Den or Foxhole
On a Steep Shingle Beach
Excavate a hideout and disappear — adapted for steep shingle beach conditions.
About This Hole
A wide, comfortable sitting hole — deep enough that a child sitting in it is at ground level or below. It becomes their base, their den, their headquarters. Can be expanded into a two or three-person dugout with bench seats carved into the walls. One of the most satisfying holes to actually inhabit.
About This Beach
Pebble and shingle beaches slope sharply into the sea. While you can't dig a traditional sand hole, the loose stones allow for brilliant channel, dam, and moat building above the tideline where any small amount of sand collects. Think construction more than excavation.
Compatibility
Ratings
Best Seasons
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What You'll Need
- spade
- bucket
How to Dig It — Steep Shingle Beach Edition
- Choose a spot well above the high tide mark.
- Mark out a rectangle roughly 1m x 80cm (larger for multiple children).
- Dig down steadily, throwing all spoil forward to build a windbreak wall.
- When 40–50cm deep, start carving bench seats into the long walls.
- Round off the base so it's comfortable to sit in.
- Decorate the windbreak wall — shells pressed in, a flag on a stick.
Variations: Extend to a trench for multiple children. Add a connecting tunnel to an adjacent hole. Cover the top with a towel weighted by spades for a fully enclosed den.
Seasonal Tips for Steep Shingle Beach
Spring
Good conditions. Aim for a south-facing spot to catch spring sun down in the hole.
On this beach in spring: Stones shift and collapse more than sand. Hands and knees take a beating — gloves recommended. True hole digging is limited to sandy pockets.
Summer
A below-ground den is cooler than the surface — practical as well as fun on hot days.
On this beach in summer: Stones shift and collapse more than sand. Hands and knees take a beating — gloves recommended. True hole digging is limited to sandy pockets.
Autumn
Build the windbreak high — the den provides good shelter from autumnal winds.
On this beach in autumn: Stones shift and collapse more than sand. Hands and knees take a beating — gloves recommended. True hole digging is limited to sandy pockets.
Winter
A deep den is remarkably sheltered. Sitting below ground level cuts the wind dramatically — genuinely useful on a cold beach day.
On this beach in winter: Stones shift and collapse more than sand. Hands and knees take a beating — gloves recommended. True hole digging is limited to sandy pockets.