The British seaside: Dud or dud?

november is good for the seaside, on a good day it's still mild yet almost totally deserted

they could literally blow up a hotel in brighton and nobody would know

seaside towns out of season always remind me of the small town i grew up in, tons of metal kids, random and frequent brute violence, every scene the decaying corpse of something that the city kids got bored of 10 years ago, desperation fitted as standard.

the home counties bourgie population have just about enough residual enthusiasm for blighty-on-sea that about half of brighton-hove-worthing and maybe a couple of places in suffolk have escaped that fate

hastings can be fucking grim, most of north kent too

Try Hastings for authentic violence and desperation.

lol xp

Hastings - bookshops, heroin and black black depression. Still quite like it. Lovely walk you can do from Hastings over to Rye. Changes from chalk cliff downland to marshes and military canals. Some pleasant bathing to be had within sight of Dungeness as well.

Folkestone is fucked tho. I went there for the first time in ages last year and it was the bits of it that weren't being demolished were utterly dilapidated. And there was a grime singer channeling a curious mixture of enthusiasm in his delivery and seaside no-hope bleakness in his content, standing in a bandstand with some pensioners who had nothing else to be curious about swaying slightly in front of him. Some vicious sods in a transit van driving round swearing at Asians.

Hastings is fine. I seriously do not get a heroin and violence vibe from it. The seafront is remarkably intact and rather lovely (in the sunshine).

Such a shame they got rid of the old cricket ground -

http://theidiotandthedog.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/priory-meadow-cricket.jpg

The Central Recreation Ground, Hastings was a cricket ground in Hastings, Sussex. The first recorded match on the ground was in 1864 and the last in 1996, following which Priory Meadow Shopping Centre was built on the site.

With perfect timing the Guardian big up Kent.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2011/aug/05/kent-coast-art-summer-holiday

Somewhere between this and ilx's bleak view lies the truth.

Saltburn by the Sea. Worth a visit?

Hmm. Is that a "no"?

No, it's definitely worth a visit. Earlier this year I drove down the coast from Newcastle to Whitby. I wouldn't recommend doing that in one go though as it takes a lot longer than you might think (getting round Middlesborough is the problem). Anyway, it's a got a nice beach, a quaint and creaking funicular railway, and some faded Victorian grandeur which is always nice.

And The Guardian thinks it's like a Northern Southwold (which is pushing it a bit).

That whole coast is definitely somewhere I want to look around more.

Ta. Was born there but don't remember it and feeling a vague pull to visit.

Right ... off to Saltburn in a couple of weeks: pubs I must drink in? places to eat? walks?

My housemate's from Saltburn, so I'll see what he recommends.

I'm staying at the Midland in Morecambe in a couple of weeks. Northern seaside > Southern seaside

Have had The Ship and a cafe "called something like Del Mar" recommended.

What did your housemate recommend?

Ah fuck, he fucked off for a few days without telling me. I will pursue this.

Right then ... Saltburn this weekend.

OFFICIAL GUIDE

Pubs: The Victoria is the best one. The Mermaid is fine. The Ship is better for its location than for its drink.

Food: I wouldn't really trust my housemate on food choices tbh but he says there is an Italian place called Alessi's which is 'alright'. Vista Del Mar is also good apparently. Popular with Boro legend David Wheater.

Walks: Go down to the valley gardens and through there. There's a miniature railway. Then you can go on the cliffs towards Boulby.

If you have a car then you should go out to the moors.

That all sounds very nice.

Nice one, thanks.

The walk from Saltburn to Skinningrove was lovely.

Amazed at how well used the beach at Saltburn was.

Glad you had a good time. I've had to postpone my Morecambe trip but want to get that done soon, then maybe visit Robin Hood's Bay nearer the summer.

Impressed at how well-used the beach was.

Saltburn *felt* less run down - less "Every Day Is Like Sunday" - than I was expecting though may not have been seeing the full picture.

