Latest news with #seaside
The Sun
3 hours ago
- Automotive
- The Sun
Inside minuscule EV with top speed of 56mph that costs just £21k – it's the perfect travel companion for summer
A FOUR-WHEELED electric bubble car manufactured by a Swiss company makes the perfect companion for a seaside trip. Micro, the maker of the adorable quadricycles, has unveiled a new Spiaggina version last year. 4 4 4 Spiaggina is the latest version of Microlino, a tiny battery-powered bubble car introduced in 2022. The microcar sports a 17bhp e-motor and can reach a top speed of 56mph. Spiaggina comes in two colours, reminiscent of Italian seaside towns - Portofino Blue and Sardinia Sage. If you'd like to enjoy a sea breeze during your drive, the quadricycle can lose its rear and side windows while the canvas roof can be removed entirely. The minuscule EV is equipped with a front-opening door and externally mounted headlights as well as a trunk. Inside, it features a simplistic but elegant design with vegan leather seats in a two-tone colour. The seat material is the same as the one often used in sailing yachts which means it's moisture-resistant too. With a 10.5kWh battery, the Spiaggina can survive up to 110 miles without recharge. Once out of juice, it only takes four hours at a home socket to regain its battery entirely. Microlino will also offer Cool and Connect package which includes a climate control system, a smartphone holder and a Bluetooth speaker. Iconic 90s Ferrari Jeremy Clarkson dubbed the 'greatest car in the world, ever' up for sale for eye-watering price The price for the Cool and Connect package is yet to be revealed. But The Spaggiana in its mid-range spec is currently available for £21,377. It comes after the Swiss firm's micro motors hit the UK streets last year. The manufacturer also plans to partner with major city authorities such as Transport for London to bring entire fleets of Microlinos to be hired, just like electric scooters and bicycles. Swiss inventor Wim Ouboter started creating Micro Scooters 25 years ago and transformed the way people get around. Since 1997, Ouboter's family-owned Micro Mobility Systems business has sold more than 50 million scooters in 30 varying models and generated over £600m.
BBC News
4 hours ago
- Climate
- BBC News
Covid 2020: The packed Covid beach described as 'Armageddon'
In June 2020, a popular British seaside town was swamped with beachgoers amid a global pandemic. One photographer captured the chaos. In June 2020, the UK began to swelter amid a summer heatwave. Normally, Britons would flock to the country's iconic beach resorts, sunning themselves on pebbly beaches, feeding coins into garish arcade machines on "pleasure piers", and protecting their rapidly melting ice creams from the ever-present attention of marauding seagulls. But this year was different. Since March, the UK had been in lockdown. Pubs, clubs and theatres had shut their doors. The UK's high streets shops were largely closed except for supermarkets and food stores and a handful of other traders deemed essential. Sporting events, from horse racing to the country's world-famous Premier League football, had been cancelled. Despite stringent lockdowns, the death toll had climbed day after day; by early June, some calculated that 50,000 people had died from the disease in the UK since the outbreak started. In the middle of June, however, the British government made tentative steps to try and re-open some elements of society. They allowed many shops to re-open (though pubs and restaurants were still shut) and made plans to relax the 2m (6.6ft) social distancing down to 1m (3.3ft). As the mercury climbed, the Covid restrictions seemed to ease, at least a little. On 25 June, 2020, the UK recorded its highest temperatures of the year so far; as high as 33.3C (92F). In the county of Dorset, the hot, sunny weather resulted in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council, which oversees three of the most popular seaside resorts, declaring a major incident. Britons appeared to have decided, en masse, to have all had the same idea: try and cool off at the beach. News agency Agent-France Press (AFP) photographer Glyn Kirk would normally have been spending a hot Saturday shooting cricket matches; but this being 2020, all the cricket matches were cancelled. He found himself, instead, with a news assignment: head to Bournemouth and take pictures of the crowds. "You can see it looks really busy," says Kirk, looking back over images at his home in seaside city of Brighton. "You can see people were kind of distanced on the beach. It was weird. How can all these people keep away from each other?" The last crowd Kirk had seen of this size had been in March, the Cheltenham Gold Cup. This premiere horse racing event, which drew nearly 250,000 over four days. "And then the following day