65 ftf kufig kf jrs6u5 fuf

Coastal special

CORNWALL, SUFFOLK, DORSET, HIGHLANDS + MORE!

FILE ISSUE 179 JULY 2021 £4.75

Tranquil shores Summer escapes to magical, crowd-free coasts

18 idyllic fishing villages Seafood, coast hikes and boat trips

Ellie Harrison: Beware the sea’s hidden power

AND SUNRISES Discover Northumberland: the UK’s best seaside walk OCEAN WONDERS OF UK WATERS + the best snorkelling sites for spotting wildlife

SURF’S UP Crafting wooden surfboards

CORNISH EDEN? Life in a tourist honeypot

SMALL BUT MIGHTY

>

Lightweight and Perfect for Travel

>

Comfortable 45° Viewing Angle

>

9-27 x Magnification

>

Extra-Low Dispersion (ED) Glass for Razor-Sharp Images

>

Waterproof and Nitrogen Filled for Added Weather Protection

Model shown Hummingbird 9-27x56mm ED Spotting Scope SRP £299.99 and Hummingbird Monopod SRP £44.99

The Celestron Hummingbird is well suited for birders, hikers and other wildlife watchers on the go.

The Celestron Hummingbird micro is small enough to fit in your pocket but powerful enough to deliver sharp, clear images with vivid, well-managed colour.

Ideally suited for travel due to its compact size and light weight, these spotting scopes are perfect as a more travel-friendly alternative to a full size scope.

For more information visit www.celestron.com Contact Celestron at enquiries@celestron.com

EDITOR’S LETTER

HOW TO CONTACT US To subscribe or for subs enquiries: Domestic telephone: 03330 162112 Overseas telephone: 01604 973720 Contact: www.buysubscriptions.com/ contactus Post: BBC Countryfile Magazine, PO BOX 3320, 3 Queensbridge, The Lakes, Northampton NN4 7BF

Rugged and remote Strumble Head in Pembrokeshire offers stunning coastal walks far from the crowds

A shore thing A confession. The coast isn’t my first choice for a countryside outing. I like freedom to roam to all points of the compass and the sea is an unarguable barrier to those on foot. And so I tend to head more for the hills.

Yet at the loosening of the lockdown in Wales at Easter, my first venture with the family was to Strumble Head in Pembrokeshire. After so long confined to the same four walls and their hinterland, I felt my head become lighter at the opening up of ocean views, big skies and endless craggy headlands. The coast rocks – and rocky coasts rock most. Many of us will be heading to the coast this summer to find the same blend of peace, headspace, beauty and sunshine. So this issue is full of pointers to quieter places where you won’t spend your days reversing along single-track lanes in order to get to a full car park (more about this on page 58).

On page 64, Julie Brominicks and Dixe Wills share their knowledge of off-the-beaten track coastlines, while our ‘Discover’ feature focuses on Northumberland (page 18), a big bold county whose castle-studded coast hasn’t been overrun by visitors since the Vikings turned up in the eighth century. As for exploring what’s beneath the waves, don a snorkel (page 54) and a whole world opens up (page 46). It’s enough to convert anyone to the joys of the coast.

To talk to the editorial team: Email: editor@countryfile.com Telephone: 0117 300 8580 (answerphone; please email rather than call) Post: BBC Countryfile Magazine, Eagle House, Colston Avenue, Bristol BS1 4ST Advertising enquiries: 0117 300 8815 App support: http://apps.immediate.co.uk/support Syndication and licensing enquiries (UK and international): richard.bentley@immediate.co.uk +44 (0)207 150 5168

Follow us on Twitter: @countryfilemag Follow us on Instagram: @Countryfilemagazine Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ countryfilemagazine Find us online for lots of bonus content: www.countryfile.com Download the official BBC Countryfile Magazine app from the Apple, Google Play or Amazon App Store.

Fergus Collins, editor@countryfile.com

DON’T MISS OUR POPULAR WEEKLY PODCASTS

Photos: Oliver Edwards, Getty, Dave Willis

A chance for a gentle escape into nature and the countryside.

