Beach huts
They’re a traditional, essential and practically iconic feature of the British seaside. It’s a shelter, somewhere to change into your bathing costume, a place to make a cup of tea.
The coastal resort of Bournemouth in Dorset, on England’s south coast, is a bastion of the beach hut. The first municipal beach huts were built there in 1909, and there are still hundreds of them there today.
Long lines of little dwellings in every imaginable colour are a sight to behold on a chilly December day. They’re mostly locked up for the winter, but a couple of hardy souls were sat outside their miniature English castle.
They are irresistible to photograph – and this is a collection that simply cannot be presented in monochrome.
Click first image for full gallery experience
mikeosbornphoto 
Lovely! Before the Brighton Bathing Boxes of Victoria, Australia I had never seen colorful ones. I spend a lot of time in Normandy, France and they are usually plain white.
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The British coast wouldn’t be the same without its beach huts. Some of them are very sought after indeed! I don’t think they figure in Queensland, which is where I’ve been most recently… perhaps only in the “old” south.
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Pingback: (500) Days of Photographs: Day 347 | ckponderings
Great set of images. Bright and cheerful and vibrant colours! :D
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Thank you very much, sir! Tomorrow’s offering will be a little less candy-striped and a touch more dramatic…
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What a cheerful colors! Wonderful images!
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Thank you Maria! I guess there are no beach huts in Hungary… maybe at Lake Balaton?…
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Maybe :) Hungarian Sea. This is the nickname. (It’s the largest lake in Central Europe.)
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It’s almost like a coastline. We don’t have so much in the way of lakes.
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Stunning colours, feels like summer
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Thank you very much, James. Pretty good for December and a much needed shot of brightness.
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Yeah those photographs were pure escapement from the awful winter weather at the moment
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Good to hear, James. My work is done :-)
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I love the beautiful colors! They brighten up these grey December days.
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They’re very cheerful, aren’t they, Koos? So no beach huts in the Netherlands… it’s another coastal country after all!
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Well, I don’t know if the beach houses in the Netherlands are as colorful as they are in the UK. I’m living in the east of the Netherlands and I’m not a frequent visitor of the Dutch coast (as a matter of fact, it’s been a long time ago I’ve been to the Dutch coast).
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I imagine the Dutch coast would be great for photography. I sense a day trip coming on!
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Well, let me know when you’re coming over ;-)
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Absolutely ;-)
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Yay!!
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Beautiful pictures as always. Your pictures brought back wonderful memories from my childhood of when my family would go to the beach in England. I always loved these little colored huts!
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Thank you Saskia! I’m always pleased if a photograph can evoke good memories. They’re a very British phenomenon.
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They definitely are. When I moved to the USA from England these were one thing that I missed a lot when I went to the beach. Thanks for bringing back the memories:)
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I guess they’re too small-scale for the US! Pleased to remind you of your time here.
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