Welcome to manonabeach®, featuring well over a thousand filmed answers to the question What does the beach mean to you…? along with films that set the scene. There are examples below, with maps to explore on the right and menus at the top, where you can order your copy of my book The British Beach Guide, published by Whittles. Here are some samples from the maps on the right:

A sensory, historical and cultural perspective, with Sarah at Skinnet beach in Sutherland, beach page here.
A life built around the beach, with Iain at Port Ellen on Islay, beach page here.
The elemental appeal of the beach, with David at Porthmeor beach in St Ives, Cornwall, beach page here.
The beach as an escape, with Liz at Sheringham in Norfolk, beach page here.
Fishing all the way, the recollections of Norman James Woodland at Selsey Bill in West Sussex, beach page here.
Denis takes us back in time at Cushendun in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, beach page here.
All life is connected, with Nina at Linklet Bay on Orkney, beach page here.
A historical perspective on life in the Western Isles, with Robert at Vatersay, beach page here.
A proximity to nature, with Roisin at Rackwick Bay on Hoy in Orkney, beach page here.
The beach through a lifetime, with Geoff at Rhossili on Gower in Wales, beach page here.
The pull of the beach through time, with Claire at Kingsand Cawsand in Cornwall, beach page here.
A sense of pride in your environment over a lifetime, with Dave at Huisinis beach on North Harris in Scotland, beach page here.
Guest answer from Tim at Shingle Street in Suffolk, beach page here.  Send your own answer here.

11 responses to “”

  1. Andy Halden Avatar
    Andy Halden

    Living in the Midlands is very frustrating for a sea lover like me but your site will keep me going between my visits. When little as a family we headed for Woolacombe – lovely . Now we’re a little older Cornwall’s the way. Coverack, St Ives, etc. etc . Love the site.

  2. Emma Avatar
    Emma

    Living in Cumbria means I’ve got the best of both worlds. The beauty of the expansive hills and the vast coastline. My new job is to safeguard the water quality of our beaches in Morecambe Bay. With it’s tidal bore, birds a plenty, it’s an amazing stretch of coastline.

  3. BeachWitz Avatar
    BeachWitz

    Keep on working, great job!

  4. Sophie Avatar
    Sophie

    As an Anthropology graduate I am interested in the theory that early hominids went through a period of coastal living, developing certain physical attributes such as fat on our limbs that is lacking in other mammal species. Hunter-gatherers would certainly migrate to the sea shore to find seabird eggs and gather shell-fish at certain periods such as the low spring tides and summer months. This would enable the animals they normally trapped and hunted inland to enjoy a breeding period.

  5. Shona Avatar
    Shona

    Oh, the beaches on Lewis are everything to me. The Atlantic rolls in and it can be so wild and invigoratiing – I forget everything and get lost in it. At other times the beach is a sanctuary, somewhere to work things out when I don’t know which way to turn. The beach has always been there for me and it always will be. We come and go, it remains.

  6. Amanda Avatar
    Amanda

    The beach for me is always a great place to visit to feel truly relaxed and refreshed, guaranteed to make you smile! The beach is a place where I can relive my childhood memories through my own children, having fun days out on the beach building sandcastles, looking for buried treasure, paddling in the sea and finding pretty stones and shells. There are so many great beaches to choose from in the Northumberland area, you will be spoilt for choice!

  7. Jane Avatar
    Jane

    Beaches conjure up so many happy family holidays. Sunbathing, swimming, sandcastles, sailing, cricket, walking, wildlife etc. Blue skies, sea and calm water or grey, windy and crashing waves! All the different moods of nature and the wonderful feeling of having cobwebs blown away and being completely refreshed in mind and body. Sometimes it is the peacefulness of gently lapping waves on the shore which are sophorific and give rise to deep thoughts. Other times it is just relaxing to walk near the sea and watch others enjoying themselves. We love living near the sea and really enjoy holidays that involve beaches!

  8. Daniela Gope Avatar
    Daniela Gope

    Wonderful site, how do you get all this info?I have read a couple of posts on your site and I love your style. Thanks a million, keep up the good work.

  9. Charlie Avatar
    Charlie

    Love Norman with the wonky eyebrows

  10. Nigel Avatar
    Nigel

    Thank you for the book Ian, it’s very impressive.
    Very well written and put together.
    And has given me ideas for holidays in the future!!

