As the weather warms up a little this week, city dwellers flock to their favourite sun spots. And not where the day trippers, the hens and the stags congregate to sun worship; probably a community space, a more remote part of the beach. Here’s a list of our favourite places to enjoy a warm day outdoors.
The Neighbourhood Park
A local green space for local people. That’s what we want on a hot summer’s day. A tall tree for shade, plenty of space for a picnic and a play area for the kids (and/ or a dog field). A café and toilets would be nice but the quieter parks tend to not have those (William Clark Park for example). Probably because most park-goers live so near they can nip home for a snack and comfort break, then get back to chilling in the sunshine. The city’s parks are important to many who don’t have gardens or tiny yards. Some are tucked away on the edge of city, such as Stanmer or East Brighton, but with good bus connections or car parking (sadly not always free of charge).
A High Point With A View
Brighton has a diverse landscape. A long stretch of pebble beach, a bustling city centre all snugly wrapped by the South Down’s National Park. On a sunny day, finding a viewpoint in the Downs then taking in the breathtaking scenery while sipping a cold drink and munching on a sarnie can be very relaxing. Although likely to be more exposed to the sun, the cool breezes make it bearable and the hum of the city lays a soundtrack for meditative thoughts. Hotspots such as Devil’s Dyke can be busy around the pub and car park but only takes a short walk to find a relatively isolated spot. A BrightonMums.com fave is Sheepcote Valley at East Brighton Park, where you can sit on a bench and watch the boats in the channel on a clear day.
Which Beach Is Best?
A sunny day = beach. When you live in a seaside town. Doesn’t it? Well not necessarily. Many locals will avoid the busy parts of Brighton city centre beach or Hove Lawns if they want a bit of space and relative calm. But which beaches are a little less manic? Reachable by Brighton and Hove bus would be Black Rock (out of towners are still a bit reluctant to picnic near the Naturist beach) and beaches in West Hove which tend to be less frequented. The good people of Saltdean, Shoreham and Lancing won’t want us sharing this but they have some wonderful chilled out spots on their part of the coast. Rottingdean and Ovingdean do have small beaches with some sand at low tide plus the undercliff walk is great for a sunny day stroll.
Where’s your favourite sunspot in the city?
