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Original poster

If you moved to the coast, do you actually use the beach/swim?

129 replies

flixispinxi · 27/05/2024 22:03

My mum & dad moved to their holiday home full time during retirement, it’s on the Dorset Coast. She goes swimming almost every single morning in the sea & always goes to sit on the sand.

My dad has honestly walked on the beach maybe twice in five years. He loves swimming in the pool but hates the sea.

We have the chance to move to the coast but dh thinks we will be like my dad and not use the beach. So he thinks we should save £200k and skip the sea view and live inland.

OP posts:
Canadan · 27/05/2024 22:04

Yes all the time- I swim in the sea March-October and walk on the beach most days. I love it.

I think your dad is unusual.

EllaPaella · 27/05/2024 22:06

Yes I live 5 minutes from the beach and swim all year round and walk on it everyday with the dog.

Sybila · 27/05/2024 22:06

We used to when the kids were little, but now they’re grown and flown I walk the dog on the beach most days, and do sea swim occasionally but no, I’d never think to actually sit on the beach as my garden’s warmer and more convenient. Saying that, I love living by the coast and would recommend

Puffykins · 27/05/2024 22:09

Yes. We - me and the DC - swim in the sea whenever we can, all year round. DH doesn't. But he wasn't into swimming anyway.

Madameprof · 27/05/2024 22:12

If you have kids, I'd say do it, it's so lovely for them to grow up by the seaside. We used to pop down to the beach for a swim after school in summer, and ride bikes along the prom all year round. Now their teens it's easy to not find time to go to the beach but we still do it at least every few weeks, and more in summer. I also like to go and sit on the beach, or ride my bike along ut, or swim in summer. DH rarely goes but he enjoys the views. If you work full time and kids are older or no kids you might not get the most of it, but personally I wouldn't live anywhere else.

lovemycbf · 27/05/2024 22:14

I live right on the coast and no way would I go in the sea as raw sewage is regularly dumped in the sea

Alicewinn · 27/05/2024 22:15

Swim at least once a month all year around. Has changed my life

ItsMintUpNorth · 27/05/2024 22:17

Nope cos it's full of shit

CelesteCunningham · 27/05/2024 22:18

I grew up by the sea and insisted on moving to the sea when we were buying our family home. I hate not being by the sea, it soothes me.

Hate the beach and swimming though! There's so much more to living by the coast than that.

Every dry day that I'm WFH I walk DD to school and then walk the long way home via town, a coffee and a walk along the coastal path. Good for the soul.

DH used to think I'm mad but after ten years I hear his happy little sigh as we come over the hill on the way home and get the first glance of the sea!

Beautifulbythebay · 27/05/2024 22:19

We live a stone's throw from the beach.. Our lives have been ruined by sea swimmers for nearly 5 years... Who knew swimming was such a loud fucking hobby?

BumBumCream · 27/05/2024 22:19

We live inland 20 mins from the coast and go to the beach at least once a week, DH probably goes at least twice as he surfs whenever he can. If we lived within walking distance we would be there daily.

BananaHammock23 · 27/05/2024 22:25

I swim all year round (albeit less now it's full of shit) and walk on the beach everyday. In fact, we've spent bank holiday weekend having picnics and building sand castles on the beach with the kids and often comment to each other that we can't believe our life feels so much like a holiday! Do it, you won't regret it

purplemunkey · 27/05/2024 22:44

Yes, all year round. The beach isn’t just for swimming, we go for walks all the time. It’s a very different place out of high tourist season! I love living by the sea. Moved here from a city 5 years ago and don’t regret it for a second. I regularly have ‘I can’t believe this is where I live’ moments.

purplemunkey · 27/05/2024 22:48

How far inland is your DH talking though? Properties with an actual sea view are very expensive where I live. We’re a 10min drive to the beach and prices are much more reasonable. I also head down to the sea when I’m out running/cycling.

I wouldn’t want to be much farther inland though.

Gettingannoyednow · 27/05/2024 22:51

We live a few mins walk from the sea. (Actually being on the sea front triples the price of your house) We get to the beach at least 3x a week.. I don't swim though. Its bloody cold.

IBegYourBiggestPardon · 27/05/2024 22:58

Lived by the sea for 39 years. In that time I've swam in it once. Its bloody freezing. Obviously I've paddled in it over the years. However when I go abroad I prefer the sea to the pool and can happily spend hours just swimming up and down. Plus when it's nice and hot outside it makes getting back out again more bearable.

Chypre · 27/05/2024 23:13

My dogs swim nearly daily, I am wading every now and then :) but I do enjoy the stand up paddle board!

Sunnytwobridges · 28/05/2024 01:30

I’m not a beach person so i know I wouldn’t go often, if at all. I think people that really love the water will go often.

mathsAIoptions · 28/05/2024 01:35

No one with a brain goes in at the moment - have you not seen the news? Only 1 river in England is classed as clean now and most beaches are full of sewage or other pollutant.

Teenagerantruns · 28/05/2024 01:36

We live 5mins walk from beach, moved from London 8 years ago, at first we were on the beach lots. Now l can't remember the last time l was on it, l do walk past it on way to work most days, nice to look at.
If l had young kids though l expect l would use it more. Also l wouldn't swim in sea here due to sewage spills.

MichaelAndEagle · 28/05/2024 06:20

I agree there is more to it than actually going in the sea.
Like others I go in/on the beach less than when the kids were little.
But walk along the coast all the time, and still get taken aback by the beauty of it. I also love seaside towns, they have a special feel.

alwayscrashinginthesamecar1 · 28/05/2024 06:28

I'm not in the UK, but I moved near an Australian beach. We go all the time, even though we have a pool. Swimming weather here just ended a couple of weeks a go and started in October, I have been once or twice a week, and now is winter I will still go for regular walks. I love my pool, but the beach and sea are good for the soul, I wouldn't live away from the beach ever again. Although I don't think I would be so keen if there was sewage involved!

CelesteCunningham · 28/05/2024 06:33

alwayscrashinginthesamecar1 · 28/05/2024 06:28

I'm not in the UK, but I moved near an Australian beach. We go all the time, even though we have a pool. Swimming weather here just ended a couple of weeks a go and started in October, I have been once or twice a week, and now is winter I will still go for regular walks. I love my pool, but the beach and sea are good for the soul, I wouldn't live away from the beach ever again. Although I don't think I would be so keen if there was sewage involved!

I might be more likely to swim in an Australian summer - NI is a slightly different prospect temperature wise!

UsernameRedacted · 28/05/2024 06:33

Every day, sometimes twice a day, I walk the dog along the beach. If conditions are good then I paddle board.
I couldn't not live at the coast, I love the big open skies.

StepUpSlowly · 28/05/2024 06:40

Live on the coast of Spain and the beach was my main criteria. I don’t go every day and I don’t even like getting in the water so much but I love love going to beach, going for walks there several times a week, it feeds my soul and I couldn’t imagine not living by the beach anymore.