S E A S O NA L I N S P I R AT I O N
JULY 2017 2928 JULY 2017 countryliving.co.uk
Summer by the sea
The lapping of waves, the tang of brine and sand between your toes – enjoy the great British seaside, equipped with our
ideas for an idyllic day outWORDS AND STYLING BY SIAN WILLIAMS PHOTOGRAPHS BY BRENT DARBY
OFF THE BEATEN TRACK
Drive down quiet lanes to seek out secluded spots in hidden bays, then relax
in deckchairs beneath a fabric shade.
Canopy made in Waters Edge Sea Spray cotton, £11.50/m,
Prestigious Textiles at Curtain Your Home. Bamboo canes,
£3.31 (for ten); rope (supporting the canopy), 57p/m: all B&Q. Bucket and spades, from a
selection, ebay. Camping stool in Suffolk Stripe, £25; rocking
deckchair in Suffolk Stripe, £70; steamer chair in Suffolk
Stripe, £120; Pembridge Picnic basket, £42; Perfectly Drinkable
bottles, £4 each: all Garden Trading. Enamel mug, £6.99,
Temptation Gifts. Wicker basket (left side of steamer chair), similar from Not On The High Street. Blue rope (on steamer chair), £1/m,
B&Q. Towel made from white waffle cotton, £8.95/m,
Fabric-online. Cotton bands (on towels) made from
The Captain’s Pattern by Jonny Hannah, £48/m,
St Jude’s. Quilts made from Hobbs poly-down wadding,
£13, Hobbycraft; Bilbao Chalk cotton, £18.50/m, Villa Nova;
Deep Sea cotton by Emily Sutton, £66/m, and The Captain’s Pattern cotton
by Jonny Hannah, £48/m: both St Jude’s. Boy’s shorts
and T-shirt, from a selection, Boden
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S E A S O NA L I N S P I R AT I O N
TAKE A SEAT Pack up a collection of deckchairs, stools and
cushions in jaunty stripes. Opposite Camper van curtains in Fredrika cotton, £4/m, Ikea.
Steamer chair in Suffolk Stripe, £120; rocking deckchair in
Suffolk Stripe, £70; camping stool in Suffolk Stripe, £25;
Pembridge picnic basket, £42; Perfectly Drinkable bottles, £4
each: all Garden Trading. Wicker basket (next to steamer chair), similar from Not On The High Street. Cushions made from Ascot Stripe, £29.50/m Ian
Mankin. Home Front enamel mug (next to van door), £6.99, Temptation Gifts. Fishing net, from a selection, ebay. Quilts made from Hobbs poly-down
wadding, £13, Hobbycraft; Bilbao Chalk cotton, £18.50/m,
Villa Nova; Deep Sea cotton by Emily Sutton, Aqua/Slate, £66/m, and The Captain’s Pattern cotton by Jonny
Hannah, £48/m, St Jude's
SHORE FINDSSandcastles have a timeless
appeal for children; comb the shoreline for interesting
pebbles to decorate them.This page Cushion made from Ascot Stripe cotton, £29.50/m,
Ian Mankin. Camping stool, picnic basket and bottles, all as
before. Catapult (in basket) from a selection, Etsy. Pebbles painted in Sky no 9; Sage no 5; Rose no 8; Ruby no 10 pigment
paint, £5.99/125ml each: all London Vintage Paint Company.
Boys’ shorts and T-shirts, all from a selection, Boden.
Fishing net, as before
1 Pendine Sands, Carmarthen, CarmarthenshireOriginally known for land attempts at the world speed record in the 1920s. You can drive on for a small fee but there is limited access as it's partly owned by the Ministry of Defence.
2 Black Rock Sands, Porthmadog, GwyneddThere are miles of sand here, which you can drive onto for a small fee. 3 Ainsdale Beach, Lancashire You can drive and park on this beach from May to September.
4 Benone Strand Beach, Co LondonderryBeautiful long beach with views to Scotland and Donegal. Dogs are welcome, but there is a dog- free zone from May to September.5 Brean Beach, SomersetCars can be parked on the
beach in certain areas, though some signed sections are muddy. Dogs and horses are welcome.Campervan hire, from £325 for a short break (Friday to Monday), Pembrokeshire Classic Campers (07816 119490; pembrokeshire classiccampers.co.uk).
FIVE OF THE BEST DRIVE-ON BEACHES IN THE UK
Nothing lifts the mood more than a sea view – sit back and watch the waves ebb and flow
All the family can spend time hunting for driftwood and shells when the tide is out
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SEASIDE MEMORIES Children love racing along
the sand, bucket in hand, to find shoreline treasures.
Opposite Girl’s cotton-rich short denim dungarees, £16, Marks
& Spencer. Buckets and spades, from a selection, ebay
LUNCH BY THE SEA Pack a mix of practical
picnicware, such as enamel or melamine cups and plates, miniature milk
bottles and a traditional coffeemaker, that you can
use on a small camper stove. This page, left Camper-van
curtains, as before. Ice-cream cups, £3.50 (for eight); paper
cups, from £2.25 (for ten); wooden cutlery, £3.99 (ten
of each); straws, £2.85 (for 25): all Pipii. Pezzetti LuxExpress two-cup moka pot coffee
maker, £13.75, Espressodrinker. Drinks bottles, from £1.99 (per 250ml) each; similar traditional enamel pie plates and coloured plastic containers: all LakelandAbove Picnic basket, bottles, camping stool, cushion and
fishing net, all as before. Miner’s lantern in Dorset Blue, £8.50,
Garden Trading
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BEACH TOWEL Make your own towels from plain waffle fabric,
trimmed with a colourful band of washable cotton. White waffle cotton, £8.95/m, Fabric-online. Cotton
bands (at each end of the towel) in Coral Reef Periwinkle, £30.95/m, Prestigious Textiles at
Curtain Your Home
HURRICANE LAMPS Create sturdy lanterns from preserve jars with rope handles. Place pebbles and shells in each one and
add a tealight with a wire loop so it’s easier to lower in.1L Kilner jars, £8.99 (set of three); Lakeland Winch
T lights, £2 each; orange rope, 40p/m: all B&Q. Craft shells, £1 (for 20), Hobbycraft
PEBBLE WEIGHTS Keep a picnic blanket or tablecloth in place on a blustery beach with coastal-themed stone weights, painting
them with motifs, then adding handy string ties to finish. Sisal rope, 92p/m; white cobblestones, £9.92 (a sack): both B&Q. Stones painted in Sky no 9; Sage no 5; Rose no 8;
Ruby no 10 pigment paint, £5.99/125ml each: all London Vintage Paint Company
S E A S O NA L I N S P I R AT I O N
A DAY AT THE BEACH For the cleanest and
safest stretches of sand to visit, check
thegoodbeachguide.co.uk. All merchandise as before.
For stockists, see Where to Buy
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