It may have felt a long time coming but today is the summer solstice; the official start of summer and the longest day of the year

Make the most of those extra hours of daylight by doing something special (and I don’t mean dancing around with flowers in your hair; unless you want to of course!)

Some of my favourite moments basking in those last few rays of sunshine have been spent on the beach. Beachcombing at dusk, giggling at my ineptitude at boules; family cricket or – best of all – a beach campfire.

For a successful and safe campfire, there are a few rules that you should follow:

1 Choose a quiet, more secluded beach where campfires are permitted.

2 Situate yourself in a sheltered spot, not too close to anyone who may be annoyed by the smoke.

3 Dig a circle in the sand a few inches deep and about 3 feet across. Then surround with large pebbles.

4 Fill with kindling/sticks in a rough pyramid shape and light with matches or a lighter. It may help to bring a couple of natural firelighters to help get it going.

5 Toast marshmallows on long wooden-handled metal skewers or forks (and sandwich between chocolate digestives; our family take on s’mores).

6 Sit in a comfy camping chair and watch the flames as the sun goes down.

7 When your fire has died down, douse it liberally with seawater (don’t forget to take a bucket for this!) then cover any remaining embers with sand.

8 Ensure the beach looks just as you found it before you leave.