Over the course of the Summer, we've been to many different places in a bid to have a 'great family day out' and they've all been pretty damn near perfect. We've garnered many memories and had a lot of laughs along the way, but the one place which is always guaranteed to make us feel at ease as a family is the beach. And while we've been to quite a few spectacular beaches during the past two months, it's the one that is on our doorstep that always brings out the child in all three of us.
Barry Island.
For most it's synonymous with Gavin & Stacey, or Butlin's holidays in the 1970s, but the holiday camp days are long gone, and most of the programme wasn't even filmed in the locality. Barry Island is so much more. A blue flag beach with golden sands and clear water, protected from strong winds by the rocky peninsulas at either end of the Whitmore Bay, the sounds of the funfair fade once on the beach and the sandcastle building begins.
A fortnight ago we decided to pack up for the afternoon and head down to sate The Boy's incessant pleas to visit the Island. It was August Bank Holiday Sunday, and it was sunny. I expected to have difficulty finding a car parking spot, let alone a spot on the beach. However, it may as well have been a weekday in December, it was so vacant.
And we did all the things that you should do at the beach; built the most enormous sandcastle fortress, buried each other in the sand, ate chips, splashed in the sea, kicked sandballs, flew a kite, and then washed our bits off in the sea afterwards (that might have just been The Boy though).
Gavin and who?
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A lovely traditional seaside day!
It does look like a lovely beach. My kind of day too! Now I will think of it differently next time I see Ness in the amusement arcade 😉
That beach looks lovely. Must admit, to this day I have never made a
Sandcastle even though we go to the beach every summer… Must put that on my 'to do' list for next summer!
What a gorgeous beach, a visit to the beach is always guaranteed to be fun. Sun, sea and sand a perfect combination for a family fun filled day creating lasting memories. Thanks for linking up and sharing your happy photos of your day at the beach with Country Kids.
It looks like Barry Island is the perfect place for a family day out. How great that it wasn't crowded when you went.
Oh my word, that sandcastle is AMAZING.
We recently discovered a picture of my grandmother taken at Barry Island. We don't have many of her pre 1970s and this was much earlier. Fancied a trip there ever since.
How wonderful to have a beach like this on your doorstep. Amazing sandcastle too. Lots of fun and memories being made. Perfect. #CountryKids
beautiful shots 🙂
what a brilliant day you seem to have had. The sky was blue, the sandcastle is truly amazing, these memories will live with him for a long time.
That sand castle is huge…as much as we try we never get that far! We did manage to bury my wee man though recently. The smiles on his face say it all really.
i love the epic sandcastle fortress – i dont know if i would mange that woth Jenson trying to *ahem* help which results in them being knocked own as fast as i build them!
its a stunning beach and one that the boy will have lots of fond memories of from his childhood when he looks back as a bigger boy/adult x
that is a very impresive sand castle i think my two would love to destroy it every time i try something like that whit our two every time you ture your back they are smashing up what you have built but then thats kids for you great shots i love barry island been a few times
Oh wow, what amazing pics! Totally beautiful post!
Great photos. I love the beach, it is my favourite place!