You can find all 100 episodes at countryfile.com/podcast

THIS MONTH’S CONTRIBUTORS Peter Elia, page 18 “When one resident referred to the nearby Farne Islands as ‘the Geordie Galapagos’ we laughed, but it wasn’t just banter – we soon realised he had a point.”

www.countryfile.com

Julie Brominicks, page 64 “A theatre of rock invites you to the edge, to better views of a multitude of stacks, islets and reefs, swooping choughs and teetering goats.”

Elise Downing, page 38 “If you’re looking for a big adventure, I can wholeheartedly recommend the British coastline as the perfect place to find one.”

03

Contents

30 Handcrafting wooden surfboards

38 Meet the epic coast runner

Cover: 4Corners Photos: Dan Struthers, Oliver Edwards, Alex Mustard, Alamy. Getty, Mat Arney, 4Corners

46 Spectacular shots of our underwater wonders

MONTH IN THE COUNTRY

FEATURES

6 13 JULY IN THE COUNTRY

18 CASTLE COAST

How to craft a moth trap.

Make delicious breaded fishcakes.

Go on a seaside scavenger hunt.

On the cover

Six moths to spot this summer.

Set off on a seashore adventure with Peter Elia, taking in ancient castles, wide sandy beaches, salt-kissed villages and a wealth of wildlife – plus a kipper or two – on a hike along the wild Northumberland coast.

14 ON THE FARM WITH ADAM

30 MAKING WAVES

Saving the North Ronaldsay sheep to rejuvenate this Orkney island.

In a bid to make surfboards more sustainable, James Otter began crafting beautiful designs from British wood. Ten years later, his boards are in great demand among top surfers.

13 GARDEN MOTHS GUIDE

On the cover

ON YOUR COVER A walker follows the coastal path towards the old fishing village of Porthdinllaen on the Ll n Peninsula in Gwynedd.

04

38 COAST RUNNER

On the cover

On the cover

Despite little training, Elise Downing set off to run around Britain’s coast. After 5,000 miles, 301 days and seven pairs of trainers, she tells her tale.

46 UNDERWATER WONDERS

On the cover

Breathtaking images of the magical and extraordinary sea creatures to be found beneath our waves.

On the cover

54 TOP SNORKEL SPOTS

Grab a mask and some flippers and head to Britain’s best destinations for gazing below the water’s surface.

58 LIFE IN A HONEYPOT

On the cover

What’s it like to live in a pretty coastal village beloved by tourists?

Go behind the scenes in Mousehole with resident Tim Hubbard.

64 COASTS OF CALM

On the cover

From Ynys Gybi to Lunga, head off the beaten track to these unpopulated shores, where peace reigns supreme. www.countryfile.com

subscribe today and save with our special offer, page 28

64 Explore the coasts less travelled

18

54

58

Discover the wild beauty of the Northumberland coast

Britain’s best snorkelling sites

Life in a Cornish tourist hotspot

Great days out

REGULARS

PERFECT FISHING VILLAGES

16 COUNTRY VIEWS

95 BOOKS, RADIO AND TV

The sea that surrounds us and our wonderful coastline is embedded in our national identity, says Sara Maitland.

What to read and watch this month, plus inspiring books for children.

Have your say on rural issues.

A special offer for new subscribers.

102 SUMMER WALKING SHOES 43 JOHN CRAVEN

What to wear on coastal wanders.

Nature thrives when given free rein, so when it comes to our green spaces, let’s mow less and plant more.

106 QUIZ & CROSSWORD

44 BEHIND THE HEADLINES

113 NEXT MONTH

How the new Brexit trade agreement is changing UK fishing – and affecting our choices at the fish counter.

What’s coming up in the August issue.

92 READER PHOTOS Your Great Days Out in pictures. www.countryfile.com

76 Shipwrecks and sea shanties Cadgwith, Cornwall

80 Herring harbour Lower Fishguard, Pembrokeshire

98 YOUR LETTERS 28 SUBSCRIBE NOW!

On the cover

Test your country knowledge.

