A sea view - is it overhyped?

[Jon Kenney]

We don't have a sea view, but we do have a lake and pool view.

I love having my morning coffee on the balcony and the view is even better from the roof terrace. I find it all very calming.

[thieuster]

Someone better tell the Dutch...

We have a reputation of draining the sea, indeed. However, certain parts are 'given back' to the sea for a more divers wildlife. Not something applauded by everybody, I can tell you. Sadly we can't smell the sea through these wonderful pics in this thread. It's always something special compared with the park and woodland surrounding my house.

I have great memories about the sea. When I was a young lad, my parents and I moved from Rotterdam to the shore for two years. We lived within 50m from the beach, with only a dune between our house and the beach. My mother -hippy avant la lettre- kept me at home, she didn't bring me to the local school (I think she doubted the standard of education in that little village). So I was 'home schooled' for two years. In my recollection, I went to the beach every single day after 'school'. No matter what the weather was. A wonderful time with waves, wind, sun and sand. Must say, in hindsight, she did a great job teaching me. When we returned to our original home, I had to go to school again. I fitted right in and was even ahead of the pupil in class on matters as biology, geography etc.

Menno

A modern day pic of the beach where I used to live. The restaurant in the back wasn't there. Those little beach huts were there, although more scattered and in all sorts of colours. However, the path to the right was the path I took every day. Our house was a little to the right, just behind the top of the dune.

[ralphy]

A modern day pic of the beach where I used to live.

A nice example of dune stabilisation there.

R

[seikopath]

A nice example of dune stabilisation there.

R

You remind me of my old geography teacher

[Jackwibble]

Not home full time but view from the family lodge in SW Scotland this morning in my opinion you can't beat a sea view and it does get in your blood I've been holidaying here for over 50yrs and never tire of the ever changing moods of the sea oh and no midges!

[walkerwek1958]

Living on a modern estate, the view from my house is somewhat limited! I'd love a house with a nice view and I'd pay a premium for it, but the sea has never appealed to me, I've never been drawn to it. British seaside always seems cold and bleak in winter, it can look a bit grim on a bad day.

I loved the sea/beach as a kid, I remember swimming in the North Sea at Bridlington or Whitby as a youngster, but it doesn't appeal much thesedays (definitely not swimming!)

Paul

[kungfugerbil]

I loved the sea/beach as a kid, I remember swimming in the North Sea at Bridlington or Whitby as a youngster, but it doesn't appeal much thesedays (definitely not swimming!)

We're only an hour and a half from you on a clear run, pop over for the day and see what the seaside has to offer as a grown-up :)

[seikopath]

Not home full time but view from the family lodge in SW Scotland this morning in my opinion you can't beat a sea view and it does get in your blood I've been holidaying here for over 50yrs and never tire of the ever changing moods of the sea oh and no midges!

arisaig?

[thieuster]

A nice example of dune stabilisation there.

R

We (Dutch) need to do so. Large parts of the country would be inundated without the dunes. Currently, I live about 100kms from the beach. Without the dunes, my house would become a 'house on the dunes' (we live 12m above sea level).

We spend billions on protection against the sea. Tax payers' money. All governments talk /talked about budget reduction and cost cutting in general. But no government or political movement has ever suggested to try to reduce the defense against water. Suggesting this is political suicide here!

Menno

Map of the Netherlands without dunes and dykes. 'What would happen without the dunes, without the dykes and a 1m raise of the river level. Legenda: light blue are current, existing lakes etc. Dark blue would be the inundated areas. As you can see, all major cities in the west would be drowned, up to 7m water in the streets... Apeldoorn, where I live, keeps it feet dry.

Mind you, this danger of flooding is not something we think about on a daily basis. On the other hand, when we visited the USA, I am always amazed about the 'severe weather defense on a shoestring attitude.' Hurricane Sandy was a good example of this...

[Der Amf]

I used to live in a few places with a sea view and I found it depressing. I'm happier now that I'm a bit inland.

