Author Archives: manonabeach

About manonabeach

On a beach…welcome to manonabeach.com, where I’ll regularly add video of my beach visits, so you can enjoy a flavour of the beach, even when you’re not there.

Port Eynon beach

Season: spring

One of the Gower Peninsula’s most popular beaches, Port Eynon is safe for swimming and is a magnet for water sports enthusiasts. Boating, windsurfing and kitesurfing are enjoyed here. The beach is backed by dunes and shrubs and there are campsites and accommodation nearby. Port Eynon is a happy place for families, with a stunning landscape and an idyllic village nearby. There is a magnificent arc to the beach, which seems to frame the bay, particularly on an ebb tide. On this occasion it was a balmy, hot afternoon, with the horizon out of focus due to the heat haze. This created an other worldly atmosphere, dreamlike in the warmth, accompanied by the rhythm of the waves. There is a fine seven mile walk along the coast from here to Rhossili.

A special place for Dai and Tina.

Another warm afternoon at Port Eynon on Gower.

Season: autumn

Port Eynon is designed for the holidaymaker. The crescent-shaped beach is sandy and everything behind it is there for the benefit of visitors. From holiday cottages to a fish ‘n chip shop, from restaurants to gift shops, you will feel well looked after from arrival to departure. It’s ironic then that a visit such as mine during this autumn shoulder season should showcase the natural beauty of this place, which of course is why it became so popular as a visitor destination in the first place.

The pull of the sea for William.

Lowestoft

Season: winter

The sand is golden on South Beach at Lowestoft. Although it was a winter day on this occasion, acres of clean sand stretched out in both directions from the Claremont Pier. The brightly coloured beach huts added a summer feel to the scene, as families enjoyed the beach and being near the sea. The town and many facilities are nearby, but there’s still a natural feel to the beach.

Ian’s reference points at the beach.

Beach huts and acres of sand on South Beach at Lowestoft.

Season: autumn

Lowestoft sits between Oulton Broad and the sea. It is a thriving fishing port with a rich maritime history. Interestingly, many of the windmills in the area are actually wind pumps, because of the need to drain the land hereabouts. This seasonal visit was to the North Beach, showing the incessant pressure of the sea against the land and our efforts to resist it. Golden sandy beaches further to the south in Lowestoft showcase the ongoing appeal to visitors of this attractive seaside town.

Paula’s association with this beach.

Sea defences at North Beach in Lowestoft.

Silver Sands

Season: summer

Silver Sands is the beach for Aberdour, featuring at the time of this visit in the top seven UK villages for Britain in Bloom. The civic pride in Aberdour, in the parkland behind the beach and on the sands, is palpable. On this occasion, a running club had just finished a weekend training session and I chatted to a member, Hazel, about her love of beaches near and far. Weekending beachgoers were already settling down for the day, either on the beach or on the beachside cafe’s terrace, enjoying the views out to sea.

Beaches near and far.

The scene at Silver Sands.

Season: winter

Silver Sands is one of two beaches at Aberdour in Fife. The Fife Coastal Footpath passes this way, offering magnificent views across the River Forth to Edinburgh. All the facilities you would want are nearby, but it is the natural beauty of this beach that is most striking. The beach is safe for swimming, with lifeguard patrols in the summer season. It is sandy and has a tranquil feel, in short a popular escape from busy Edinburgh.

What the beach means to David.

A grey day at Silver Sands on a low tide by the Firth of Forth.