82 Fishing huts on stilts Walberswick, Suffolk

83 Ginnels and sands Runswick, North Yorkshire

84 Bay of plenty Ballintoy, County Antrim

86 Medieval seaport Blakeney, Norfolk

87 Welsh riviera Abersoch, Gwynedd

88 Taste of the tropics

114 ELLIE HARRISON We love to be carefree on the beach, but beware the hidden power of the sea even on the calmest day.

Plockton, Highland

90 Fishing village boat trips Top seven, nationwide

05

Photo: 4 Corners

JULY IN THE COUNTRY PICTURES › WILDLIFE › PEOPLE & PLACES › COUNTRY KNOW HOW › FOOD

COASTING FREE Sailing boats breeze over clear turquoise waters at the mouth of the Kingsbridge Estuary near Salcombe, before it opens into the English Channel. A drowned tidal river valley, the estuary lies in the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Across the water sits South Sands Bay – an unspoilt sandy beach sheltered from sea winds – and the poetically named Splatcove Point and Stink Cove.

POETRY OF KITE FLYING

Photos Naturepl.com, Alamy, 4Corners

“And now it hovers, tugs, veers, dives askew, Lifts itself, goes with the wind until It rises to loud cheers from us below.”

Seamus Heaney’s poem A Kite for Aibhín, written for his granddaughter, captures the simple joys – and nostalgia for childhood – in the act of kite-flying (here on a Norfolk beach).

10

ROCK ‘N’ ROLL

FISHY TALES

Layers of sandstone create swirling striated patterns in exposed cliffsides along the Northumberland coast, an area much studied by geologists.

These alternating layers of shale, siltstone, sandstone, and sometimes thin seams of coal, were laid down millions of years ago. For more on this beautiful coastline, see page 18.

Before Newquay became a surfer’s paradise and one of Cornwall’s tourist hotspots, it was a hub for fishing, tin mining and farming. Many small fishing boats still call the 19th-century stone harbour home. You can escape the busy beaches on a boat trip and have a go at rod-and-line fishing yourself, guided by an expert skipper.

SEABIRD SPECTACLE Great clouds of squabbling northern gannets (Morus bassanus) on the hunt for a fish supper off Bempton Cliffs in Yorkshire. During the breeding season, from April to October, these towering chalk cliffs host Britain’s largest mainland breeding colony of gannets, making it an internationally important site and a magnificent wildlife spectacle.

Puffins, fulmars, kittiwakes, razorbills, herring gulls and guillemots also nest on the cliff ledges, swelling bird numbers to nearly half a million.

PIER PERFECT The National Piers Society awards gold to Clevedon Pier for a record third year Earlier this year, the National Piers Society awarded its 25th annual prize to Clevedon, a Grade I-listed pier that was saved from demolition 50 years ago. It took 19 years to restore the pier to its former Victorian glory after its collapse in 1970 and today, with the help of a loyal team of volunteers, the 312m-long structure is the focal point of this North Somerset town.

“Three cheers for Clevedon as three-time winner of Pier of the Year,” said president of the National Piers Society, Gavin Henderson.

“This unique and elegant structure was our founder John Betjeman’s favourite. It is a fitting tribute to all the passionate local endeavour that refused to let it ‘dissapier’.”

Llandudno Pier in North Wales took silver in this year’s award, and Cromer Pier in Norfolk came third.

Listen to our podcast set on Clevedon Pier: pod.fo/e/220d8

FROM THE BOOKSHELF: TALES OF OUR SHORES

COASTLINES: THE STORY OF OUR SHORE

by Patrick Barkham A series of walks celebrating the beauty and wildlife of Britain’s varied coasts and the human and climatic challenges they face.

10

THE GATHERING TIDE: A JOURNEY AROUND THE EDGELANDS OF MORECAMBE BAY

by Karen Lloyd Telling the story of the people and lore of one of the most beguiling and dangerous stretches of coast in Britain.

RING OF BRIGHT WATER

by Gavin Maxwell The classic book about raising otters on the west coast of Scotland is also a paean to the natural enchantments of a remote shoreline and its daily wonders.