What was the depressing element in it? Just the flatness going on and on? Or the lines of thoughts it would set you off on? I find the endlessness of the sea scary and unknowable. The opposite would be a cosy dale, with bleak moors at the top and a gurgling little river at the bottom, and white sheep scattered across the green meadows....a bit of everything, and all of it reachable on foot. Life's journeys are hard enough without the sea telling me about the ones I failed to take.

[seikopath]

What was the depressing element in it? Just the flatness going on and on? Or the lines of thoughts it would set you off on? I find the endlessness of the sea scary and unknowable. The opposite would be a cosy dale, with bleak moors at the top and a gurgling little river at the bottom, and white sheep scattered across the green meadows....a bit of everything, and all of it reachable on foot. Life's journeys are hard enough without the sea telling me about the ones I failed to take.

i think the issue is that it was the north sea, nothing between beach and the north pole meant that the beach in winter was fairly 'bracing'
i prefer the mountains.

[Pete D]

View across the valley and within a 2-minute walk to the sea......the best of both worlds, albeit 45 mins off the western end of the M4.

The sea's constant movement, with associated wildlife and rugged coastline is a heady mix.

The downside is salty air and seagull poo.......makes a real mess of cars.

[steptoe]

I agree that london is just so over rated. Been here for a decade now but wish I could live in the country side, just no jobs there for me.

I love my London view, a street with people from the front and wimbledon common from the back.
Mainly because i'd rather watch people than a static landscape, the same country view would bore me after a couple of days.

The view from my mums flat is superb. The river Thames in Chelsea.
Great on a news years eve when you can see the London fireworks display if you look downriver .

[Neil.C]

There has been talk of downsizing and My Mrs fancies living near the sea in Sussex/Kent. A few people we know have moved to Seaford but I'm not interested.

As mentioned earlier, the British seaside in winter can feel incredibly gloomy. You cop all the wind and cold plus that salt air eating away at everything metal.

I can fully understand it in the Med or somewhere like it, but Britain, no.

[seadog1408]

Good luck in seaford, bit of a dump IMO.



MIKE

[Incredible Sulk]

Love a sea view, just nice to watch too.
This is the view from my late mums house.

Seafield Drive? My late Mum and Dad lived there too.

[JeremyO]

[QUOTE=seikopath;4343981]you can build a massive wind farm though[/QUOTE

I love a sea view but hate the proliferation of wind farms built out to sea.

Have never understood why we cannot harness wave power instead, after all the tide is constantly moving and we are living on an island.

[jammie*dodger]

I'd definitely have a sea view if it meant I could still commute to work. Maybe when I retire......

[Jeremy67]

Not necessarily a view but the light near the sea has a special quality (darling), something to do with polarisation I believe, and I love the smell too. The sound of gulls, in moderation, makes me smile, memories of childhood Cornish holidays I suspect.

I'd live near the sea not to be able to see it from the house but for the ease of walking beside it.

More important to us than view, though we have a smashing one, is light and sunshine. We are blessed with a house that faces a southern, open aspect. We see the sun (weather permitting) from shortly after sunrise to not long before sunset. Having had this it would now be a top priority in any future house.

[Jackwibble]

arisaig?

Not that far! it's Dumfries and Galloway

[thieuster]

Light! Why didn't come up with that!?

The greatest painters recognized the power of the sea 'light'. Turner is a great example. Even his 'foggy' paintings have a mesmerising colour effect! Apart from that, I don't know if he used to live near the sea.

Dutch 19th and early 20th century painters travelled to the sea shore for painting. Honestly, I have to add that they were looking for a mecenas as well: Dutch sea-villages like Scheveningen (100 points when you're able to pronounce that correctly!) and Domburg used to attract royals and wealthy mid-European people who stayed there for months in the so-called Bad Hotels. The wealth attracted charlatans and real artists like painters.

Even today, Domburg is the town where a lot of Dutch 'double-barrel names' spend their summer holiday. You can still visit a museum dedicated to Piet Mondriaan (the one with the red, yellow and blue squares!) when he was still painting 'real life' paintings.

