My favourite way to spend a sunny afternoon.

As I'm writing this blog post, the weather outside is very confused. It's been raining all morning, but now the weatherman seems to have decided that an ongoing rotation between sunshine and hailstones is the best course of action. Wouldn't be my preference, but what do I know eh?

Needless to say, I've spent the entire day indoors in my pyjamas. Sometimes I feel like a day on the sofa is much needed, but on this occasion I've felt not-quite-myself, a touch cabin feverish perhaps. All day I've been dreaming of spring/summer fashion, of time off work and walks on the beach.

A beach walk has long been my favourite way to spend a sunny afternoon, whether that's during a rare spot of winter sun, or some scorching summer sunshine. In my mind, there's nothing better than putting together a picnic and heading to the beach for an afternoon of good food, friends and games (frisbee is my personal favourite). It's such an awfully British thing to do, but I just can't get enough and it's something I want to find more time for this summer.

Through the winter months however, although I wouldn't dream of having a picnic on the beach when we could get fish and chips instead, one of my favourite ways to relax is by driving out to Sheringham, grabbing a mocha from Grey Seal Coffee and having a good old wander in my wellies. I've always found the beach to the best place for me to clear my head; I'm not sure whether it's the sound of the waves, paddling in the sea or just breathing in some good ol' sea air, but I always leave feeling refreshed and with much more clarity than when we arrived.

It's something I try to do fairly regularly. It's so important to me that I manage to find time to switch off properly. I work a lot of hours in a week, and with so little time in between shifts to relax, it's something I've struggled with a lot lately so on days like today, when I'm positively crying out for some time at the beach, I can get pretty resentful about the weather! I've been on many a beach walk in the wind and the rain when I was younger, but it's most definitely not for me. Sunshine, sand and sandals is without a doubt the way forward.

So I've been dreaming about summer today, and the possibilities that the warmer weather will bring with it. I've been scouring pinterest, getting ahead by pinning some mouth-watering picnic recipes that are easy and fail-safe. I've scrolled through various websites, checking out their sandal offerings and swimwear selection - there are some absolutely stunning swimming costumes coming out this year, and I can't wait to rock one of them on the beach in a few months' time.

For now, I'll settle on sharing some photos from our most recent walk on the beach (and apparently my wonky teddy coat) with you, and I might try my luck at finally pinning Harvey down so we can decide where we want to go on holiday this year, and start looking at getting something booked. Having something to look forward to helps on days like today, when it's bleak and I'm home alone, so that's firmly on my agenda for tonight!

Although I love Norfolk and have been on many beach walks here, there are still so many beaches I've not visited. What's your favourite beach? And what's your favourite way to spend a sunny afternoon?

Laura xx