Wonderfull Weston (Weston-super-Mare in General)

Name: tattie123

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Product:	Weston-super-Mare in General
Date:	12/04/07 (415 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: cheap day out

Disadvantages: the sea

Living in the Vale of Evesham has its real benefits…asparagus, the Cotswolds, the most beautiful scenery and fantastic motorway links. The only thing is, it just not by the sea. But Weston Supermare is and given our fantastic motorway links it’s really easy to get to!

Weston is a typical English seaside town that was first made popular in the 19th Century when its population soared from that of a tiny village of 100 to a thriving town of 20,000. The Victorians were great believers in bathing in salt water and they flocked from Bath and Bristol to Weston. The Birbeck Pier was built in 1867 during the seafront development and a 2-mile long prom and seawall was built along the seafront. In 1890 a second pier was added to cope with the increasing amount of visitors to the town. The Grad Pier, prom and seawall still remain today.

So what is Weston like today?

Firstly getting there is really easy. Weston is just off junction 21 of the M5. There is a dual carriageway that takes you into the town. Just follow the signs to the Seafront. This will take you through the typical out of town shopping centre and a bit around the town, but don’t worry it is just so that the council can keep the traffic moving. Weston does get incredibly busy at peak times!

Just past the golf club you are able to drive straight into the seafront parking. This stretches for about a mile and means that you can park right opposite the beach. Parking costs £5 for the whole day and you just pop your money into the pay and display machines (there are loads of these dotted along the way) and display the ticket in your car. Until a couple of years ago there were parking attendants who took your money, but as this system has now ceased, don’t forget some change for the machine.

The 2-mile long promenade stretches the length of the seafront with a little way that separates it from the beach. The prom is dotted with cafes, seating and ice cream vendors. You can also hire a desk char if you wish to do so. There is a small train that runs along the length of the prom and costs 50p each way. The seafront also is home to the Tropicana. This used to be an out-door swimming pool complex. It has been closed for a while now but plans are under way to renovate it completely. There are a number of public conveniences, all of which are exceptionally clean and kept to a very high standard. The SeaQuarium (similar to a SeaLife Centre) is also accessible from the prom.

The Grand Pier is sited half way down. The pier opens at 10am each day. You can take a miniature train ride to the end of just have a wander down. At the end there is a large amusement arcade, and a couple of cafes. A lovely place to just watch the world go by.

On the opposite side of the road is the main town, which is home to the typical cafes, numerous hotels, B&Bs, bars, touristy shops and attractions that you would associate with an English seaside town. The architecture is quite grey as most of the grand Victorian buildings are made from an incredibly dark stone. Just behind the front there is a small shopping centre full of the usual high street shops for those of us who cant go anywhere without doing a bit of shopping.

At the far end of the prom is the old Birbeck Pier, which has been derelict for many years but is now under going a huge renovation to turn it into luxury apartments and bars.

The beach is very clean but if you are expecting golden sand and a dip in the sea then you well are going to be really disappointed. The sand is not really golden, more of a muddy brown. The sea (when it does come in!) is very shallow as Weston is really sited on a very large mud flat that goes out for miles. The water is murky and there are notices up advising of sinking mud. It is recommended that you do not swim in the sea at Weston. However the beach is very clean (it is raked and cleaned every morning) and does go out a long way before the mud warnings start. So there is loads of room for everyone. All along the beach there are stalls selling ice creams, a seafood stall, donkey rides (don’t worry the donkeys are really well looked after and have plenty of food and water) and there are also designated dog free areas and area set aside for a children’s play zone.

The whole of Weston is very buggy and wheelchair friendly as the prom is completely flat and there are ramps down onto the beach.

Weston can be really busy during the summer and I would recommend getting there early as traffic can jam up from the M5 and it can be hard to find somewhere to park. We went on Good Friday and managed to get there for 8.30am so had no problems at all.

When we visit Weston we like to get there early and have breakfast over looking the prom (£4.95 for a full English with a free refill of coffee/tea). On this occasion we had a lovely walk a long the prom and then went and played on the pier for a while. The pier has a great selection of old 2p slot machines along with the more modern simulation games (around £2.50 a go). Ice creams cost around £1.50 for a 99. We always make sure that we visit the seafood stall as my husband loves Whelks (yuk!!!) and I love Pinks. At £2.50 for a small cup they are not that cheap but they are always really tasty and fresh. We very often it on the beach and watch the world go by, read a book or get the kite out. The best way to end the day is by having fish and chips wrapped in paper, sat on the seawall (they cost around £3 per portion).

Go on give Weston a go. It’s a great day out and really cheap!

Summary: a grand seaside town