It does seen to have aged better than a lot of similar places. Not really sure why, but I think it's still seen as a 'nice' place to live for the North East's wealthier residents (unlike e.g. Morecambe and Blackpool which have declined as the money moved inland/to the Lakes).

Might have asked this elsewhere and forgotten/been drunk ... recommend anywhere to stay along the Pembrokeshire coast?

If you want to stay in a town, Tenby is highly recommended. It's a small to medium size, traditional seaside resort town that has a bit of life but is also very picturesque. St. David's is also nice. It's a small town, a mile or so inland, noteworthy for the cathedral but also very well placed for walking. I also quite like Fishguard, which is more rough and down to earth, less touristy.

All these places are quite small so it's pretty easy to get out and onto the cliffs etc. To be honest you could stay anywhere and it would be fine, although I guess it depends on your need for public tramsport. Tenby and Fishguard can be reached directly by rail. St. David's can be reached by bus from either Fishguard or Haverfordwest (where there's a railway station).

Nice one, thanks.

Public transport not a huge issue - we'll be driving there though it is always good to try and use buses once there.

Any recommendations for specific self catering places to stay (to accomodate two people)?

Many plans for the holiday: to get on the coastal path, to visit Skomer/Skojholm, to drink beer, to sit and watch the sea.

http://www.caldey-island.co.uk/

maybe worth a visit while you're there, i was only a wee boy when we visited but it was pretty special

Stayed here several times and was really happy with it:

http://www.solvaholidays.co.uk/cottages.php

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Solva&hl=en&ll=51.872702,-5.194892&spn=0.003604,0.006899&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=14.149238,28.256836&oq=solva&hnear=Solva,+Pembrokeshire,+United+Kingdom&t=m&z=17&layer=c&cbll=51.872724,-5.195067&panoid=0qD_n-JmdwGsmlv6nAmNEw&cbp=12,342.12,,0,0

Solva is about three miles from St. David's. The bus to/from St. David's/Haverfordwest passes through the village.

I've also stayed at a place in St. David's itself, just across the road from the Farmer's Arms pub, but I can't remember what it was called.

Brighton seems an interesting place.

http://www.cyriak.co.uk/gifs/flick.gifhttp://www.cyriak.co.uk/gifs/batfair.gifhttp://www.cyriak.co.uk/gifs/piereaten.gif

Thanks Dubmill/Noodle Vague.

Have a week off work booked for June and September.

Want to be by the coast but aside from that ... recommendations welcome, either vaguely (area) or as specific as a nice cottage for two. Anywhere in the UK.

Tempted by this:

Waves: The Sounds of Britain's Shores (British Library Sound Archive).

The current series of "Coast" is lacking something (and, unusually, finding Nicholas Crane a bit annoying - okay when he's on screen but his voice overs are grating.)

Also, best bit of Scottish coast?

Is Mull nice? Any recommendations?

Or any of the other Scottish islands?

Any bits of coast/seaside nice along near Weston Super Mare?

http://www.skye-light.com/images/threlfallc07.jpg

sandwood bay, sutherland.

http://www.harlechcottage.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/6.jpg

morfa harlech, cardigan bay.

don't know about weston super mare but these are both recommended.

A return trip to Saltburn planned for January.

Looking for accommodation for eight (three couples, two kids) in Saltburn or thereabouts. Any recommendations?

How are the roads between York and Whitby at the moment?

(Basically, is it insane to drive from Oxford to Whitby via York this weekend?)

Was a bit bored by Coast this evening.

Communities urged to prepare for coastal flooding

04-Dec-2013

Communities along the north east coast of England, including Yorkshire and the north coast of Norfolk, should prepare for the risk of coastal flooding.
The Environment Agency and Met Office are forecasting that gale-force winds and large waves will combine with spring tides and a large surge later on Thursday and through Friday. This brings a risk of significant coastal flooding.

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/news/151055.aspx

The Northumberland coast worth a visit?

What's a "kiss me quick" hat?