  11. Rosie Avatar
    Rosie

    It is the place where I can sense infinity and the wonder of nature. The colours of the sea make good use of the artist’s palette in soft but vibrant colours and the sea at times seems to mingle into the sky. It is where I go where I am troubled to ground myself, to find calm, or to celebrate good news. The sound of the sea, making its own unique music, both nourishes and sustains me. I need to be near the sea at least once a week and when I had to spend over 3 weeks in hospital in 2016 I felt trapped and I was only helped by finding a seascape on a wall to gaze at. I can walk for miles on the beach and find peace, to appreciate the present moment, and be still, to stop ‘and stare’. Being married to a conchologist means we share a love of the coast; where we are together but separate. He walks slowly methodically checking for razor shell records while I have the whole expanse of a sandy beach to walk along. After a short walk I usually find I am alone, having lost the ‘madding crowd’. Sand is my preference to a rocky beach and among my favourites are Formby beach, Merseyside, and Holkham, Norfolk, discovered in my childhood before the film ‘Shakespeare in love’ popularised it. Cornwall is my spiritual home as it holds so many hidden beaches & creeks, some still to be discovered.
    Above all I wonder at the power of the sea, which has the ability to both harm and heal with its wide ranging moods from calm to turbulent stormy.
    My dream is to live by the sea, to walk there every day, to dress for the weather. It would be heaven on earth to draw the curtains every morning to greet the sea and see what mood it has wakened to. Then to close the curtains as darkness falls and allow the sea to carry on
    its never ending journey. The sea surrounds our world and will exist longer than us. Its power puts our lives into perspective.

11 thoughts on “

  1. Andy Halden

    Living in the Midlands is very frustrating for a sea lover like me but your site will keep me going between my visits. When little as a family we headed for Woolacombe – lovely . Now we’re a little older Cornwall’s the way. Coverack, St Ives, etc. etc . Love the site.

    Reply
  2. Emma

    Living in Cumbria means I’ve got the best of both worlds. The beauty of the expansive hills and the vast coastline. My new job is to safeguard the water quality of our beaches in Morecambe Bay. With it’s tidal bore, birds a plenty, it’s an amazing stretch of coastline.

    Reply
  3. Sophie

    As an Anthropology graduate I am interested in the theory that early hominids went through a period of coastal living, developing certain physical attributes such as fat on our limbs that is lacking in other mammal species. Hunter-gatherers would certainly migrate to the sea shore to find seabird eggs and gather shell-fish at certain periods such as the low spring tides and summer months. This would enable the animals they normally trapped and hunted inland to enjoy a breeding period.

    Reply
  4. Shona

    Oh, the beaches on Lewis are everything to me. The Atlantic rolls in and it can be so wild and invigoratiing – I forget everything and get lost in it. At other times the beach is a sanctuary, somewhere to work things out when I don’t know which way to turn. The beach has always been there for me and it always will be. We come and go, it remains.

    Reply
  5. Amanda

    The beach for me is always a great place to visit to feel truly relaxed and refreshed, guaranteed to make you smile! The beach is a place where I can relive my childhood memories through my own children, having fun days out on the beach building sandcastles, looking for buried treasure, paddling in the sea and finding pretty stones and shells. There are so many great beaches to choose from in the Northumberland area, you will be spoilt for choice!

    Reply
  6. Jane

    Beaches conjure up so many happy family holidays. Sunbathing, swimming, sandcastles, sailing, cricket, walking, wildlife etc. Blue skies, sea and calm water or grey, windy and crashing waves! All the different moods of nature and the wonderful feeling of having cobwebs blown away and being completely refreshed in mind and body. Sometimes it is the peacefulness of gently lapping waves on the shore which are sophorific and give rise to deep thoughts. Other times it is just relaxing to walk near the sea and watch others enjoying themselves. We love living near the sea and really enjoy holidays that involve beaches!

    Reply
  7. Daniela Gope

    Wonderful site, how do you get all this info?I have read a couple of posts on your site and I love your style. Thanks a million, keep up the good work.

    Reply
  8. Nigel

    Thank you for the book Ian, it’s very impressive.
    Very well written and put together.
    And has given me ideas for holidays in the future!!

    Reply
  9. Rosie

    It is the place where I can sense infinity and the wonder of nature. The colours of the sea make good use of the artist’s palette in soft but vibrant colours and the sea at times seems to mingle into the sky. It is where I go where I am troubled to ground myself, to find calm, or to celebrate good news. The sound of the sea, making its own unique music, both nourishes and sustains me. I need to be near the sea at least once a week and when I had to spend over 3 weeks in hospital in 2016 I felt trapped and I was only helped by finding a seascape on a wall to gaze at. I can walk for miles on the beach and find peace, to appreciate the present moment, and be still, to stop ‘and stare’. Being married to a conchologist means we share a love of the coast; where we are together but separate. He walks slowly methodically checking for razor shell records while I have the whole expanse of a sandy beach to walk along. After a short walk I usually find I am alone, having lost the ‘madding crowd’. Sand is my preference to a rocky beach and among my favourites are Formby beach, Merseyside, and Holkham, Norfolk, discovered in my childhood before the film ‘Shakespeare in love’ popularised it. Cornwall is my spiritual home as it holds so many hidden beaches & creeks, some still to be discovered.
    Above all I wonder at the power of the sea, which has the ability to both harm and heal with its wide ranging moods from calm to turbulent stormy.
    My dream is to live by the sea, to walk there every day, to dress for the weather. It would be heaven on earth to draw the curtains every morning to greet the sea and see what mood it has wakened to. Then to close the curtains as darkness falls and allow the sea to carry on
    its never ending journey. The sea surrounds our world and will exist longer than us. Its power puts our lives into perspective.

    Reply

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