Beach Days | Lowestoft

The summer holidays are in full swing and whilst I have had my moments of head in hands (why do they have to argue over everything?), we have already had some lovely days out and made lots of memories. The beach is a destination that has proven very popular, mainly because the kids absolutely love it and keeps them entertained all day but also because it brings me such a huge sense of calm and fun all rolled into one.

Living in South Norfolk we are completely surrounded by beautiful beaches, but this week we've had two trips to the same place, Lowestoft. Lowestoft is somewhere we frequently visit due to my Gran living there but actually hopping down to the beach very rarely happens. I won't lie, Lowestoft centre is really run down, but the front and the beach is actually quite beautiful and it seems money is being injected into the area.

The beach is just beautiful. Clean, sandy and has Lifegaurds on hand too. The water was surprisingly warm (perhaps down to the incredible weather we've been having) and we all went and took many dips to cool off.

Lowestoft can be quite popular and parking can be a bit of a nightmare. The first day we took a trip (the hottest day of the year) it took 45 mins to park but eventually we found a spot right on the front and parking cost a total of £3.49 for three hours (we arrived quite late in the day). Armed with our beach gear we walked down to the beach and couldn't believe just how busy it was! Everywhere was packed! This didn't discourage us and we soon found a little gap to set camp. Once settled, we realised that actually we had just enough room and didn't feel too overcrowded once we had settled. In contrast, the next time we visited we felt like we had the beach to ourselves!

As you will know if you read our Outdoor Summer Holiday Bucket List, we're aiming for maximum fun with minimal cost and a beach day really does deliver (if you live close by - we're around 40 mins away from the coast). The benefits of spending time on the beach are huge. It's an incredible stress reliever, with the sound of the waves washing ashore, the heat from the sun and soft sand on your toes makes for a really mindful and calming experience - also you can let your hair down and your inner child out!

We love to dig for treasure, play ball, draw in the sand, hunt for beach glass and splash in the sea - all of which is completely free and as long as the weather is on your side, it's something you can do multiple times and you just don't seem to tire of it. In fact writing, this post is making me want to grab our beach gear and head out tomorrow!