ESTUARY: OUT FROM LONDON TO THE SEA

by Rachel Lichtenstein An intimate exploration of the mysteries and histories of the Thames ‘delta’ by boat and through the stories of fishermen and mudlarkers. www.countryfile.com

Photos Alamy

7KH OLWHUDWXUH RI VKèHV LV DV YDULHG DV RXU FRDVWOLQH +HUH DUH IRXU UHDGV WR ZKHW ëH DSSHWLWH

MONTH IN THE COUNTRY

LU X U RY B R E A D E D S O L E B AY F I S H CA K E

By Darren Marriott, Sole Bay Fish Company Sole Bay Fish Company’s homemade fishcakes were invented to avoid waste from the fishmonger counter. The recipe has evolved over the years, resulting in a fresh and flavour-filled dish, ideal for a lazy summer lunch INGREDIENTS

• 1kg Desiree or similar ‘waxy’ potatoes • Sea salt and ground white pepper • 200g cod fillet, skinless and boneless • 100g smoked undyed haddock fillet, skinned and boneless • 100g peeled prawns, defrosted • 1 litre ice-cold water • Self-raising flour • 300g panko breadcrumbs METHOD

1. Wash, peel and re-wash the potatoes and cut into large chunks. Cover with cold water in a suitable pan and add a good pinch of salt. Gently bring to the boil and simmer for 18 mins. Drain the potatoes thoroughly, then mash while hot with a pinch of ground white pepper.

2. While the potatoes are cooking, cut the fish fillets into evenly sized pieces and place in a shallow tray with a splash of water in the bottom to prevent the fish from sticking. Cover with tin foil and bake in the oven (160°C or 140°C fan) for 15 mins. When the fish is cooked, drain off any excess liquid.

3. Combine the mashed potato, cooked fish and peeled prawns gently, so that you can see flakes of

fish throughout the mixture. Divide the mixture into 150g portions and mould with hands or using a burger press into approximately eight fishcakes.

Place the fishcakes in the fridge to set.

4. Put the ice-cold water in a large bowl and whisk in enough self-raising flour to produce a batter the consistency of double cream. Pour the breadcrumbs into a separate bowl. Dip each fishcake into the batter first, allowing any excess to drain off, then lay it in the breadcrumbs. Lightly pat the fishcake before turning over and repeating the process on the other side. Gently roll the edges of the fishcake in the breadcrumbs before placing it on a tray lined with greaseproof paper. Repeat with all the fishcakes, then place the tray in the fridge until required, or cover with cling film and freeze for a later date.

5. To cook, place the fishcakes on an oiled baking tray and drizzle over a little sunflower oil. Place them in a preheated oven (180°C or 160°C fan) for 20 mins (40 mins if cooking from frozen), turning halfway through. Ensure the fishcakes are piping hot, and serve with chips, tartare sauce and lemon.

Recipe from For the Love of the Sea

by Jenny Jefferies (Meze Publishing, £22, @fortheloveoftheland).

7 litres of ice cream consumed in the UK per person per year – that’s 10th in the world rankings!

Wise buy RECYCLED ADVENTURE KNIFE This compact little knife, made from fishing debris and ocean plastics collected from beaches around the Cornish coastline, is the perfect companion for a summer adventure, whether you’re camping, tramping or simply enjoying a picnic by the sea. £24, waterhaul.co

Countryfile on TV BBC ONE, 4 JULY, 7PM To mark the 150th birthday of Wimbledon and Putney Commons, Matt Baker and Ellie Harrison explore its 1,140 acres of woodland, heathland, scrub and ponds, just eight miles from central London. Matt saddles up to meet the common’s Mounted Rangers and their team of horses; Ellie searches the heath for rare and threatened moths, and Matt reveals the litter-picking legacy of the Wombles. Also, Tom Heap takes to the water to look at the issues behind the new Highly Protected Marine Areas.

11

RSPB REPORT

BIRDS FLYING HIGH wildlife experienced a great year on many of its reserves in 2020, a year of Covid-19 restrictions. Spoonbills – an extremely rare breeding bird in the UK – were undoubtedly one of the highlights of the report. Three pairs nested at RSPB Havergate Island, the first successful nesting of these birds in

Suffolk for at least 300 years. Great white egrets fledged an impressive 11 young at RSPB Burton Mere on the CheshireFlintshire border, and cattle egrets bred for the first time at RSPB Pagham Harbour in West Sussex. Roseate terns (pictured) enjoyed record numbers with 130 breeding pairs – the highest logged since the 1970s.

