Skegness

This town, on the Lincolnshire coast, is probably England's most famous seaside resort. Whatever you think of when you picture the beach, Skegness has it in spades. It's got bright lights, loud sounds, and very little in the way of subtlety.

Just a couple of centuries ago, Skegness was barely on the map. It was a tiny little village that no-one even thought to visit. In the late 1800s, though, just after the introduction of the railway system, Skegness' sea and sand were suddenly accessible to everybody. People quickly began to take advantage, and in just a few decades, the village had grown into one of the most popular resorts in the country.

The town's image was helped by a famous promotional poster, which features a character called the Jolly Fisherman skipping along the beach. The caption reads: "Skegness is SO bracing". There is a statue of the Fisherman on top of a fountain in the centre of town.

In those early days, Skegness' rise to fame was helped immensely by the Butlins holiday camp, which was the first ever in the UK. It was opened in 1936, shortly before the Second World War. It was taken over for military use during the conflict, but reopened soon afterwards. Many other Butlins camps have opened and closed since then, but the original Skegness location has remained popular. It received a major refurbishment in the late 90s, and looks set to keep its place at the heart of Skegness' tourist scene.

After arriving, and settling in, the sensible thing to do is to head straight down to the beach and park yourself on the sand. The seafront is big, clean, and well served by all kinds of facilities and amenities. Skegness is particularly well known for its donkeys, which carry children up and down the shore. The beach backs onto a busy promenade, full of things to buy, eat, and see. You can spend your cash on buckets and spades, pick up an ice cream, or get yourself lost in one of the huge amusement arcades. If you're after peace and quiet, then you've probably come to the wrong place, but if you're willing to throw yourself into Skegness' whirlwind of attractions, you'll find it very tricky to get bored.

A hugely popular part of the seafront is the Pleasure Beach, a theme park with completely free entry. You can buy special "ride tokens" from one of the kiosks, and use them on any of the park's attractions, which include rollercoasters, a ferris wheel, a log flume, go karts, and countless others.

Another centre of entertainment is on Skegness Pier, which features both traditional games, like hook-a-duck, and more modern activities, like Laser Quest. There is also a large ten-pin bowling alley. It hosts frequent glow bowling nights, where everything is lit up in neon.

The northern end of the seafront is home to the Natureland Seal Sanctuary, which has been open for over 40 years now. Despite the name, there are plenty of other creatures to see here, including penguins, crocodiles, and flamingos. The seals, though, are the stars of the show. Every year the Sanctuary rescues dozens of them, as they get washed up on the beach.

The Pleasure Beach is open daily during Spring and Summer (and some weekends either side) from 10:30am to 10pm in peak season. Entry is FREE. Ride tickets can be purchased inside. Grand Parade, Skegness PE25 2UQ. Tel: 01754 763 697

Natureland Seal Sanctuary is open daily from 10am. Closing times vary. Entry is around £7 for adults, £4.50 children. North Parade, Skegness PE25 1DB. Tel: 01754 764 345

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