Coastal holidays are great fun for all the family and offer the best of both worlds: the option to pop down to the local beach and the chance to drive a few miles inland to enjoy small towns, big cities and tourist attractions.
If you think coastal holidays are best kept for the summer, think again. Yes, sun worshippers may always equate the beach with summer sunbathing, but having coastal holidays outside of the summer months can be just as much, if not more fun.
Autumn Breaks At The Coast
It might be too cool to don your swimming costume, but grab a jumper and head down to the beach for a leisurely walk.
If there’s a little Autumnal sun around, you’ll enjoy the same sun-kissed views that you’d see in the height of summer, and it might even be warm enough for a picnic on the beach. There will be plenty of room compared to the busy summer months, giving you a sense of having the beach (almost) all to yourself.
If it’s a cloudy day with a hint of rain to come, take a trip along the coastal paths (with waterproofs packed in your rucksack!). The views out to sea can be quite breath-taking when ominous-looking grey clouds cover the skyline. And cooler air temperatures guarantee you won’t break into a sweat.
If you have kids with you, find a beach with rock pools – nothing more satisfying than seeing the delight on their faces when they find a sea snail or crab meandering around.
Winter Breaks At The Coast
There’s nothing quite so invigorating as walking along the beach on a blustery, winter’s day – you should try it! Wrap up sensibly with good walking shoes, and stride out. Plan a route in advance and you can end your coastal walk at a local tea shop, where you can warm up again with a well deserved cup of hot chocolate and deliciously self-indulgent cake.
You’ll find that these bracing walks set you up for a perfect evening of relaxation at your holiday home, and you’ll sleep like a log after hours in the fresh air.
Spring Breaks At The Coast
With a promise of summer in the air, spring coastal holidays are delightful. The countryside will be waking up and full of colour as flowers start to bloom and trees start to blossom. Visit local towns, which will have far fewer tourists than in the summer, and meander around admiring the sights.
The beach is bound to be a pull – especially for the children and the young-at-heart. If you’re lucky and go on a warm spring day, you might dare to dip your toes in the sea – but it’s likely to be a bit of a chilly shock! If it’s a (light) rainy day, pop your waterproofs on (jackets and trousers) and take a walk along a sandy beach. It can be surprisingly good fun to walk in the drizzle, watch the waves crashing along the shore, and throw a cartwheel or two (just because there’s no-one around to see you do it). And the best thing of all? Getting back to your holiday home, discarding your wet clothes and sitting round with the family, sipping piping hot tea and playing card games in your warm, snug space.
If you’re coming to Coastal Kippford in the autumn, winter or spring, you’ll be able to enjoy the local beaches and coastal walks. A great walk, whatever the weather, is one from Rockcliffe (off the Dumfries to Dalbeattie road) to Kippford which is little over 3 miles long.
Head to Rockcliffe Beach and enjoy a stroll along the sea front. Do a little crab-spotting in the numerous rock pools. Then head back towards Rockcliffe and take the path through the woods in the direction of Kippford. You’ll then walk through a meadow, and past the river estuary. The path eventually takes you down to Kippford beach which is full of shells and also has rock pools to explore. After your fill of the beach, you can walk up to Kippford village – where you’ll find a selection of establishments for some well deserved refreshments.
To return to Rockcliffe, you’ll need to join the Jubilee Path which goes past The Muckle and the Mote of Mark, and has some great views out over the coast and the estuary.
For a fun description of this walk, please check out this blog.
For more factual details, check out this walking guide.
So it’s quite apparent – don’t plan your coastal holidays only in the summer months. Visiting the coast out of season offers a range of things to do, and every season has its own charm.
