Introduction


When we started walking the coast of England we had no intention that this would become a major lifetime project. Having to make a last-minute arrangement for our summer holiday in 1987, we said "Let's go to the nearest piece of coast and see how far we can walk along it." It turned out well and we started adding further stretches of coast, initially once every two years, but soon annually, or even twice a year.

We had always enjoyed the coast - there is something refreshingly "edgy" about having the sea always at our side, and one of us was into marine molluscs. We also enjoyed long-distance walking and had long been involved in general natural history recording. This project enabled us to combine all three interests.

You soon discover when embarking on a project like this that you need a few rules, which evolve from the first experiences. Our main rule was that we should walk as close to the coast as possible, which meant beach-walking whenever we could (unlike the official coast paths that largely remain above shore, recognising that at high tides the beach may be inaccessible). The route should also be capable of being a continuous walk, so that when we came to an unfordable river we walked inland along its banks to the first place at which we could cross, whether a bridge or a ferry.

We only carried light packs, so that at the end of each day's walk we had the problem of getting back to our car where we started. Initially we walked back, but soon realised we would be walking the coast twice this way! We used public transport whenever this was available - buses or trains, sometimes adjusting our start and finish points to make this easier. Failing this - and it was often not possible - we would phone for a taxi (an increasingly costly option over the years). Having our car with us gave us more freedom as to where we could stay at night - and after a day walking and only light food we were usually ready for being spoiled by a good meal and a comfortable bed! Even so, we stayed on the coast itself whenever there was a decent option.

Each walk was made for enjoyment, it was not a route-march to see how quickly we could get it finished. We therefore took it gently at times when passing through pleasant scenery or where there were many plants or creatures to record.

In terms of biological recording, we systematically noted every bird, butterfly, creature or sea-shell that we came across, sometimes spending time searching for the shells. We could not record every plant in the same way - there are too many common ones - so we were more selective, noting all coastal plants and any others that were not run-of-the-mill.

In our daily posts, edited from our original diaries, we include a star-rating from no star to **** according to our subjective estimate as to how special that day was from the point of view of natural history. This score (and our daily records) will, however, have been affected by the weather - it is difficult to appreciate the environment fully, for instance, in torrential rain, and there are many more butterflies and other insects to be seen in warm sunshine!

A summary of all our natural history records on the walk can be found using this link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1LLGD55lKRHYXd1SGU1QndrcUU/edit?usp=sharing





Friday, 17 January 2014

Cornwall: Fishing Cove to Porthtowan 16/6/1999***

 
 
 
Oystercatcher
 
 
 
Eyebright Euphrasia vigursii
We started in a sea-mist in which we could not even see to the bottom of the cliffs.  There was the familiar cliff vegetation with the addition of frequent burnet rose, whose large creamy flowers showed up well in the low scrub.  There were occasional heath spotted orchids and one large patch of common birdsfoot.  A road follows the cliffs quite closely, within 100-200 metres, so the walk crosses numerous car-parks.  Fields beside the path were cultivated with corn and in one corner missed by the weed-spray we found corn spurrey and field woundwort.  Several green hairstreak butterflies were on the wing.  We passed a spring emerging from a low brick wall, known as Mirrose Well.  We were almost at Portreath when we saw our first spring squills (in fruit), less common today than previously.  On the outskirts of the village is a large spectacular cove with an inaccessible beach, Western Cove, where we met a bird-recorder who told us that fulmar, herring and both black-backed gulls, shags and oystercatchers were nesting here.  In other nearby coves there had also been nests of ravens and a peregrine, but we saw no sign of either today. 
      We descended into Portreath past a hedge with common gromwell.  On the beach were a few shells and many families playing or resting, the sand again being wide and flat, the first of several such beaches today.  The village is comparatively modern, with a few older granite buildings set well back, possibly built in connection with local mining.  The old forge is converted into a good restaurant, Tabb’s, to which we would return for dinner.  There was a further beach behind a sluice-gate from the harbour, the sand rising to surround the Waterside Pub.  Although very small there was a better variety of shells. 
      The path followed a narrow space between the cliff edge and a high fence protecting MOD property which persisted for two miles.  During this stretch, just before the cove called Sally’s Bottom, a number of mines appeared and soft reddish rocks showed up on the cliffs, indicating mineral-bearing lodes.  The rocks were obviously quite mixed, as we came across a long patch of heath and common spotted orchids with hybrids (Dactylorhiza x transiens), all the plants vigorous and in profusion.  Further along at Gooden Hean Point were small patches of the attractive purple eyebright Euphrasia vigursii, interspersed with commoner species E. micrantha and E. tetraquetra..  As we walked down into Porthtowan, both the lane side and the dunes had masses of bloody cranesbill and some rosy garlic.  The dunes here were small and greatly deteriorated, although there was still some sea holly and rough clover.  The beach is sandy with pebbles and few shells.
Portreath Beach
 
Approaching Western Cove
 
Porthtowan Beach
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