Summer by the sea

I've been living by the sea for about 15 years now, at one point within a ten minute walk and currently about two miles away - close enough that I can walk or run to the coast easily enough. The children go to school in our nearest seaside town and I often park up early so that I can go for a quick walk to the seafront and breathe in the sea air. I also try to fit in a seaside walk most weeks, either alone or with a friend.

Although Worthing isn't perhaps top of the list when it comes to a UK beach holiday destination, there are still plenty of tourists here over the summer. The first summer that I was living here I was temping in the town centre, and I loved taking my sandwiches down to the beach at lunchtime and sitting on the pebbles in the sun with the holidaymakers and locals. It was a bit like being on holiday myself! Worthing can get very busy in the summer, both in the town centre and on the outskirts as you head out towards Goring and Ferring, the cafes are full and although there is plenty of free parking along the front and down surrounding roads they do get very congested.

I love going down to the seafront for a run in the evening when it's still warm and light but a lot quieter. I like to run along the front past the private estates with the big houses that have gardens that stretch down to the beach, imagining what it would be like to live so close to the sea. It's beautiful at sunset, especially when the tide is partly out so you can see the sand underneath the pebbles.

The photo below was taken on one of our first summers in Worthing. We lived in a lovely flat very close to the sea front, and every evening after work we would go for a walk along the front, often all the way into town. We didn't have a garden, and so we used to take a disposable barbecue down to the beach. I loved living so close but when it came to buying a house we just couldn't afford one in that area.

Last summer I felt like I rediscovered the beach again, after a few years with young children that to be honest weren't that thrilled with a trip to a cold and windy local beach that didn't have any sand. I did try to take them there a few times when they were little, but after one screamy trip too many I gave up for a while and we kept the beach for holidays. But last summer we had a few trips both alone and with friends, and a couple of times I even indulged them with an ice cream!

Making the most of the last days of the summer holidays! #epig #magnum #beach #seaside #goringbeach #worthing

A post shared by jenniferjain (@jenniferjain) on Aug 30, 2016 at 4:35am PDT

Now that the children can ride their own bikes, and I have a bike of my own, I'm hoping that we might enjoy a few family cycle rides along the prom, which has a lovely wide cycle path. I'm certainly intending to get down there by myself whenr I can.

Perhaps one day we'll be able to afford a house right on the seafront. I dream of a house with a large window that looks out over the sea so that I can watch the sunrise and sunset and listen to the sound of the waves.