Pier of the realm

This is the Britannia Pier in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.

I was born and raised here (not on the pier itself of course) but this is where I grew up, long sunny summers on the beach learning how to build sand castles.

The tide used to come all the way in when I was a kid, but now there's so much sand that you have a bit of walking ahead of you if you fancy a paddle !

Still, at least it's still standing, unlike the old wooden Jetty (which is where the picture was taken from) as that's been demolished. Maybe the health and safety brigade have had a holiday by the sea........