Seaside holidays
Seaside holidays are traditional in Britain. It's when the family packs everything; children, dog, buckets and spades, and heads off for a seaside resort not too far from home.
We expect to eat fish and chips, to experience the occasional wet and windy day when we visit the local aquarium, to walk a pier if there is one, buy a funny hat, lots of ice cream and try to avoid the money grabbing amusements.
Donkey rides and Punch and Judy shows can still be found on some commercial beaches. For natural completely unspoilt beaches head for Scotland, the beaches are broad, sandy and clean, with sand dunes aplenty on the north east coast. Ireland can be another uncrowded pristine beach location.
It's a case of doing a little research to find exactly what you want. Cornwall is a tourist hotspot but even there it is possible to find a small sheltered secluded cove far from the crowds.
There are lots of lovely cottages for seaside holidays around the coast, take a look at some of the seaside holiday destinations at the foot of the page.
Memories of seaside holidays
There would be very few people living in Britain today who do not have an experience and memories of the seaside. It would be wonderful if people could extend that experience to a variety of seaside locations and find out more about seaside holidays in Britain and Ireland.
The images of fabulous scenery one discovers walking the coastal paths in Devon remains for over. Or the impression made by remote fishing villages with ancient picturesque harbours in Scotland, where sea gulls are as large as small dogs and steal food from shops and unwary tourists (they quite like chips).
On the north west coast of Scotland and Wales, mountains create a stunning backdrop. Or go to granite rock areas of north east Scotland or Cornwall for awe-inspiring sheer cliffs teeming with birds. You may spot colourful puffins nesting in spring.
Did you know that you can spot whales and dolphins off the southern coast of Ireland or in the Moray Firth in Scotland? Or that whales bask on isolated beaches and rocks around our coasts?
Wales has a Shell island where children can gather shells galore. The fortunate may discover fossils on the Dorset coast.
A young girl has recently had a dinosaur names after her because she unearthed a fossil on a beach in south west isle of Wight. The crumbling cliffs on the island are a potential wall of discovery and make for a satisfying and educational seaside visit.
There can be so much more to a seaside holiday than most people realise.
