Season: summer
The beach here is set in a cove between chalky cliffs. It’s a popular visitor destination with a large car park and an esplanade. Flint and pebbles adorn the beach, clattering in the waves as they make landfall. At low tide, rock pools reveal their secrets, a wonderland for young children. The adjacent Site of Special Scientific Interest (Freshwater Marshes) derives from the dammed up end of the River Yar, which flows northwards to Yarmouth. There are caves, which were once used by smugglers. You can explore them by kayak, but take care not to be cut off by the tide.
What the beach means to Pat.
The beauty of Freshwater Bay in the summer.
The beach gives you a real sense of being a part of a much bigger world. Standing on the shoreline looking out to sea – there is so much more to be explored. It gives you a sense of place, encourages contemplation and a breath of sea air cleanses the soul like meditation in a liquid form. The cathartic massage of sand under the soles of your feet, the stark contrast from the built environment, the sound of nothing but the sea all combine to make a magical medicine that can cure all ills. I love being on the beach.