The coastal landscape presents an important intergenerational space of community play, work and learning. These were prominent features within memories of childhood over the three generations and across the five countries. The significance of intergenerational time spent in nature and the coastal landscape was a crucial component in the formulation of identity, belonging, and attachment throughout the lifecourse.

Particular places of importance were reflected through narrations of the ‘sea,’ the ‘boat,’ the ‘beach,’ the ‘pier’ the ‘boat house’ and more, characterized as significant places to grow up, constituting place-making and feelings of ‘home.’ These memories and subsequent attachments were often reflected as becoming stronger over time. Freedom in nature was a consistent theme across all five countries, showing little variation over time.