they announced that, you know, the Covid thing [lockdowns] was coming in," Kirk says. The Gold Cup was considered by a former UK chief scientific advisor to have been a super-spreader event, sending newly affected racegoers back to their homes across the country. Back on the Dorset beaches. At the time, the BBC reported gridlocked streets, overflowing waste, fights and people camping on the beach because they could not return home. In its coverage, the Daily Telegraph newspaper even described the scene as "Armageddon". "I can remember at the time, there was people complaining that we were making the beach look busier than I actually was," Kirk says. He says he took many of his shots on a 70mm portrait lens, a focal length which doesn't compress the perspective as much as the long lenses used for sports events. More like this:• The pictures of the Covid crisis at close hand• The photo that captured Covid's terrible toll• Covid 2020: A landmark without a tourist crowd Kirk says that deluge of people meant he had to park his car miles away from Bournemouth's beach, and walk there and back, weighed down with his photographic gear to take the pics the agency needed. Even sending the pictures back to the office was a challenge: "There were so many people on the beach on their phones, the network was swamped. I had to walk ages just to find somewhere quiet to send the pictures back." Over two days of crowded beaches, the local council's waste services had to clean up some 41 tonnes of waste – including human effluent. Because of the Covid restrictions, none of the usual public toilets were open, adding an extra public health issue. It was a problem Kirk knew well from his wanderings around locked-down London. "When we were in the centre of town, certainly for the first few months, there were no toilets open in the Tube stations and stuff. So, yeah, you had to go. I think I went about eight hours one day without going to the toilet, which is a record for me. That was hard. That was the difficult bit of walking around, doing news stuff. Because everyone was shut, you couldn't even pop into a café." Living in Brighton, Kirk had become used to seeing the strange sight of a British beach relatively devoid of life over the previous few months. "I think the seagulls were wondering what was going on, because there's no one there, there's no chips to rob from people. You were definitely thinking, 'this is strange. Why is there no one here?'" --
The Independent
a day ago
- The Independent
The best beach hotels in the UK for 2025, reviewed
Summer's here, and the seaside is calling. But there's no need to head to the Med or brave the airport queues; with more than 11,000 miles of coastline, Britain has plenty of beaches on offer, from the South Coast's wide, sandy bays to dramatic cliffs in Wales and Scotland 's wild shores. Some look as if they've been lifted from European climes, complete with turquoise coves and Blue Flag credentials. Others are pure postcard nostalgia: wind in your hair, a Mr Whippy ice cream, and the scent of salt in the air. Better still, scattered all along our shores are some remarkable beach hotels, from family-friendly resorts to secluded escapes and dog-friendly retreats. So book somewhere fast, pack your bucket and spade, and jump in the car. Wherever you head, there's a coastal escape to suit you. Jane Knight from The Good Hotel Guide picks Britain's best seaside hotels. South Sands Location: Salcombe, Devon Stay just steps away from a sheltered beach at this smart contemporary hotel. Head out on a boat, take the sea tractor linking South Sands to quaint Salcombe, or just relax in the sun at this dog-friendly haven. When you're hungry, there's something for everyone, from a cream tea on the terrace to fish 'n' chips or Salcombe's best seafood. If you're a curry fan, make sure you're there on a Wednesday. Rooms are decked out in nautical colours; the best has a Caesar-size bed, its own balcony and two slipper baths in a bay window, perfect for admiring the sea view. The Albion Freshwater Bay, Isle of Wight There are few better settings on the Isle of Wight than the one enjoyed by this recently refurbished hotel, which looks out over the sea and pebbly shore of Freshwater Bay, with Tennyson Down rising up behind. The glorious sands of Compton Beach are just minutes away. Some of the coastal-chic bedrooms open onto a sea-facing terrace, and you can dine on delicious seafood right by the waves – the seafood linguine is particularly good. Dogs are treated as part of the family, with treats by reception and some great walks in the downs. B&B doubles from £140 ( Hotel Portmeirion Location: Portmeirion, Gwynedd Enjoy a beach stay with a difference at the hotel that visionary architect Clough Williams-Ellis designed as the focal point for his ideal village. Overlooking the golden