I like the beach, but in England you have to carefully pick when you go.
For most of the year, and even through summer, the beaches are going to be cold, possibly wet with rain and usually dark due to overcast weather. The water will also be freezing.
If you go in the summer, or just a hot day however, the beach can be much more pleasant. You'll find it brighter, sunny and warmer. The sea might be fairly cold still though.
The downside to a hot day at the beach is that it will probably be intensely crowded, and travel to it might be a nuisance, and you're more likely to find parking charges and the like.
I'm quite lucky where I am though. I'm half an hour from the closest beaches and I have loads of beaches to chooss from. I don't, but it's also a great location for surfing. I'm essentially in the California of the UK. Except it's a lot colder and wetter and everyone is a farmer.
