Seaside visit to Cleethorpes beach

N’s experience of the seaside before this weekend was limited to about 10 minutes on the beach last August in wellies, before the rainclouds opened.  So it was great that we were able to do a fleeting visit to Cleethorpes beach in better weather this year.

As we were with a group, we couldn’t spend much time on the beach, instead walking up the promenade and seeing what was around, but I’m sure N would have loved to have spent more time on the sand.  He’s a big fan of playing in with the sand at nursery (and trying to get in it), so couldn’t wait to get on the sand.

We were in Cleethorpes which is classic British seaside town – arcades, souvenir/beach toy shops, rides on the beach, donkey rides (I’m surprised they still have them nowadays…obviously animal rights activists aren’t too worried about them), sweets and ice cream shops, and the like.  Plus people on the beach even when it’s cloudy.

The weather was warm, but with that typical British summer feeling of ‘cardi on or off?’.  N was happy enough running round on the sand in shorts and t-shirt, although the North Sea really isn’t the nicest to be swimming in.

The Lincolnshire coast tends to have a huge intertidal zone, and last year was more typical in that the tide was out and you needed to walk for ages to get to it, so this time was N’s first being up close and personal with the sea.  He wasn’t worried at all about having the sea coming up and on his feet which was great.  I’m not sure he was that big a fan of the oozing wet sand though.

For fairly early on a Sunday morning, the promenade was pretty busy.  The lifeboat dinghy’s were being cleaned and taken out which N loved watching, the little train was going up and down the prom, and there was a gathering of motorcyclists, and then later on down the prom a meeting of scooter owners…some great Lambrettas and Vespas on show.  I think N thought they were there for him to have a ride on, so was a little disappointed to have to walk on by.

Walking past the arcades with all the children’s rides outside was a challenge dragging him past, but he did have a go on the merry-go-round (London taxi anyone?!) down on the sand before we headed back to the car.

I can’t wait to be able to take him on a proper holiday to the seaside, so he can have a decent time with a bucket and spade on the beach.