sands of the Dwyryd estuary in Snowdonia, and with a swimming pool on the lawn and an Art Deco bar and dining room recreated by Sir Terence Conran, it makes a great base from which to explore the Italianate resort (and if you stay in the hotel, you don't have to pay the £20 village entry fee). As well as 14 traditional rooms in the hotel proper, there are more contemporary ones in Castell Deudraeth, and others scattered around the village. Scarista House Location: Scarista, Western Isles It feels like you're on the edge of the world at Scarista, with miles of remote, crowd-free sands on the south western coast of South Harris. Yes, the sea might be a tad nippy for a dip, but you can go surfing, kayaking or sailing as well as walking. Once you've worked up an appetite, return to a three or four-course gourmet dinner. The menu changes each day, with everything possible made from scratch, from bread and cakes to pasta and ice cream. Two of the traditionally styled bedrooms have sea-facing sitting areas and there's a self-catering cottage if you want to take the dog. The Gallivant Location: Camber Sands, Sussex A cool New England feel and a chic laid-back 'Camberfornia' vibe characterise this hotel just over the road from glorious Camber Sands. Start the day with yoga in the studio or on the spectacular dunes, followed by a swim in the sea. Bedrooms come with wood panelling, white-painted rafters and jazzy headboards; most have a terrace. Elsewhere, there are slouchy sofas and book-lined walls, with English wines on the menu at the copper-topped bar. If you book the full package, it includes not only breakfast but also wine at 5pm, an exquisite dinner at new restaurant Harry's, and daily morning yoga. Feel free to take a small dog but not your kids; only over-16s are allowed. The Seaside Boarding House Location: Burton Bradstock, Dorset It feels like a mix between Edward Hopper's Cape Cod and an Edwardian seaside hotel in this white-painted villa above Chesil Beach. Owners Mary-Lou Sturridge and Tony Mackintosh, who created London's Groucho Club, have filled the stripped-down interiors with marine salvage, seascapes and antique-shop booty. Enjoy a drink on the terrace with its views over Lyme Bay (they have happy hour every evening) before eating here or moving into the candlelit dining room. The bright, light rooms have views of the coast along with a retro dial phone and radio. Dogs are welcome in some bedrooms for no extra charge. Polurrian on the Lizard Location: Mullion, Cornwall The spectacular setting of this white clifftop edifice with mesmerising sea views through its walls of windows takes some beating. You can walk down to the hotel's own little beach, just ten minutes away, or take a longer hike along the South West Coast Path, which runs alongside. Bedrooms are simple, with a contemporary style, and there's an all-day menu catering for every taste, whether you want just a sandwich or a juicy steak. It's a great place for children and the hotel can supply potties, changing mats and bottle sterilisers. No. 33 Location: Hunstanton, Norfolk It may not be on the seafront, but Jeanne Whittome's B&B is still a top spot to stay in this Victorian seaside town, the only west-facing resort on England's east coast. A concierge service can arrange everything from bike hire to birdwatching and you can walk the Coast Path from 'sunny Hunny' to Cromer, or cheat and take the CoastHopper bus. Stylish interiors feature a palette of soft greys, sea blues and white. There are also self-catering cottages plus suites at nearby Thornham Deli, where No. 33 guests receive a discount on breakfast. The Nare, Cornwall Location: Veryan-in-Roseland A self-styled country hotel by the sea, The Nare has beautiful gardens leading to the sands of Carne beach. You can enjoy breathtaking views from some of the bedrooms, or fully immerse yourself in the picture by taking one of the hotel's two boats out to explore the Cornish coast. There's even an artist in residence. Owned by the Ashworth family for more than 30 years, the hotel is traditional yet luxurious; expect daily complimentary cream teas, flowers, fruit, and an hors d'oeuvre trolley in the fine-dining restaurant. You'll be hard pushed to find a tennis court with a better view. Book now Trefeddian Hotel Aberdovey, Wales Family-run for more than a century, this imposing white hillside hotel commands views across the golf course to Cardigan Bay. Although neither hip nor boutique, the hotel's rooms are nevertheless welcoming and nicely done out in marine colours. This is a great place for children: under-fives stay and eat for free while under-16s get reduced rates. There's a playroom and outdoor play area, an indoor pool and a putting green. After a day crabbing on the jetty, paddling or building sandcastles, there's early supper for the young ones and a nightly changing menu for those who prefer to stay up later.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Daily Mail