MOTH NIGHT 8 10 JULY HOW TO...

Identify, count and submit your moth findings this summer: mothnight.info

MAKE A MOTH TRAP

1

Peg your sheet on a washing line or hang it over a garden chair or tree branch.

12

2

Turn off all nearby lights, grab a blanket and settle down – you’ll need to be patient.

3

Shine your torch on to the sheet, or place a lamp behind it.

4

Wait for a few minutes (often longer) and identify the moths as they land. www.countryfile.com

Photos: RSPB/Tim Melling , Alamy, Getty, BBC. Illustrations: Enya Todd

There are almost 50 times as many species of moth in the UK as there are butterfly species. These often-colourful members of the Lepidoptera order are largely nocturnal, meaning your best chances of spotting them are at night. All you need is a few simple materials and some patience. You will need: white sheet • pegs • torch or lamp • washing line, garden chair or tree branch

MONTH IN THE COUNTRY

ID GUIDE : SIX MOTHS TO S P OT I N YO U R G A R D E N Now that you’ve made your moth trap (opposite), start identifying.

It’s also worth inspecting windowsills, fences, walls and leaves around the edge of the light halo, says Richard Jones

LIME HAWK

SWALLOW TAILED MOTH

Large; forewing length 23–39mm, scalloped wing edges. Variable in colours and patterns, with shades of pink, red, beige and green. Often in urban areas where the huge caterpillars feed on linden (lime) trees.

Large; forewing length 22–30mm.

Ghostly and pale. Pointed tail on hindwing has two dots, possibly to give the appearance of false heads.

The lemon-yellow fades to nearly white as the moth ages.

ABOVE Countryfile’s Sean Fletcher (right) and Adam Beales of Blue Peter visit the garden at Moira Primary School, County Down

Plant Britain campaign

LET’S GET GROWING GARDEN CARPET

OLD LADY

Small; forewing length 13–16mm.

One of many similar species, but with three dark-greyish blobs on the forewing rather than a bar; dark thorax contrasts with a pale abdomen.

Very large; forewing length 30– 36mm. Very broad wings make it look like a deranged handkerchief when it flies. Rests with wings at near right-angle. Often seen flapping on the outer ring of light.

HEART AND DART

BRIMSTONE MOTH

Medium; forewing length 15–19mm.

Background colour varies from pale to dark grey; heart mark varies from kidney to blob, and dart is rather short and stout. Sometimes appears in hundreds.

Medium; forewing length 14–21mm. Sulphureous yellow with orange/brown marks along wing tip. Dark-bordered pale dash mark floats near the front edge of its forewing.

www.countryfile.com

After the success of Countryfile’s Plant Britain treeplanting launch (more than 400,000 trees have been planted towards our 750,000 goal), the focus now falls on community gardens. The aim is to encourage communities across the UK to grow their own veg, to help revive our beleaguered wildflowers for our pollinators, and provide a much-needed balm for body and soul. And the goal? One new community garden created across the UK for every day of 2021.

Plant Britain’s overarching ambition is to help combat climate change, enhance wildlife and our own mental and physical wellbeing. And it couldn’t be more timely. Pulling together as communities and getting our hands dirty could be key to curing record numbers of mental health issues and of loneliness.

The idea of community gardens has its origins in hospital grounds – for patient wellbeing – and they have long been therapeutic. It’s time to embrace them again. Every plant makes a difference, from carbon capture and soil health to food miles, community spirit and the wellbeing of all creatures great and small. It’s never too late to do your bit.

Watch the Plant Britain special episode here: bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000pzlx And log your planting at plantbritain.co.uk.

