by There is a rhythm to wintering by the sea and in Brighton it starts in November, with the starlings.
According to Countryfile, up to 40,000 birds arrive from as far away as Scandinavia to spend the winter alongside their native cousins on Brighton Pier. By five by five, by seven by eight, and by dozens, they reach over the chimneys and roofs to the sea, making the flock grow before your eyes. In one of nature’s great choreographed spectacles, the formation twists and undulates over, under and between the beams of the city’s two piers, marking sunrise and sunset, between November and February.
In cold climates, when our instinct is to hunker down, connecting with the elements can be a battle. And yet, for many of us, communing with nature and satisfying that biophilic need is essential in winter. I had no relationship with winter until I moved from a city to live by the sea. I had never seen a sunrise in winter. A sardine was something I ate. Now, thanks to year-round swimming, I can’t imagine life without them.
Spinning around for a minute or two before breakfast seems like the best winter cheat. The dawn, however fleeting, can reveal itself on the dullest days. There may be geese, a storm of starlings over the west pier and, on rare occasions, a seal. Our swimmers’ WhatsApp group is full of clips of murmurings about ‘swimming’, tide times, moon phases and, for you Southern Water, sewage warnings.
No two days are the same. Instead of the strong waves you expected, there could be a silky, frothy “champagne surf.” In winter, “swimming” is a misnomer. Difficult days are for “bashing”: sitting on the pebbles, holding on and letting the salt water wash over you or, at low tide, jumping on the waves and screaming like a six-year-old.
Living by the sea teaches you to read the sky. Clouds rise on the horizon, giving the sea an extra dimension. Winter sunrises will gild the edges of low clouds and pamper the sky like fire. High on the cliffs or on the Sussex Downs, on a cold December afternoon, an unexpected sunset can change everything.
As the starlings gather, so do the storms (they come with hoods, not umbrellas). At the slightest hint of rain or cloud, coastal residents come out, lining up for ice cream, greeting friends and neighbors, running, walking dogs or wrapped in blankets on the pebbles. On this wintery coastal passeggiata, the summer bun fight becomes a distant memory. The boardwalk and beaches are ours, and not a minute is wasted.
If you’ve never seen a murmuration, hop on the train this winter, head down Queen’s Road and stand on or next to one of Brighton’s two piers at dusk. It might be the best wildlife spectacle you’ll see this side of the Serengeti.
Five great seaside getaways for winter
Tidal views at a Cornish inn
The sublime setting of the thatched Pandora Inn on Restronguet Creek attracts drinkers and diners all year round. But in the winter months its low-beamed ceilings, cozy corners and flickering fireplaces take center stage. The menu includes a fabulous fish pie and a premium Plowman’s and Cornish Cream Tea served from 10am to 5pm. Get there on a short circular walk from Mylor Bridge or take longer walks from Mylor Yacht Harbor and Flushing.
Where to stay: Stylish, comfortable rooms in petrol blues, woods and sandy beiges set the tone at Falmouth’s St Michael’s Resort (doubles from £113). Stay warm in the barrel sauna, hot tub, and heated indoor pool.
Get out on the new Kent Coastal Path
This newly opened 40km stretch of the King Charles III Coastal Route between Ramsgate and Whitstable offers something for everyone. Wander the chalk cliffs of Botany Bay, explore the remains of St Mary’s Church at Reculver, feast on fresh seafood at Whitstable’s oyster shacks, ride the carousel at Herne Bay’s historic pier or see some art at Turner Contemporary in Margate. In Broadstairs, Charles Dickens’ holiday home, Bleak House, overlooks Viking Bay. Enjoy the same sea view with a pint at The Charles Dickens.
Where to stay: Margate’s Old Barrel Store offers dog-friendly cabin-style accommodation in a former brewery.
A warm drink along the Scottish coast
With a milder climate than much of Scotland, the Moray Speyside mountain region has all the makings of a romantic winter getaway filled with invigorating coastal walks, dolphin spotting, visits to fishing villages and whiskey tastings. More than half of Scotland’s single malt whiskey distilleries are located here, including the gold-plated working distilleries of Glenlivet, Glen Moray and Glenfiddich, the UK’s only working cooperage, at Dufferin, and the Strathisla distillery in the UK. century XVIII. If the skies are clear, head to Lossiemouth East Beach or Bow Fiddle Rock in Portknockie, for a chance to see the Northern Lights.
Where to stay: Book a sea view room at The Golf View Hotel and Spa (double from £120) in Nairn for views of the Moray Firth and Black Isle and access to the Moray Way, the white beaches of Findhorn, Speyside’s Malt Whiskey Trail and two 18 year old hotels. hole golf courses.
See stars in Wales
Located at the tip of Wales, the Pembrokeshire coast is home to eight Dark Skies sites. In summer, Broad Haven South Beach is known for its wind dune beach; In winter, the towering cliffs above are a prime location for observing meteor showers, comets, constellations and galaxies, including our own Milky Way. The National Trust organizes special dark sky events at the nearby Stackpole Centre. Nearby Stackpole and Bosherston lie within the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park.
Local produce features prominently on the menus at the award-winning Stackpole Inn, which also offers a good range of local beer from breweries such as Purple Moose and Mumbles and Penderyn Whiskey.
Where to stay: Make a stargazing trip extra special at Strawberry Gothic Penally Abbey (doubles from £190), overlooking the sea near Tenby.
Vitamin Sea in Yorkshire
Saunas next to the beach: it already exists. Brighton’s Beach Box Sauna opened its converted horse saunas in Banjo Groyne over a decade ago and today you will find wood-fired saunas on or near the beaches of Norfolk, Suffolk, Dorset, Aberdeen, East Neuk of Fyfe on the Isle of Wight. , Cork, Kerry and Kent.
Whitby Wellbeing has pop-up tented saunas on the North East Yorkshire coast, in Whitby, Scarborough, Hornsea, Cayton Bay, Runswick Bay Saltburn and Seaton Carew. Check the calendar of holiday events and full and new moons.
Where to stay: Scarborough’s dog-friendly Bike & Boot hotel (doubles from £80) is a five-minute walk from the beach. The hotel has a relaxed restaurant, bike and surfboard storage, and a movie theater with screenings at 3:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m., and 9:00 p.m.
