Oh I do like to be beside the seaside

There is something about a deserted beach that makes me want to run as fast as I possibly can.

I'm not a runner. I'm not even a jogger. But one sniff of the sea air and a vast expanse of firm, empty sand in front of me and I feel as light as a feather and I could run forever.

These pictures were taken early one morning in May on Winchelsea Beach, East Sussex, where we spent an hour combing the beach for interesting shells and smooth, flat pebbles for skimming. We found a couple of crabs and some beautiful wooden groins - sculpted by the sea and covered in barnacles.