13

2Q ëH IDUP ZLë

Adam Henson A REMOTE ISLAND AND ITS EXTRAORDINARY SHEEP

T

AN ADAPTABLE BREED But it was a different kind of creature that first drew me to the island as a small boy, and has seen me return in the decades since: the native breed of seaweed-eating sheep. In a BBC programme recorded on the island in the early 2000s, local naturalist Martin Gray described the North Ronaldsay

14

The unique North Ronaldsay sheep graze at low tide and exist almost entirely on a diet of seaweed breed perfectly: “They’re not very pretty, they’re a funny shape, short tail, short legs and they don’t flock – it’s every sheep for themselves.”

The dietary habits of this slender, primitive breed are an evolutionary wonder and a unique trait that never fails to fascinate. The story goes back almost 200 years when the then laird, John Traill, wanted to graze beef cattle and bigger, more profitable breeds of sheep on the fertile grass inland. So he banished the North Ronaldsay sheep to the shoreline and ordered the construction of a six-foot-high drystone wall, or sheep dyke, around the island to keep them out. The breed’s survival instinct is strong and, with nothing else to eat, their digestive system developed to exist on seaweed.

Whenever I hear about these remarkable animals, I’m

reminded of the great adventure I shared with my dad, Joe Henson, when I was just eight. As a rare-breeds conservationist, he knew the North Ronaldsay sheep could be wiped out forever if the island was struck by a natural disaster or an animal disease outbreak. So we went on a mercy mission to move 125 sheep to a new home on an uninhabited island called Linga Holm and we brought another 125 sheep back to start new flocks in England and the Channel Isles.

North Ronaldsay needs more people for the place to thrive and survive. Over the decades, the population has dwindled and homes have fallen into disrepair.

So, two years ago, a plan was launched to reverse the decline, attract more families and create a robust local economy. And the sheep are central to the scheme.

Within months, the first-ever sheep dyke warden and seaweed shepherdess was appointed to help preserve the wall, protect the rare breed sheep and promote both. The long-term vision is to grow demand for North Ronaldsay fleece so that the existing wool mill can provide more jobs and, in turn, bring a new generation of workers to the island.

I sincerely hope it succeeds.

If the islanders are half as determined as the sheep, they will have no trouble at all.

Ask Adam: What topic would you like to know more about? Email your suggestions to editor@countryfile.com

www.countryfile.com

Photo: A amy, Sean Malyon

he Cotswolds will always be home for me, but there’s a wild, untamed shoreline in a lonely corner of the UK that will have a special place in my heart forever.

North Ronaldsay isn’t a tourist hotspot, there’s no commuter traffic and it’s not even the sort of place you pass through en route to somewhere else. Hardly surprising when you realise Orkney’s most far-flung island is further north than the southern tip of Norway and closer to Oslo than London.

There’s an old saying: “You don’t go to North Ronaldsay, you get there.” It’s a beautiful, lowlying place with a huge expanse of sky, and because the island is only three miles long and two miles wide, you’re never far from the wind and waves. The foreshore has an almost magical attraction – there are sandy bays and long stretches of white beach but also rugged, rocky coastline.

It’s an environment that attracts a vast number of migratory birds as well as seals, orcas and even the occasional walrus.

WIN A CRUISE WORTH £5,000!

You could have a memorable Marella Cruise to look forward to...

The competition runs from 17 May to 31 October 2021, and one lucky winner will win a whopping £5,000 voucher to spend on a stunning Marella Cruise of their choice.

From glistening glaciers to tropical shores, there are so many places to explore with Marella Cruises.

Whether it’s a modern, all inclusive cruise you’re interested in, or an intimate and cosy one, there’s a ship to suit. You can expect state-of-the-art facilities like spas and cinemas, along with cruise classics such as UVW FODVV HQWHUWDLQPHQW DQG VRSKLVWLFDWHG GLQLQJ 3OXV XQOLNH PRVW FUXLVH OLQHV 0DUHOOD LQFOXGHV WLSSLQJ and service charges in its prices, so you don’t have to worry about paying extra.