Europe's most-loved beaches revealed - with UK destinations beating holiday hotspots in Spain and Greece
Europe is jam-packed with incredible beaches that come alive in summer – but some of the most popular shoreline spots are right here in the United Kingdom. A new study has found that of the five most-loved seaside destinations across Europe, four are in Britain – with Welsh locations performing particularly well. The UK beaches are ranked higher than any of the coasts in popular holiday haunts such as Spain, France and Greece. Barafundle Bay Beach in Pembrokeshire was ranked in second place in the analysis from Holidu, an online holiday rental portal. The Welsh bay has a stretch of golden sand and clear water – it is often compared to a beach in the Caribbean. The beach is only accessible via a half-mile walk from the nearest car park, which gives it a true sense of seclusion. Continuing to fly the flag for Britain in third place is the charming Traeth Mwnt on the west coast of Wales, known for its white sand and scenic coastal paths. Woolacombe Beach in Devon is England's first entry in the rankings, coming fourth. Traeth Mwnt on the west coast of Wales, left, and Woolacombe Beach in south-west England found themselves in third and fourth place in the rankings The West Country spot is popular with families and surfers. Fifth place returns to Wales, with the accolade going to Dunraven Bay in Glamorgan. It offers a mix of sand and rocks beside dramatic cliffs, with low tides exposing rock pools. In the full list of 25 beaches, 10 are in the UK. At the very top of the rankings is Spiaggia dei Conigli – or Rabbit Beach – on the Italian island of Lampedusa. It is famous as a nesting site for loggerhead sea turtles and is protected as a nature reserve, meaning it remains relatively untouched and calm. The Mediterranean beach can only be reached by boat or on a 15-minute trail from the main road. Closing out the top 10 most-loved beaches was Cala Mariolu in Sardinia, Italy, Playa de Cofete in Fuerteventura, one of Spain's Canary Islands. Praia da Adraga is around 35 minutes by car from Sintra in Portugal, or an hour from Lisbon They were followed by Simos Beach in Greece's Attica region, Praia da Adraga, not far from Sintra in Portugal, and Playa de Matalenas in northern Spain. The full list can be found on Holidu's website. The list was compiled using data from Google Maps, analysing thousands of reviews and ratings. Earlier this month, Europe's sunniest beach was named as Oludeniz Beach in Fethiye, Turkey. Visitors can expect highs of 32 degrees and nearly 10 and a half hours of sunshine a day.
The Sun
a day ago
- The Sun
Popular beachfront theme park forced to close twice a week
A SEASIDE town theme park has revealed they are being forced to close twice a week. Fantasy Island first opened in Ingoldmells near Skegness in 1995. 2 While the theme park is open every day during the summer season, they have confirmed this won't be the case for the rest of the year. Outside of summer, the theme park is now going to close on Mondays and Tuesdays. A spokesperson for Fantasy Island told local media: "Whilst our rides remain open every day during the summer, we have made the decision to restrict our opening outside of this peak period." The theme park cited increased wage costs as well as an increase in electricy prices. They added: "This, coupled with growing caution in consumer spending, makes it increasingly difficult to operate sustainably outside peak periods." This means the theme park will only be open from Wednesday to Sunday instead. According to the website, the new changes will affect the months of April, May, June and September. The park is only open for limited days in October and March, with the park closed from December to February. Many seaside towns only open many of their attractions on reduced hours outside of the peak season. Until then, the theme park is open seven days a week, which also includes " Europe 's biggest seven-day market" with 320 stalls. Inside the UK theme park that is free to visit with terrifying rollercoasters and the largest seven-day market in Europe It has a number of rollercoasters include The Odyssey, The Millennium and the smaller Rhombus Rocket. To cool off, there are water rides including a log flume and river rapids. You can even spend the night, with the Fantasy Island Holiday Park included wristbands and discounts for the theme park. Despite opening 30 years ago, the theme park went into administration back in 2014. It then reopened in 2021 after being bought out, and has remained open since then. Here are five other coastal theme parks in the UK. And here is a seaside theme park that is opening a new log flume ride this year. 2
