Calendar An icon of a desk calendar. Cancel An icon of a circle with a diagonal line across. Caret An icon of a block arrow pointing to the right. Email An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of the Facebook "f" mark. Google An icon of the Google "G" mark. Linked In An icon of the Linked In "in" mark. Logout An icon representing logout. Profile An icon that resembles human head and shoulders. Telephone An icon of a traditional telephone receiver. Tick An icon of a tick mark. Is Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes. Is Not Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes with a diagonal line through it. Pause Icon A two-lined pause icon for stopping interactions. Quote Mark A opening quote mark. Quote Mark A closing quote mark. Arrow An icon of an arrow. Folder An icon of a paper folder. Breaking An icon of an exclamation mark on a circular background. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Caret An icon of a caret arrow. Clock An icon of a clock face. Close An icon of the an X shape. Close Icon An icon used to represent where to interact to collapse or dismiss a component Comment An icon of a speech bubble. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Ellipsis An icon of 3 horizontal dots. Envelope An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Home An icon of a house. Instagram An icon of the Instagram logo. LinkedIn An icon of the LinkedIn logo. Magnifying Glass An icon of a magnifying glass. Search Icon A magnifying glass icon that is used to represent the function of searching. Menu An icon of 3 horizontal lines. Hamburger Menu Icon An icon used to represent a collapsed menu. Next An icon of an arrow pointing to the right. Notice An explanation mark centred inside a circle. Previous An icon of an arrow pointing to the left. Rating An icon of a star. Tag An icon of a tag. Twitter An icon of the Twitter logo. Video Camera An icon of a video camera shape. Speech Bubble Icon A icon displaying a speech bubble WhatsApp An icon of the WhatsApp logo. Information An icon of an information logo. Plus A mathematical 'plus' symbol. Duration An icon indicating Time. Success Tick An icon of a green tick. Success Tick Timeout An icon of a greyed out success tick. Loading Spinner An icon of a loading spinner. Facebook Messenger An icon of the facebook messenger app logo. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Facebook Messenger An icon of the Twitter app logo. LinkedIn An icon of the LinkedIn logo. WhatsApp Messenger An icon of the Whatsapp messenger app logo. Email An icon of an mail envelope. Copy link A decentered black square over a white square.

Oh I do like to be by the seaside… VisitScotland reveals most popular activities among beach-goers

Nairn beach is always a popular choice on a sunny day for people of all ages.

Who doesn’t love a trip to the seaside?

A walk on the sandy beach with an ice cream, building a sandcastle or even braving a paddle are simple pleasures many of us enjoy.

Now VisitScotland has revealed the most popular seaside activities while encouraging people to recreate some treasured childhood memories by visiting seaside towns and villages as part of their summer staycation.

According to a YouGov survey carried out on behalf of the agency, 66% of UK adults said listening to the sound of waves was their top memory.

A further 62% enjoy a traditional fish supper by the sea, while 61% said they just simply liked watching the world go by.

The survey also revealed that 98% of adults had been to the seaside at some point in their lives and despite the UK’s unpredictable weather, 38% enjoy sunbathing.

VisitScotland hopes that by encouraging people to take a trip to the seaside and the fishing communities nearby, they will also give local businesses who have been hit hard by Covid a boost.

Macduff’s fishing heritage will also take people down memory lane. Pic: Chris Sumner/DCT Media

Enjoy Scotland’s ‘stunning’ coastline

Macduff, Nairn and Arbroath are just some of the suggestions of the seaside places to while away the long summer days.

Nairn is one of the sunniest and driest places in Scotland, making it a tempting choice for those keen to enjoy its three beaches. Located alongside the Moray Firth, there is also the chance of spotting dolphins.

Meanwhile visitors to Macduff can find out more about its fishing heritage by watching the boats go in and out from the busy harbour and sample some of the catches of the day – perhaps before a stroll along the golden sands in neighbouring Banff.

Chris Greenwood, VisitScotland’s senior tourism insight manager, said: “As we celebrate the Year of Coasts and Waters 20/21 there’s never been a better time to visit the seaside. Scotland’s coastline is stunning, full of golden sandy beaches, dramatic cliffs, spectacular marine life and lots of history and heritage.

“It is where families have holidayed for generations and with so many holidaying at home this year, we’re increasingly seeing people seeking out experiences that they maybe haven’t enjoyed since childhood, coupling nostalgia with a desire to recreate new memories with loved ones.”

Other recent findings by VisitScotland showed that almost two thirds of people are keen to revisit places in Scotland that they haven’t been to for years.