For a chance to win, visit bit.ly/win-marella UK residents, 18+. Closes 23.59 31/10/21. Full T&Cs can be found at http://bit.ly/marella_terms

OPINION

Sara Maitland The sea is a profound element of British identity Illustration: Lynn Hatzius

A little south of Coton in the Elms in Derbyshire is Church Flatts Farm, which has the distinction of being the furthest place from the sea in the UK– it is 70 miles from the coast, or 45 miles from the nearest tidal water.

This is in contrast to the Dzoosotoyn Elisen Desert in China’s Xinjiang province, which, at 1,644 miles from the coast, is furthest from the sea anywhere in the world. Or, put another way, it would be well-nigh impossible in the UK, unlike many countries, to live further than a day trip from the seaside.

The sea means a great deal to a great many British people, emotionally and artistically.

Partly, this may come from the fact so many of us went to the seaside for holidays and trips when we were young, and it is associated in our memories with both fun and family. Partly because the seas are profoundly tied up with our sense of national identity – beginning with the fact that every single British person is, in a real sense, an immigrant.

Although there may well have been humans in what is now Britain before the Ice Ages, they disappeared southward as the cold increased. When the ice retreated, Europeans migrated northwards into Britain (this was easier than it seems, because, until about 8,000 years ago, Kent was joined to Europe by a solid land bridge across what is now the Channel). More recently, the sea has protected us from 16

invasion and we have ventured across it to find riches and empire in new worlds.

The connection seems to exist at so many levels. And moreover, our seas and shores are lovely.

RHYTHM OF THE TIDES I grew up on a tidal estuary.

About a mile north of Kirkcudbright in Dumfries and Galloway, still within the huge tidal thrust of the Solway Firth, two rivers – the larger Dee and the smaller Tarff – meet, forming a sort of tidal lake with some boggy islands in the middle. Our home was just on the shore there, overlooking the endless tidal rhythm, which actively affected our lives. We could not take either our rowing boat or, later, our sailing dinghy out for quite a sizable part of the day, and that part, of course, changed as tides do from day to day. When we went to the beach we had to

Sara Maitland is a writer who lives in Dumfries and Galloway. Her works include A Book of Silence and Gossip from the Forest

choose the time carefully – sometimes there was no beach.

Sometimes the sea was too far away for little legs.

In my 50s, I went back to live at my childhood home for a couple of years and, perhaps for the first time, I became conscious that the movement of the tides affected not just the view, but the quality of the light as well. Sunlight, or even daylight, bouncing off wet, dark mud has a very different ‘feel’ from sunlight doing exactly the same thing off gently flowing water; the rhythm of the daylight combines curiously and – for me at least – very beautifully with the fluctuating rhythms of the tides.

Tides are genuinely mysterious, even magical. Until we understood clearly that the Earth both spins on its own axis and revolves around the sun, tidal movement was inexplicable.

And moreover, because there is no tide in the Mediterranean, there is no mention of tides in the Bible or in Egyptian, Greek and Roman mythology.

(Odysseus had plenty of problems trying to sail home from Troy, but none of them were caused by tidal pressures.)

Childhood joy, international protection, extraordinary complex beauty – and all are right at hand. Of course we love to be beside the seaside.

Have your say What do you think about the issues raised here?

Write to the address on page three or email editor@countryfile.com www.countryfile.com

It’s not only great oats that Jordans’ British oat farmers work hard to grow…

A

s part of the Jordans Farm Partnership, the farmers also dedicate at least 10% of their land to wildlife, among lots of other brilliant things. Read on to discover what the average day looks like for eighth-generation farmer Stephen Honeywood, who runs Halls Farm in Suffolk.

Morning It’s an early wake-up call for Stephen, whose alarm rings at 5.30am. While enjoying his morning cuppa, he savours the peace and quiet that comes with being the first one up – but it isn’t long before his working day begins. At 6.30am, he’ll rally the team for the morning meeting to plan the day’s work schedule, which can vary from planting the year’s pollen and nectar mixes to installing barn owl boxes.

Stephen, who lives on the farm with his wife Jude and their children, also regularly gets in touch with his Jordans Farm Partnership manager Juliet, from the Suffolk Wildlife Trust. While the pair would usually meet on the farm, they’ve been communicating via Zoom due to COVID-19. Since implementing their conservation plan, the farm is now home to 70 species of bird – just one of the many success stories!