An example: Ferdinand Hart Nibrig; painting more or less 'pointillistic'. The painting are the dunes and main street of Zoutelande (Salt Land). Historically an important place for UK citizens! Only 5kms to the west (the painting faces east), British commando forces landed on Dutch ground. More info here! http://www.worldwar2heritage.com/en/...ndos-Memorials

Hart Nibrig managed to capture the light of that Sunday afternoon. And believe me, people recognise this spot instantly when they visit the town!

[tixntox]

I have the Paleokastritsa webcam on my favourites list. Sea view every day - love it!
https://www.skylinewebcams.com/it/we...kastritsa.html
(Obviously best viewed during the day - durr!)
:)

[gettinon]

House prices carry a hefty premium if overlooking the sea but what's the big deal? The view doesn't change except for the occasional boat. Nothing to look at but waves. Ok, if the view is over a harbour then I agree there is some variety but give me rural landscape with changing colours with the seasons any day with some wildlife as a bonus. Unfortunately living in London my view is the front or back of houses - lovely. No hanging gardens of Babylon here although you can pay extra for a balcony - overlooking a road.
The management loves London but if it were up to me I'd be in the countryside any day and not by the sea. Any agreement here?

I retired to an apartment over looking the sea, and I dont think I could want for anything better. The saltmarsh in front is a site of scientific interest and behind me a golf course neither of which are going to be developed in my lifetime. I have my telescope and binoculars and never tire of watching the seas ever changing views and the wildlife. and a 30 min walk along the beach gets me 5 donuts for a £1

[Richie_101]

A view can't be underestimated but as our Dad always shouted up from the mine while we were tucking into our lumps of cold poison; "If you've got time to look out of the window lad, you aren't working hard enough". Happy days...

Rich.

[MFB Scotland]

Not my exact view but you get the idea. I have a view of the isle of Arran from my bedroom window


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[kungfugerbil]

The saltmarsh in front is a site of scientific interest and behind me a golf course neither of which are going to be developed in my lifetime. I have my telescope and binoculars and never tire of watching the seas ever changing views and the wildlife.

Excellent :) I back onto a golf course and am close to the sea - it means in the garden we get everything from Partridge, Pheasant, Oystercatchers, Gulls, Hawks... I have binoculars next to my desk for watching them

[Dave+63]

Good luck in seaford, bit of a dump IMO.



MIKE

It's "The Land that time forgot" but quite quaint in a throwback to the sixties kind of way!

And don't forget, retro is cool these days (or on-trend if I was to be pretentious)!

[snowman]

you can build a massive wind farm though

I'd happily take the windfarm personally!

Am I alone in liking those great big windmills?

I'd like a view (we live in a small cul-de-sac in Fleet, Hampshire, so not much view, although we do at least have plenty of trees, unlike the barren modern estates...), but given a choice of anything, I'd pick hills (ideally mountains) over the sea.

That said, there's nothing like the sight of a thunderstorm out at sea.

M

[Neil.C]

Good luck in seaford, bit of a dump IMO.



MIKE

This is what I wrote..


A few people we know have moved to Seaford but I'm not interested.

[Neil.C]

It's "The Land that time forgot" but quite quaint in a throwback to the sixties kind of way!

And don't forget, retro is cool these days (or on-trend if I was to be pretentious)!

Seaford seems to be populated by a lot of retirees so '60's would seem about right.

[thieuster]

When sitting on your porch/balcony/stretch of sand, this makes a good read:

[Slamdoor]

A sea view overlooking the London Array (175 turbines) wouldn't thrill me.

[Backward point]

I live alongside Southampton Water. There's always something happening, as there's a local yacht club, and it's always nice when I hear the first jetski of spring, or one of the largest container ships in the world passes by.

[Jeremy67]

I live alongside Southampton Water. There's always something happening, as there's a local yacht club, and it's always nice when I hear the first jetski of spring, or one of the largest container ships in the world passes by.

A friend lives in Netley and they are woken silly early on foggy morning by the fog horns.

[Backward point]

A friend lives in Netley and they are woken silly early on foggy morning by the fog horns.

Yes, that does happen. Thankfully, it doesn't happen too often.

[johny]

Light! Why didn't come up with that!?

