Thames Pea Shingle is more used for back-filling drains, and other construction work like screeeding, however, we always use it on our drive and usually let the rain wash the dirt and sand away, leaving a reasonable coloured surface!
A decorative shingle will cost a lot more, but is basically the same only thoroughly washed and screened! Decorative chips will cost even more...
Like Mum says, I wouldn't worry too much about the sand etc., it'll go over winter, and may well help the drainage of the soil underneath!
Incidentally, since we put the drive in thirty years ago, we must have had at least six loads of the stuff, and when they delivered the last load a few weeks ago, I was chatting with the driver, and told him how much we'd used, and we both agreed that we didn't really know where it all went after each time, and everyone says the same thing!
