It seems the UK summer has finally arrived, at least in parts. Hurrah, just in time for the school holidays! And as it's National Marine Week, it seems the perfect time to talk about our superb seaside.
I have childhood memories of brilliant beach holidays in Cornwall. We would set off late at night to avoid the worst of the traffic - my gran, parents, 3 kids and the dog all in a Hillman Hunter with vinyl seats and no air conditioning. We'd arrive in the dark, and tumble in to bed to catch a few hours sleep. Waking to the glorious sound of gulls and smell of salt in the air, we'd race out of the door straight on to the beach. Two weeks of swimming, jumping the waves, rock-pooling, big flat rocks to sunbathe on, cliff tops covered in thrift, spectacular sunsets, and fish and chips. Bliss!
My favourite pass time was rock pooling. I am to this day fascinated that an apparently empty pool can be hiding such a wealth of wildlife. Blennies perfectly camouflaged against the sand, little colourless shrimps drift along, tiny (and some not so tiny) crabs scuttle about, and the underside of rock ledges can conceal colourful anemones. Our coasts are truly magical. Are you having a great British beach holiday this year? Join our Facebook poll, tell us where you are going and share your photos by tweeting us @natures_voice, or post on our Facebook page
Chapel Porth beach, FreeFoto.comCoastal thrift by Anthony GriffithsPerranporth sunset, FreeFoto.com