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





Thursday, 23 January 2014

North Devon: Ilfracombe to Combe Martin 5/7/2002**


 

Looking back at misty Ilfracombe
 
Hele Bay
 
Watermouth Harbour
 We climbed out of Ilfracombe, a long, at times steep, slope up past Hillsborough, a local nature reserve. The heaths were not floriferous, but we glimpsed a bank vole, a common lizard, and a pair of peregrines. Much of the walk, here and later, was through woodland with plants like ramsons, sanicle and wood spurge. The woods, however, are not endemic, but mostly of sycamore, the natural climax vegetation here appearing to be a scrub of blackthorn and privet, better able to withstand the sea-winds. We came down from Hillsborough into the harbour at Hele and then had to climb again to walk along the top of the cliffs to Watermouth, the first part along the main road A399. Near Widmouth Farm and Watermouth giant hogweed had taken a great hold. Most of the fields were in use for camping and caravans. We were glad to leave the dark damp woodland alongside the estuary of Watermouth by crossing the estuary itself. The tide was far enough out for us to walk on the wet mud and shingle and gain the head of the bay. There were some dilapidated wooden seats useful for our lunch-break among more banks of giant hogweed, that other foreign invader Indian balsam having also taken a hold nearby. We then walked out on to the headland on the other side of the estuary, The Warren, as far as an unexplained round tower, but most of the hill was overgrown with bracken and difficult to traverse. On the far side there was a raft of gannets on the sea. We returned along the coastal side, negotiating many small inlets to emerge through a holiday park back on the main road below Watermouth Castle (divided into holiday flats). We overlooked Smallmouth Bay which appeared to be accessed only by boat. We were soon able to take a path towards the cliff edge again before dropping down to Sandy Bay. Our hotel for the next 3 nights, Sandy Cove Hotel had no access to the boulder-strewn beach. Just a hundred metres away was the main road with the bus stop, enabling us to return to Ilfracombe to collect our car. On that drive back we saw a great black-backed gull mobbing a buzzard over the sea. When we got back to the hotel and registered, the time was still early and we set out east again, walking (mainly on the road) to the cove at Combe Martin, returning the same way. Alongside the road there were many exotics like Chinese bramble, Leycesteria, and fuchsia. Ominous mists hung over the high Little Hangman hill beyond Combe Martin awaiting our walk next day. Over dinner at the hotel we were able to watch the sun set on this green eminence.
 
Common lizard
 
Giant hogweed
 
Chinese bramble



 

 


Smallmouth Bay

 
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