The greatest painters recognized the power of the sea 'light'. Turner is a great example. Even his 'foggy' paintings have a mesmerising colour effect! Apart from that, I don't know if he used to live near the sea.

Dutch 19th and early 20th century painters travelled to the sea shore for painting. Honestly, I have to add that they were looking for a mecenas as well: Dutch sea-villages like Scheveningen (100 points when you're able to pronounce that correctly!) and Domburg used to attract royals and wealthy mid-European people who stayed there for months in the so-called Bad Hotels. The wealth attracted charlatans and real artists like painters.

Even today, Domburg is the town where a lot of Dutch 'double-barrel names' spend their summer holiday. You can still visit a museum dedicated to Piet Mondriaan (the one with the red, yellow and blue squares!) when he was still painting 'real life' paintings.

An example: Ferdinand Hart Nibrig; painting more or less 'pointillistic'. The painting are the dunes and main street of Zoutelande (Salt Land). Historically an important place for UK citizens! Only 5kms to the west (the painting faces east), British commando forces landed on Dutch ground. More info here! http://www.worldwar2heritage.com/en/...ndos-Memorials

Hart Nibrig managed to capture the light of that Sunday afternoon. And believe me, people recognise this spot instantly when they visit the town!

I can almost pronounce it correctly. lol. perhaps 95 points worth.

the beach and dunes at Vlissingen are lovely.

I think that turner was painting after the eruption of Mount Tamboora.

Particles in the atmosphere from this caused the vivid colours of the sky which appear in his paintings

[Davidww]

Not that far! it's Dumfries and Galloway

I know that view! Camped in that Lower Field a good few times now and will be back again in August. Afraid I have to slum it under canvas but can't wait.




David

[gilford]

We moved 18 months ago to be by the sea, its a life changer in my eyes, nothing better than laying in bed listening to the sea

Here's the view from my bedroom balcony and a shot of my new watch -

[Jackwibble]

I know that view! Camped in that Lower Field a good few times now and will be back again in August. Afraid I have to slum it under canvas but can't wait.




David

Yes we used to be under canvas until 2yrs ago and after 50yrs we managed to get a solid roof over our heads but what a great place to holiday !
Might see you in August David.

[Itsguy]

Any kind of view seems good for the soul somehow, over a city, rolling hills, or the sea, anything where the horizon is further away and there's a bit more sky. It expands the mind I think, giving your stresses some space to dissolve in, naturally pointing you in the direction meditators are searching for.

On a more practical level though, places that are coastal are rather defined by being close to the sea, and that's probably why you're there in the first place. Not surprising that houses where you can actually see it command a premium, it gives you a sense of place. In a hotel room with a sea view, you always have that feeling you've really arrived at your destination.

[lawler]

Sea views are worth the premium but get ready for salt to cover everything!

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[forpetesake]

Any kind of view seems good for the soul somehow, over a city, rolling hills, or the sea, anything where the horizon is further away and there's a bit more sky. It expands the mind I think, giving your stresses some space to dissolve in, naturally pointing you in the direction meditators are searching for.

On a more practical level though, places that are coastal are rather defined by being close to the sea, and that's probably why you're there in the first place. Not surprising that houses where you can actually see it command a premium, it gives you a sense of place. In a hotel room with a sea view, you always have that feeling you've really arrived at your destination.

Quality writing!

The notion of stresses dissolving into an open sky is something I shall hold on to.

[ralphy]

I believe sea air is far more healthier, perhaps because of the iodine or because it contains far less harmful vapours and pollution than on land.

It certainly helps those who suffer from sinus-related problems and respiratory issues.

R

[murilloinf]

If you're in a coastal location, you're never far from the sea so it doesn't matter that much. You can always walk for 5mins and be on the beach.

That said, my view from the back room where I work all day is this, and it makes me feel good:

Now, that's a view!

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[gunner]

It's nice, but only one of a number of factors. I just sold a house with a (limited) sea view to buy a larger house without one (still only 300yds from the sea though).

[lewie]

Hopped in the car - 20mins later were out in the water