Last weekend my family and I ventured down to Exeter to bring my brother home from uni for a week. Whilst we were down in Devon, we couldn’t miss out on the chance to take a trip to the beach (even though it was freezing cold!). I’ve always loved going to the seaside, and strolling on Exmouth beach last weekend made me think about why it’s one of my favourite places to be. I thought I’d share some of the reasons why I love the beach, as it also gives me a good excuse to post the photos I took in Exmouth.
1 – Memories
When I was younger, I went on lots of holidays to Devon and Cornwall with my family, so I have loads of happy memories of being by the sea. I would always be smiling when I was on the beach, and going for a paddle in the sea was one of my favourite things to do. We have many family photos of holidays in the South West, and being on the beach always reminds me of those holidays and how much I enjoyed them.
2 – Skin Benefits
Every time I’ve been by the sea recently, I’ve realised what a positive, short-term difference it makes to my skin. I don’t know whether it’s the sunshine or the sea air, but I notice that my skin has a glow that I can’t really get from being anywhere else. Even on a cold day, I think being on the beach does benefit my complexion, so it’s definitely worth a trip when I can.
3 – Wellbeing
Being at the beach always makes me feel relaxed and forget about anything I might be thinking about for a while. Quiet beaches are the best for really switching off and taking in the views, and if I lived closer to the coast, beach walks would be something I would do a lot more often. Walking on the beach is brilliant exercise too, as sand or pebbles aren’t the easiest to walk on and lots of beaches stretch for miles – so plenty of opportunity for long walks.
4 – Food
The kinds of food associated with the English coast are some of my favourites. A trip to the beach isn’t complete without fish and chips, and some of the nicest I’ve tasted are found in coastal towns. Being by the sea is also an excuse to have an ice cream, and that’s a good enough reason in itself to be on the beach. We found a fantastic fish and chip shop called Krispies in Exmouth, as well as delicious ice cream from Sea Shore Ice Creamery on the seafront.
5 – Photo Opportunities
Many beaches have really scenic views with loads of photo opportunities. I love taking photos when I’m by the sea, and seaside towns in the South West are usually quite photogenic too. Taking photos in a relaxing place like the seaside is always enjoyable and I hope I’ll have more chances to share photos from the coast soon!