Changing beaches in the summer

This year is proving very hot. As is our summer norm, it's too warm to do too much walking and inland has been hotter (up to 36C) than the coast (up to 32C), so we typically stay on the coast, working during the day, then going to the beach for a swim and cool off for the evening.

As with the air, the sea temperatures have also been warm. They are currently at 26-27C, about a couple of degrees warmer than other years. In shallower waters, warmer water encourages a harmless algae growth, so the water gets a green tinge with reduced water clarity.

For this reason, the beaches we use shifts as we go through the summer. The beaches best at the start of the summer are those that are a little shallower - so La Fosca or L'Estartit or parts of Platja de Castell.

As the summer comes on visitors arrive and parking gets harder, so our next criteria is ease of parking. This then takes us to Palamos, Platja d'Aro or Sant Pol for a quick park and swim.

As the temperatures rise, we start looking for deeper water as deep or open water tends to be cooler and clearer. We also like to start snorkelling a bit more, so the pebble beach at Tamariu (if we can find parking), or Pals beach by the rocks, where we can find good shoals of fish.

Now as temperatures are peaking, we'll head to cooler waters around Cape of Begur. Aigua Xelida for good swimming, that's off the beaten track with parking. We also went to Aiguablava, as the water is typically colder, but very late in the day (c20:00) as the beach is otherwise packed in summer.

Once the weather starts to turn, and the sea mists and storms come to cool everything off, we work back in reverse. We're not sunbathers, so we're happy just to have a quick dip. But our summer is the pick of the Costa Brava beaches as our after-work activity.