sandy toes and salty air


I am addicted to the beach.
I always liked the seaside as a child;
paddling my toes in the sea,
building sandcastles,
eating ice creams.
But three years in a seaside town for university sealed the deal.
The husband and I fell in love at the seaside.


And as I packed up my university life
and headed home and away from the coast,
I swore I'd be back by the sea one day.
That I became a we,
and the we grew to include two children,
but that call to go back to the sea hasn't dulled for me.
In fact if anything, I want to live at the coast even more now I have children.



And it isn't just the charms of a warm sunny beach that call to me.
I love the seaside just as much on a chilly day,
with the sand deserted and a bracing wind.
I have always been magnetically drawn to the water,
and I simply cannot visit a beach without removing my shoes,
and running across the sand to dip my feet in the water.
The husband will throw his head back and roll his eyes,
looking at me like I'm a crazed loon,
but it's something I simply have to do.
And having a toddler gives me a great excuse,
because I simply have to do it for him,
because he'll enjoy it.



So until my seaside dreams become reality,
we make do with going to visit the sand and the water as much as we can.
We make pretend that we own one of the beach huts,
we paddle out feet,
we eat sand (some of us do anyway!)
we feel the wind in our hair,
we breath in the fresh salty air,
we wriggle our toes in the sand,
we chase seagulls,
we collect shells,
we build sandcastles,
we come to life in the wide open spaces.
The simplest and best of nature's pleasures.





37 comments

  1. Wow, looks absolutely stunning. Is it far from where you live? I love the idea of having a beach hut for long summers days.

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    1. It really is gorgeous. It's about 40-45 mins from where we live, so not too far at all. A beach but is definitely on my list for if I win the lottery. x

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  2. What pretty beach huts, not just lovely colours but a pretty shape too. I'm with you on the need for seaside, which somehow fails to explain how I've ended up about as far from the sea as you can get!

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    1. They really are so pretty, I love them. And I guess the advantage with this country, is even at the furthest, you're never THAT far from the coast. x

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  3. As you know we are beach bums too and have been loving the sunny weather and taking full advantage. Hubby and I though still can't agree on the mountains or the sea if we could ever choose a 2nd home. You know one of those dream conversations :) beautiful pictures as always. Where did you guys go? We have some nice relatively close beaches to visit here in Scotland.

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    1. I'd choose the sea over practically anywhere else. Love it! This is on the Essex coast not too far from us. x

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  4. How pretty do you look here! I love these photos. I always wanted a pastel, ice-cream coloured beach hut. I'd like to paint my house like that, but considering I don't live in Balamory I don't think my neighbours would approve! xx

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    1. Haha. It is a bit like Balamory! There are 40-50 of these beach huts, all in varying pastel shades. It's one of my favourite places! x

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  5. Beautiful photos, I love the pretty beach huts and the beach looks lovely. I love the beach too but then get annoyed with the sand after a while xx

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    1. Thanks. Sand is a bit of pain, I'll give you that one, but I still love it. x

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  6. What beautiful beach huts. As I said before, I would love to see these as I have never seen pastel beach huts before. It's also my dream to live by the sea. Maybe we should all move in a big house together? ;) x

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    1. Maybe we should buy a big house together AND a pastel beach hut! There's still some available......! We'll definitely have to pop down there on one of your jaunts to Essex, you'd love it. x

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  7. pastel beach huts! they look like giant ice cream cakes all in a row..

    http://www.violetlulu.blogspot.com

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  8. Gorgeous photos as always sweetie. I haven't seen sand or beach huts in about 4 years. I miss them both!!! Xx

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    1. Four years??? I would have serious beach withdrawal. x

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  9. I love the colours of those little beach huts. I love the beach too. We're lucky to live close to not one but three beaches. Trouble is, as soon as the sun is out here, they are packed to the brim!

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    1. That is the problem with beaches on a sunny day. This one is a bit out of the way for a lot of people, so it doesn't get to get too packed luckily. x

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  10. We always take a walk along this beach on Christmas day - and even though it's grey and cold and windy - the beach huts are always cheerful!

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    1. How funny. We tend to go for a walk there on Boxing Day. It is just as lovely in the winter. x

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  11. These photos are so beautiful that they make me want to be there right now! I have a thing for beach huts, my favourite ones are at Wells-Next-The-Sea but I've never seen any as soft and pretty as these.
    I love the way you've written this, and told the story.
    I've lived by the coast all my life, apart from 3 years but we missed it so much that we moved back. We have 4 beaches in our town, and loads of beautiful ones a short drive away in neighbouring towns. I don't visit them enough though xx

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    1. I think the sea does kind of call you back to it once you've lived nearby. I'm so jealous that you live so near. We're about half an hour from the coast, this beach is about 45 minutes away. x

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  12. I love the colour of those huts, and the photos are gorgeous. I do love the idea of the beach and love the view but I HATE SAND and that ruins it for me a tiny bit. We live under an hours drive away from a pebbly beach though which I do love! x

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    1. Haha. My husband is a big sand hater. It doesn't bother me too much. Pebbly beaches are always so pretty.... not as good for sandcastle building though. x

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  13. Love those pretty beach huts. We love the beach too...just gorgeous x

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  14. My family spend many a day at the beach, and I admit we do take it for granted as we live so near. Cornwall has some of the most beautiful beaches in the UK but, I do have beach hut envy as they look so pretty. Let's hope that you achieve your dream like we did and get to live close to the coast. Thanks for sharing your lovely photos of your family day at the beach.

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    1. I'm sure I will get my dream one day, even if I have to wait until I retire!!! I'd just love to live near enough for a walk on the beach whenever I fancied. x

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  15. Beautiful photos & I love those beach huts! So pretty! x

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  16. i adore those vintage style pastel coloured beach huts! i would love to own one and visit it each week and watch the sea from it while drinking tea :)
    i am lucky that i live so close to many beaches and should go more often probably , but on the height of the tourist season its a nightmare!!! xx

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    1. Wouldn't that be lovely? To have somewhere to sit and admire the view with a cuppa, whatever the weather.
      That is a downside of beautiful beaches I guess, that everyone comes to visit when the sun comes out. The beaches near you are especially lovely. x

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  17. My grandmother used to have a beach hut. I don't remember it being so pretty, but I do remember how lovely it was to run back in it to get dry and have a snack. It's so long ago, they have probably been renovated and painted, and cost a bomb now!

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  18. This is just perfect, such a lovely backdrop for you gorgeous family xx

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  19. I love this so much! Beautiful x

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  20. Awww. What a lovely post with such lovely pics. Just gorgeous xxx

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  21. Lovely pictures! Just popping over from Country Kids x

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