If your fields are flooded or the school is frozen, there’s one place you can always guarantee perfect going – the beach.
It’s a great way of letting off steam and blowing away the Christmas cobwebs, but for safety always let someone know where you are going and approximately what time you will be back.
Ring the local council office of your chosen beach forthe telephone number of the beach manager so you can check the following before setting off:
- Tide times
- Areas which become cut off at high tide
- Where you can safely park your lorry or trailer
It is also a good idea to pack a spare change of clothes for you and plenty of warm rugs for your horse – and don’t forget your mobile phone.
Click on your region for a beach in your area
EAST OF ENGLAND
- Warkworth, Northumberland: Sandy beach with a bridleway leading directly to the beach across the dunes
SOUTH-EAST
- Hunstanton, Norfolk, East Anglia
Holm next to Sea, Norfolk, East Anglia
Camber Sands, East Sussex
Climping, near Littlehampton, West Sussex: Super stretch of sand at low tide, but watch out for dog walkers!
SOUTH-WEST
- Putsborough Sands, Woolacombe, North Devon: Three miles of golden sand with good lorry parking andeasy road links to the A361
WALES
- Pendine Sands, Gwynedd, South Wales: The longest sand beach in Britain as well as miles of uninterrupted small bays with craggy coastlines
CHANNEL ISLANDS
- St. Ouens, Jersey: Jersey’s longest beach
NORTH-WEST
- West Kirby Beach, Wirral, Merseyside: Small sandy beach with good access. People riding at low tide should be aware of gutters that flood quickly, and some areas of soft mud and sand
Formby/Ainsdale beach, Southport, Merseyside: Red Rum’s former training ground, this beach offers miles of riding and there is a car park near by which charges around £3
SCOTLAND
- St Andrews, West Sands
Kinshaldy Beach, near Dundee, Scotland: Although a naturist beach, it is popular with riders and off-season boasts some spectacular rides along the Scottish coast
