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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