Best summer reads - win £400 of brilliant books

Summer '79. We had just moved to Jersey; I was pregnant with No. 2. No.1 was barely 12 months old - the lovely balmy beach days, the wonderful doing nothing with a paddling pool in the garden, just enjoying my baby. Magic!

Barefoot and living on a beautiful estate with my toddler daughter and another on the way. Only downside was that DH worked such long hours at the 'big house'.

I'm living in the 'now' - beautiful weather and not having to get up and go to work in the extreme heat.

Presume you mean Wed. 19 July!!! My best summer was a long time ago when I visited French Guyana for 6 weeks to stay with a schoolfriend. We camped in the Amazon Forest, shot the rapids, saw the Kourou space station with Ariane in situ, etc. etc. Brilliant.

Any summer when our children were small. We just had so much fun on the beach, or just about anywhere outdoors playing games, discovering new things and generally having a great time.

My favourite summer was 1982 - we got married in June and honeymooned on Kefalonia. I worked in travel so blagged two cheap flights, my pal was a holiday rep working on the island so she gave us an empty apartment by the beach. The only request was that we looked after her dog, Daniella. No problem - Daniella came everywhere with us.
Kefalonia was in the early throws of tourism, everything was very basic. The airport building was a portakabin, the runway lights were oil cans. Every bar owner knew and loved my friend so welcomed us with open arms, and free drinks. (Ah, you are on honeymoon, have some champagne! Oh okay if you insist!)
We spent our days on the beach, or joining in with the travel companies excursions to remoter parts of the island. We spent our nights enjoying the hospitality of various bars or restaurants. It did not cost a fortune to watch the stars (no light pollution then) sitting on a beach with a bottle of local wine. So lovely, so romantic.
Sadly ten years later, visiting with the kids, tourism had hit Kefalonia. It was still lovely, but not quite so special. But I still have the memories of that simpler time.

As a child every summer is remembered as long and hot all summer through. I remember my parents not being able to afford expensive holidays so off we'd trot to our nearest seaside area with all our camping gear, the food ( all tins in those days ) on a motorbike and sidecar. Mum and Dad on the bike me in the sidecar with all the camping stuff shoehorned all around me - not forgetting the dog as well ! Happy days.

Or, as DGS says frequently, silly Grandma!

Whoops! Closing day is 19 July not 19 June! Silly me!

Typical! I just remember the extra special things of my best summer, only to find the competition closes today!

DS and family took me with them to a villa in Spain. An area I'd visited before but not with my own family, especially DGS. We felt there was something not quite right but he hadn't yet been diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum, and we were all carefree and telling ourselves he was really ok, that we were just expecting too much. We had a fabulous time, not too touristy, beautiful beaches as well as on-site pool. He blossomed being just with the most important people in his life (although I'm embarrassed saying that) but there were no nursery workers or other children making demands on him, or neighbours being sniffy - just DGS, his parents and me, grandma. We all really got on - I hadn't thought I'd ever be a grandma but then DS met THE ONE and this was the first time we'd been away together. DDIL had a special birthday while we were there and everything in the garden was rosy. The memories of that trip, including getting scarily, hopelessly lost in Paris on the way back, have sustained us all in the intervening years. I thought I knew but the special times then and since have taught me what love is.

My best summer was 2 years ago , in june i was given the all clear with my cancer. I was recovering from the op so couldn't drive and would sit in my garden just enjoying the sun,being so happy to be alive. After a few weeks I got in my car again and went out lots, taking my daughter and gdaughter to places like beaches, parks, stately homes. I would lie on my back in the grass just taking it all in as if I had never seen a sunny day or dull one, everything was so much more clearer. That summer will stay in my mind for ever.

camping in wales in the late sixties/seventies, no posh site, just the bottom of the farmers field, each morning my first chore was to take the two buckets and come back with them full, one with milk, one with water, and a fresh loaf under one arm! I loved it, simple pleasures happily remembered

I think 2018 is going to be the best summer ever if we're spared.??

My husband & I spent a wonderful summer holiday at Loch Ness. We stayed in a smashing apartment with use of a pool & sauna. We spent our days relaxing, eating & sightseeing. Our trip on a speedboat along the huge & ominously black Loch Ness was the undoubted highlight.

My best summer was definitely 1976 - glorious summer - my fave football team won eurp cup and I hitch hiked around france - met wonderful people - fabulous time

Wonderful long summers in Ireland working on the farm and bringing the turf and hay home.
Reading in the meadows listening to the birds.
Not a worry in the world.

The best summers were when I could spend plenty of time with my friends but was working part time so I could pay for it!

My best holiday was when the whole family shared a villa on the Costa Brava. Both children & adults played together amazingly well!

1976 at School, enjoying the fab weather :-)

My best summer was 2 years ago. We booked a gite in France for 3 weeks. Myself, my daughter and my parents went. We even took the dogs. It was right by a river and we spent ages playing in the water with the dogs and kayaks. We visited all of the towns and markets and had a brilliant time xx

Every Summer since we where married has been enjoyable for me,watching my children grow into well grounded adults and bring their own children into the world to become the joy they are to us and sharing many many times in different parts of the world with them or just playing on our local beaches with family for picnics.I'm easily pleased when the sun is shining and with my family and friends.

My best summer was in 1982 when on my 18th birthday we headed out to Cephalonia for our very first family holiday abroad. Getting my dad to take two whole weeks off from the farm was unbelievable (even if he did miss getting up for milking in the mornings and exchanged it for early morning swims in the sea, I only joined him once as the sea was SO cold at that time!). Amazing holiday with so many happy memories especially the wonderful food and being introduced to huge sweet nectarines (dad was sent off to buy some and he came back with tomatoes!) and the very unspoilt nature of the island. Summer is the best time to make memories!

Four years ago spending an Australian summer with our son and his family after not seeing them for 5 years. So wonderful to spend time with our grandson and see how he had grown. Sadly we haven't seen them since, due to DHs health issues, he couldn't handle the long flight, but I often think of that summer with it's wonderful memories.

Our trip to South Korea and Japan. Korea was fascinating - the history could keep me entralled for days and days.

My best holiday was our first holiday in France with our children
We drove down in our old Ford Escort which leaked every time it rained, stayed on campsites in a borrowed tent and had a fabulous time just being together and discovering France. It was the first of many wonderful trips to this beautiful country.