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The best rock pooling in the UK


Fancy wheedling out whelks, peering at periwinkles and spying starfish this summer? Here are some of the best places to find interesting things on the country’s rockier shorelines.

Before you set off:
If you’re going rock-pooling without a guide, always consult the tide tables. Visit www.bbc.co.uk/weather/coast/tides. The tide may look far out, but it comes in fast, so be careful. For a guide to safe rock pooling, go to www.uk-rpc.org.

Helford Passage, Cornwall
The Helford River winds its way into the Atlantic south of Falmouth, and on the north shore of the estuary is the pretty village of Helford Passage, home to the famous Ferryboat Inn. It’s a great spot for rockpooling at low tide, and if you want some help, on 25 July a special ‘seashore safari’ leaves from the pub, led by Cornwall Wildlife Trust officer Ruth Williams. Creatures you might find include beadlet anemones (their tentacles retract once out of the water) sea squirts (so-called because when you remove them from the water, they squirt the water out of themselves) and greenish sea urchins.
www.cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk/whatson/events_pages/Seashore_Safari.htm
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Bay of Grouville, Jersey
Some of the world’s biggest tidal ranges can be found on the island of Jersey – which means a feast of opportunity for rockpoolers. Seymour Tower, offshore from the Bay of Grouville, is surrounded by rocks. Walking across the sand bars, you’ll descend into the gullies and gutters that, when the tide comes in, are suddenly drowned in 9 metres of it. Jersey Walk Adventures organises walks to Seymour Tower, the most exciting being the nighttime Moon Walk. Guided by a local enthusiast, you’ll spot the phosphorescent glow of weird and wonderful creatures, and you may even see lobsters walking about.
www.jerseywalkadventures.co.uk
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Shoalstone Beach, Devon
The Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust is a guardian of wildlife along the English Riviera, and for those who like to see seashells by the sea shore, they provide rockpool rambles at various dates throughout the summer, either at Shoalstone Beach at Brixham, or Goodrington Sands at Paignton. The latter is home to the Trust’s dedicated Seashore Centre, where there are tanks displaying marine wildlife, interactive seashore displays and a video microscope for examining the little critters in more detail. Highlights you might find on a ramble include multicoloured jewel anemones and the ethereal, colour-changing Devonshire cup coral.
www.countryside-trust.org.uk
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Charmouth, Dorset
Part of Dorset’s world-famous Jurassic Coast, Charmouth’s Heritage Coast Centre organises Rockpool Rambles throughout the summer. Setting off over Broad Ledge at Lyme Regis, you’ll find all kinds of stuff in the pools left behind by the receding tide on the large, flat area of rock. You might see dog whelks feeding on mussels.