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 10 January 2014

Cornwall: Lansallos to Fowey 20/8/1996***


 

Great & Little Lantic Beaches from Pencarrow Head
 
Fowey regatta
 
Donax variegatus
After a night of heavy storms we descended a slick muddy path from Lansallos to the fine shingle beach.  It was quiet, just a couple of sea anglers on a rocky point, being close to high tide.  The rocky cliff had sea campion, rock samphire, and the usual plants like sea beet.  The beach had sea rocket and spear-leaved orache.  The cliff path seemed to be on more acid soil than yesterday with less variety of flowers, although we still saw pale flax, wild madder was rampant, and the dainty long-stalked cranesbill continued among herb robert.  We could just make out Eddystone Lighthouse with the naked eye.  For the first time this trip we saw common milkwort, in pale blue, pink and white forms.  Dodder grew over bedstraw and ivy where bracken had been cut.  Approaching Pencarrow Head a sycamore leaned with the wind, arching right over the path to touch the bank on the other side making a sheltered tunnel.  The Head was dominated by bracken and scrub.  Sheep were grazing in an attempt to bring back the grass turf.  There was just one small patch of bell heather. 
      Beyond were the coves of Little and Great Lantic, the former inaccessible except by boat, the second only by a steep cliff path.  This cove was scenic and idyllic apart from discarded drinks bottles and bonfire remains.  The shingle flora was good, with sea kale, sea sandwort, sea rocket, sea bindweed, sea and Portland spurges, plus less coastal species like ploughman’s spikenard, carline thistle, and sheepsbit.  Added to the usual cliff flora were thrift, sea spleenwort, and large stands of ivy broomrape.  A large white butterfly had found the kale and a humming-bird hawk-moth buzzed around the other flowers.  After the exhausting climb back up we continued past fragrant agrimony for the first time, and on top were plants of Smith’s cress that we had also seen the day before.   
      We descended the cliffs below Polruan, but were forced back to the road by houses and fences preventing access to the coast.  We followed narrow lanes to the quay, where we had a colourful sight of hundreds of yachts in the harbour between here and Fowey for the regatta.  The pubs were full of singing customers, while herring gulls on the roofs provided a discordant descant.  We took the ferry across the river and sought shells on the narrow beaches fringing Fowey quay and the popular Readymoney Beach at the south end of the town before St. Catherine’s Point.  A good variety of shells included for the first time Donax variegatus.  Fowey’s streets were all one-way but still blocked by traffic.
Fragrant agrimony
 
Ivy broomrape
 
Ferry, Polruan-Fowey
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