The 10 Best beach essentials

Everything you need beside the seaside

1. John Lewis Beach Huts towel

£18, johnlewis.com

Generous and featuring maritime stripes and a fun, coastal design – just what you need to get you in the mood for a day at the beach.

2. Y-Ply neck

£29.95, craftmarketcorner.co.uk

Reading a bulky book on the beach all day is hard, so get one of these clever neck rests-cum-seats and say goodbye to pain.

3. Big Jambox

£259.99, jawbone.com

If you have a spare bob or two and a wide expanse of beach where there is no-one to annoy, this portable speaker has astounding sound quality.

4. Gelert Newton padded lounger chair

£54.99, gelert.com

Easy to carry and ultra-comfortable and if you're not keen on the design, Gelert has plenty of alternatives.

5. Sony Reader

£129, sony.co.uk

This is thinner than rivals and boasts a responsive touch screen. It's also the world's first eReader that allows you to borrow eBooks wirelessly from public libraries.

6. Caribee Nice '*' Cool backpack with cooler

£35, caribee-uk.com

Coolbags tend to be bulky and difficult to carry. These have a built-in coolbox to keep your water and sandwiches cool.

7. Early Learning Centre clear bucket set

£4.80, elc.co.uk

There is perhaps no better or simpler beach day pleasure than building sandcastles. This comes with sea moulds and tools.

8. Cath Kidston Spot Open tote bag

£48, cathkidston.co.uk

Durable, roomy and on sale. The wipe-clean oilcloth means a few splashes of sea water won't spoil it. Stylish too.

9. Kathmandu picnic rug

£8.99, kathmandu.co.uk

This has a fleece face with water-resistant backing and rolls up into a compact carry bag. All you need now is sun, sea and sand – oh and some ham sandwiches.

10. GLTC UV folding umbrella

£28, gltc.co.uk

This protects little ones from harmful UV rays, is easy to transport and only measures 75cm when fully collapsed.