes AGAIN I am CERTAIN it was sneering at me and the others on the beach who had got more than just a bikini and a towel....

Nothing makes memories like eating sandwiches and drinking cocoa from a thermos in the back of a Morris minor in the rain

No tents required.

Doesn’t the sand destroy a tent?
Or do you mean like a pop up gazebo? I do always give those a second glance in case a bride and groom pop out complete with pastor (like the carribean).

Its a teeny pop up festival tent. You know they ones that say that they are a "Two Man Tent" when you'd be lucky to fit one 10 year old in it? One of them.

@PyongyangKipperbang

Its a teeny pop up festival tent. You know they ones that say that they are a "Two Man Tent" when you'd be lucky to fit one 10 year old in it? One of them.

nothing lovelier than a pop up tent 🤣

Im not boy scout enough for those 200 piece 12 man tents 😳

We have done UK holidays for years and carry the same clobber to the beach as you! Actually most families seem the same where we go and the beach is wall to wall pop up tents. So maybe it depends where you go.

I like to be prepared, I'm generally an organised person and like to have stuff with me so it comes naturally. I was the same with dd as babies. Kind of envious of those people who just grab their wallets on the way out! That's not me.

It was probably the poster who started a thread a few days ago mocking people doing just that, carrying stuff with them on the beach, and accusing them of being attention seekers

What can you do, some people are obviously bored on the beach, and need to find someone and something to be miffed about.

Mass panic about rain? I came to the beach today with my swimmers, towel and frisbee (and a few kids). I got in the water, it rained, I was wet anyway, the sun came out, I played frisbee, bought a cup of tea, stayed in wet clothes and drove home. No drama, lovely day, no need for tent or blankets. I don't mind rain.

Depends on your family and the beach…If you’ve got small children and maybe a dog, a load of paraphernalia to cover most eventualities is probably helpful. Provided the car park is close by. When mine were babies we always took plenty of drinks, food and layers but never went as far as buying a beach tent.

And to answer those who don't know how to spend a day at the beach, a day is never enough
Swim
Play ball games
Dig/sandcastles
Picnic
Run
Read
Chat
Walk
Swim
Surf/bodyboard
Rockpool
Litterpick
Swim
Chat
Swim
Read...

DH and I went for a 5 day seaside break a couple of weeks ago and there were tonnes of little tents on the beach (mostly the ones that give shade, but would also keep the rain off I expect).

We didn't get any rain but if we did, the great thing about most British seasides, is there are normally lots of shelters on the promenades.

And yes, beach huts are ace. I always rented one when my kids were little, just as my parents used to when we were kids.

Lots of fond memories of hot soup or beans on toast for lunch...looking out to sea in the pouring July/August rain

Whereas the "One bag with swim suits and a towel" mob were all in a mass panic and trying to find some shelter.

Oh, come off it. No-one in the UK panics when it rains, it's totally expected. And if everyone in swimsuits gets wet, isn't that kind of the point of swimsuits?

OTOH, if it had stayed dry all day your tent would have been a bit of a waste of time.

No-one in the UK panics when it rains, it's totally expected.

Panic might be a strong word, but I have seen local beaches being empty in less than 5 minutes when it properly started to rain. I am South East.

The majority of people don't tend to stick on the sand when it's raining.

Honestly if I really thought it was the kind of day where I’d need a tent, blankets and rain jackets, I wouldn’t be going to the beach.

You beached correctly. Well done.

Perhaps you could run beach preparedness courses?

@Notdoingthis

And to answer those who don't know how to spend a day at the beach, a day is never enough Swim Play ball games Dig/sandcastles Picnic Run Read Chat Walk Swim Surf/bodyboard Rockpool Litterpick Swim Chat Swim Read...

You were at Seaton Carew near the sewage outlet pipe weren’t you?

Oh, gosh! I take so much stuff to the beach.

Trolley
Towels ( everyone wears swim suits under their clothes)
Sunshade (not a pop-up one but one with poles)
Sunscreen
Cool box with drinks
Buckets and spades, etc
Fishing nets and bucket
Frisbee (essential)
Water rings and pump
Snorkeling gear
Good book (always goes unread)

Best of all, I take a camping container of tap water and rinse everyone off before they get in the car.

I was reared on the Gulf of Mexico. You're what we called "the nomads of summer," hauling all you own with you back and forth. There was no sneering involved, though, just a bit of bewilderment. By the time everything is set up, the day is half gone.

As for rain...GOOD GRIEF! Other than an umbrella to give shade and shelter for towels if it rains, you're planning on spending half the day immersed in water, but running to shelter from RAIN DROPS? I fail to see the logic there.

I’ve been on U.K. holidays my whole life and never taken a tent to the beach, nor have I ever seen anyone point and laugh at anyone!!
Also come to South Wales it’s much nicer!.

@minipie

Honestly if I really thought it was the kind of day where I’d need a tent, blankets and rain jackets, I wouldn’t be going to the beach.

We have one week and the weather is probably going to be shit for most of it. Rain with the odd break, so its the beach in the rain with making the most of the odd bit of sun or nothing. But yeah......I should probably just not let DD go to the beach on her one weeks holiday in three years rather than take the beach tent