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

Devon: Torquay to Brixham 9/8/1994***


 

 
 
High tide, Torquay
 
 
 
Golden Hind at Brixham
A combination of high tide and stormy weather brought waves beating against the sea-wall of Torquay’s main beach and washing over the pavement.  By the time we reached Corbyn’s Beach and Livermead Sands a strip of sand had been uncovered and yielded a few shells before the council workers were out sweeping it.  Livermead Head is impassable along the beach and we had to follow the road inland, over the railway.  Above Hollicombe Beach is a park with a boating-lake and a short tunnel leading to the beach, where a few people had ventured out.  Preston Sands (where we passed a dead gannet) is cut off from Paignton Sands at high tide by a rocky promontory topped by a hotel.  We walked along both beaches and ate lunch by the harbour at Harbour Lights Restaurant.  Paignton Aquarium had a small well-presented exhibition concentrating on local marine and rock-pool species. 
     After rounding Roundham Head there was the long stretch of Goodrington Sands, with lots of shells.  A cliff path from the end runs alongside the steam railway that follows the coast, but, being near low tide, we were able to round the point more quickly over the marine rocks and gain the nature reserve of Saltern Cove at low tide itself.  This was rich in molluscs such as least chink shell Lacuna parva, and sea anemones, including strawberry sea-anemone Actinia fragacea, with blennies and prawns in the rock-pools.  After that we had to ascend to the cliff path until it cut down under a viaduct to Broad Sands.  The path around Churston Point borders a park and then crosses the shingly Elberry Cove before climbing again into secondary woodland on the cliff bordering Brixham golf course.  We crossed the head of Churston Cove and followed the cliff-edge to Brixham, limestone rocks harbouring masses of autumn squill and carline thistle, ivy broomrape and butcher’s broom.  A walkway took us around the harbour and past a replica of the Golden Hind.  The information centre here was helpful in finding us a room for the following night.  We got back to Torquay by means of the frequent Bayline bus service.
 
Least chink shell
 
 
 
Autumn squill

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