I can’t remember us Brits having such glorious weather over the summer for donkey’s years. It puts everyone in a great mood and makes you want to hit the beach.
And now it’s the summer holidays, what better time to do just that? But beaches aren’t all they’re cracked up to be though, are they? In fact, there are plenty of reasons why Brits hate the beach.
According to new research by Travel Republic, rubbish floating on the waves, seagulls nicking your food, other people’s music blaring out and Millennials posing for selfies are among Brits’ worst beach nightmares.
Also top of the list for reasons why Brits hate the beach were:
- Having to leave valuables on show
- Other beachgoers setting up camp right next to you (why do they do that?)
- Sand getting stuck in your sun cream
And what about when the kids shake their towel next to you, flinging sand everywhere? Plus luke-warm drinks and finding fag butts in the sand? (a few of my personal gripes!)
The research also revealed Brits’ top three demands for better beaches were 1. Proper showers and changing rooms 2. Waterfront bars and 3. Comfier sun beds.
Apparently we also want children-free zones, a ban on salesmen, free Wi-Fi, parasols with built-in phone chargers and a call button in sun beds to summon a waiter. Chance would be a fine thing.
All I really want is some shade, a cool drink and a sea breeze and I’m good to go.
So here’s a list of the top 25 reasons why reasons why Brits hate the beach, as well what’s on our wish list. Which ones ring true for you? And do you have any of your own to add?
The Worst 25 beach bugbears
- People leaving litter behind/rubbish in the sea
- Not having anywhere safe to leave your valuables if you want to go for a swim
- Sand going in your food
- People sitting right next to you when there is the whole beach free
- Other people blasting their music out
- People shaking their sandy towel near to you
- When the sand gets too hot to walk on
- Getting sand stuck on you after applying sun cream
- People walking around and selling crafts
- People playing ball sports precariously nearby
- Too windy, sending parasol and inflatables flying
- Seagulls trying to steal your food
- People bringing their pets to the beach
- Not having anywhere private to change
- People wearing inappropriate swimwear or lack of clothes for their age
- Swallowing sea water
- PDA (Public displays of affection)
- When the tide comes in and you keep having to move your stuff back
- People spending hours posing for the perfect Instagram shot
- People dripping on you as you sunbathe
- Getting all way to beach and realising you’ve forgotten your book/iPod/wallet etc.
- Children splashing water
- Ice cream melting by the time you sit down to eat it
- Not being able to get a sunbathing spot past 11am
- Sunbathing next to someone with a great body
Brits’ top 25 beach wish list
- Clean toilets/showers and changing facilities
- Beach bar at the waterfront
- Comfy sunbeds / daybeds with cushions
- Lifeguards on patrol
- Zones on the beach (e.g. kids, noisy, quiet, sports zones)
- Wooden walkways into the sea for when the sand gets too hot
- Ban on people trying to sell you crafty items
- A smoking ban
- A ban on reserving sunbeds with towels
- Free Wi-Fi
- Hammocks in the trees
- Free massages
- Unlimited ice cream
- A ‘call’ button for waiters to bring drinks/food
- Free water sports (e.g. jet skis, wind surfing)
- Ice machines
- Street food vendors
- Cold towels brought round for cooling off
- Phone charging points in parasols
- Live music/entertainment
- Complementary sun cream applied for you
- Something you can tick off a bucket list (e.g. swimming with pigs, playing with baby turtles)
- Remote controlled sunbeds and parasols
- Air-conditioned caddies to take you to the beach
- Instagrammable location (e.g. amazing views)
Do you have any favourite beaches (or least favourite ones)?
A Pin For Your Lifestyle Board…
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22 comments
i’m not a fan of the beach
Any reason in particular Linda?
I’m nodding in agreement to many of these. I hate it when other families make going to the beach look so easy and I’m struggling with bags and towels
It’s ‘bag lady alert’ with me when I’m at the beach too. Well you need stuff for every eventuality don’t you?!
I love the beach but because we get so little good weather, when we do the beaches are ridiculously crowded
Yes, too true. That’s why I’d like to find a few ‘secluded’ beach options that not many people know about….
For me the worst thing about beaches is about keeping stuff safe, we always try and have one person waiting on the beach so our stuff isn’t left unattended x
I love beach life, I wish I can live near by the sea, but I agree with lots of points! Especially about littering and PDA.
I am a huge fan of beaches but I like them nice and neat so I can relate. Too many dirty beaches about.
Yeah – I know some beaches have large clean up operations going on – but I think it should apply to all beaches!
I had no idea Brit’s hated the beach, lol! The beach is one of my favourite places to go, but it’s crowded if there are more than five people on it. I’m so used to having the sand all to myself here in Shetland! 🙂
I’d love to discover a secluded beach and have it all to myself – it would have to be pretty well shaded though!
I laughed at ‘free massages’. I think that conflicts with not wanting to get sand everywhere!! Would be good for exfoliation though!
Sand is apparently really good for exfoliating isn’t it? I’ve got ‘sandpaper’ foot at the moment, so I think I need to get myself down there pronto.
I still love the beach and can put up with all the traumas that surround me.
I agree – I’m a water baby myself so when I’m near the sea I’m usually in high spirits.
I love the beach and even though its cold in summer (this year as an exception) we tend to head to Wales (which is the closest beach to us) once a year so kids can have a good time by the beach. But some of the things we hate when we head to the beach has to seagulls that come steal our food, sand in our picnic and not having a safe place to leave the phone or camera, so someone always has sit sit close to the bags.
The beaches in Wales are supposedly really nice aren’t they? I’ve only been there once and really enjoyed it. And I agree – it’s a pain when you have to sit near the bags for fear of your valuables being nicked.
Haha I love this post! The only thing I’ve ever disliked about the beach is leaving my valuables, so I always tend to hide my mobile phone or anything like that. It depends where you go though – I never had that worry in Mexico and the beaches over there are to die for! x
Maybe someone should invent a mini safe that looks like it’s not valuable – you know, like they do with fake baked bean tins?! Maybe one for the beach already exists!
I have to say I am one of those that hates the beach for some of the reasons you’ve mentioned in your blog. I hate sand and can’t bear people parking their arses within an metre of my nice spot. I also can’t stand swimming in the sea as the salt water dries out my skin and there is too much seaweed in the beaches near me. Give me a nice quiet spot of grass with a trickling stream to paddle in on Dartmoor any day.
There are some really nice beaches (possibly nowhere near you or me!) where you can practically have the beach to yourself. Still, we can’t do anything about the sand getting everywhere can we?!