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: Porthleven to Cudden Point 4/6/1999


 

Kidney vetch
 
Air-sea rescue at Trelawas Head
 
Praa Sands
We returned to Porthleven yesterday afternoon.  Around Kynance the serpentine cliffs in June were beautiful rock-gardens with early purple orchid, thyme broomrape, slender St. John’s-wort, spring sandwort, fringed rupturewort, long-headed, rough and western clovers, hairy greenweed, prostrate broom and petty whin.  Among less localised plants were dropwort, bloody cranesbill and kidney vetches in a remarkable variety of colours from deep red to yellow to pale primrose to orange and pink.  Heaths above had heath spotted orchids, lousewort and ragged robin.  We dined at Critchards Seafood Restaurant in Porthleven, where we had fresh gurnard and sea-bass served with strands of seaweed.
      This morning we saw a seal in the harbour as we left beneath the Ship Inn along the cliffs, often sheltered by stone walls.  There were many flowers - sea storksbill, eastern gladiolus, sea campion, thrift, cliff spurrey, English stonecrop, bluebell and spring squill (a couple of late plants).  Stonechats and linnets abounded in the gorse.  Stormy weather kept most of the butterflies away, but we saw a cream-spot tiger moth.  As we approached Trelawas Head, where the old tin mines were clearly visible, a helicopter was conducting rescue exercises.   Despite a preponderance of bracken there were still lousewort, milkwort, sheepsbit and foxglove to see.  A small cove was mainly rocks and pebbles; a stone stile above had carved patterns on its steps.  We disturbed a lizard getting a rare chance to sunbathe on the path.  At Trelawas Head slates change to granite and here the mines start, associated with the metamorphosed edges of the slates where tin and copper ores formed.  The path passes close to each mine. 
      Past Rinsey cliffs with its pools and reeds, Lascleave Cliff led down to Praa Sands with many interesting pebbles.  Sand dunes above are degenerate, but still had some sea bindweed, sand sedge, lady’s bedstraw, and yellow rattle, gradually being edged out by invasive spotted medick and red valerian, with a few plants of salsify.  The sands were deserted because of the cold wind and we took a snack at a beach café before ascending the cliff at the far end, past a garden full of found objects and sculptures.  The cliffs here have fulmar nesting and wild cabbage becomes common along with ivy broomrape. We were not able to get down to Kenneggy Sands because the rocks at the eastern end were too slick with rain and the only other way was down a rope in the middle.  Above neighbouring Betty’s Cove was a fisherman’s cottage with a thatched roof held down by nets and chains from the prevalent winds.  We walked on to Cudden Point along a springy peat path and then climbed up to the road to catch a bus back. There is a frequent service between Penzance and Helston which supports coastal walking.
Cream-spot tiger moth
 
Fulmar nesting
 
Wheal Trewalas Mine
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