Today it will be mostly ... blazing sunshine. As the UK continues to sizzle, more and more Brits are heading to the coast. New data released today from Expedia.co.uk shows a rise in domestic beach bookings during this current heatwave. Bournemouth tops the list of UK escapes, according to the travel company, showing a 119% increase in bookings in the last 28 days, compared with the same time last year. Eastbourne follows with a 100% rise, and Torquay in Devon's is also high on the list, with an 81% rise in bookings.
Brighton, Blackpool, Southampton, Plymouth, St Helier and Southport all feature in the top 10 beach breaks booked during the last 28 days.
If you're heading south to enjoy Bournemouth's seven miles of golden sand – which last year was controversially named one of the finest beaches anywhere in Europe – then check out Tony Naylor's guide to where to eat on a budget in the town.
There are more tasty seaside treats in this round-up of the best chippies, ice-cream parlours and tearooms around the UK.
Elsewhere in Dorset, we've rounded-up the best days out in east and west of the county; and the best campsites, many of which overlook the Jurassic coast.
Heading further south-west, we have found the best days out in north and south Cornwall, and the best days out in north and south Devon.
Families across the nation are dusting down their tents to make the most of the freakishly dry weather (July 2013 has been declared the driest in 250 years), check out our top 10 Cornish campsites, all of which are either on or near the coast, and this guide to Devon's finest campgrounds, which includes a quiet farm site with staggering sea views.
On the east coast, Mablethorpe in Lincolnshire has all the essentials for a fun day out: golden sandy beach, donkey rides, funfair, paddleboating, crazy golf, even a sand train. Read all about it and four other particularly child-friendly beaches. And Patrick Barkham finds beachside perfection in a refurbished 1950s cabin on the Lincolnshire coast.
If you want to do more than build sandcastles take a look at our suggestions for fun things to do by the seaside – and try your hand at kayaking in Cornwall, horseriding in Northumberland or compare your sandcastle building efforts with the masters at a sand sculpture festival in Brighton.
And for some good old-fashioned fun, check out our suggestions for Britain's more traditional resorts, from Bridlington to the Isle of Wight.
If you've scheduled in a last-minute Friday or Monday off work, make the most of it with one of these five great weekend beaches, including Sandsend in North Yorkshire.
In east Yorkshire, Kevin Rushby enjoys the world-class coastal scenery around Flamborough Head, while across the Dales, kayaking is a great way to enjoy the vast tidal sands of the Cumbrian coast.
Wales is blessed with some spectacular coastline. In between the sweeping sands of popular beaches, such as Barafundle, are some gorgeous hidden coves and bays. Read our pick of some of best of them by the author of Secret Beaches Wales.
We also round-up the best walks in Pembrokeshire, many of which take in stunning beaches and clifftops.
Scotland's gorgeous beaches often appear in "Where in the world?" quizzes, thanks to their exotic-looking white sands and turquoise waters. Check out some of them in this round-up of days out in Lochalsh, including trips to beaches by kayak.
And if you really want to make the most of the balmy nights, now's the time to wild camp. In Scotland there are no restrictions, so head to Sandwood Bay in the remote Wester Ross region, and wake up to the sound of the waves as Phoebe Smith does in this feature about the joys of extreme camping.
And if all gets too much, here are our suggestions for the best ways to cool off.