Afternoon The mornings are often pretty busy for Stephen, so he’ll stop for lunch and catch up with his wife Jude at around 1pm. Then he’s back on the farm to continue the day’s work.

An important part of the job is monitoring the oat crops to ensure they’re doing well in the weather conditions. If a little uncertain about his crops’ development, he’ll set up a meeting with his agronomist

(plant doctor) to discuss what can be done. As well as growing oats for Jordans Cereals, Stephen and his family have also created Honeychop, a range of unique oat straw fibre feeds for horses and ponies. The range is lovingly crafted on the farm, with Stephen and his father, Robert, overseeing the production.

Evening At around 6.30pm Stephen calls it a day and heads into the house for dinner with his family – gammon with new potatoes and greens, followed by homemade apple crumble is a favourite in the Honeywood household! After eating together, Stephen loves nothing more than to head out for an evening walk around the farm with his wife. The farm’s hedgerows serve as bat flight paths between roosting sites in his old barn buildings, so it’s usually the optimum time to watch them circle overhead and catch a glimpse of the barn owls! Then it’s bed by 10pm after an early start and another busy day on the farm.

To find out more about what Jordans Cereals does for nature, visit jordanscereals.co.uk

Photo: Getty

Cross rolling dunes behind the white sands of Embleton Beach on the Northumberland Coast Path to reach the magnificent ruins of 14th-century Dunstanburgh Castle, one of several history-laden fortifications along the 62-mile trail. This varied route offers a constantly changing landscape, pretty coastal villages and two wildlife-rich national nature reserves

DISCOVER

DISCOVER

THE NORTHUMBERLAND COAST PATH With dramatic castles, wide beaches and warm hospitality, is Northumberland’s Coast Path one of the most distinctive walks in the world? Travel writer Peter Elia laces up his boots – and packs a pair of flip-flops – to find out 19

from the Northumberland coast, but my high hopes of a connection with the landscape remained the same.

he Northumberland coast may not be Britain’s best-known seaside destination, but the locals are fully aware of its beauty. When one resident, Dale, referred to the nearby Farne Islands as “the Geordie Galapagos”, we laughed, but it wasn’t just banter – we soon realised that he had a point.

This is a really special landscape.

The light-hearted nature of Northumberlanders such as Dale would provide an intermittent warmth throughout our journey – 62 miles of pathways along the North Sea coast between the village of Cresswell in the county’s south and the spectacular border town of Berwick-uponTweed on the Scottish frontier. And the locals have many reasons to be cheerful, whether it’s the rugged mix of romantic ruins rising above the golden-duned beaches or a surprise guest visit from a grey seal popping its head above water. The Northumberland coast has a beguiling nature, and comparisons can be drawn to the Cornish coast – but without the crowds.

Hiking along paths less travelled has been a passion of mine for many years.

My previous adventures in Kyrgyzstan, Greenland and Peru may seem a world away

T

20

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP Second World War anti-tank blocks and defensive pill boxes can still be seen behind Druridge Bay’s pristine sweep of white sand; clear signing makes any detours easy to navigate; the approach to the village of Amble takes you through beautiful rolling dunes

“I COULD SEE THE NORTHERN LIGHTS ON THE HORIZON, SWIRLING WITH DARK ORANGE AND YELLOW HUES”

From the cosy outpost of Cresswell’s Drift Café, Lisa – my hiking buddy – and I set off along the beach, each armed with a slab of chocolate tiffin. At least if it rained, we’d have something sweet to lift our spirits.

A wall of cloud greeted our first sandy steps along Druridge Bay, a broad, sweeping beach that stretches for seven miles to Amble. Rugged dunes and long blonde marram grass lay to the left and the formidable North Sea – although less angry than usual – on our right. Immediately, I felt myself relax: everything lay ahead of us, and with the sea always to the right and signs to mark any twists in the route, there would be little demand for navigation skills.

As the tide came in, we turned from the hard sand at the shoreline and climbed the dunes to join the official Northumberland Coast Path. At the attractive village of Amble, on the mouth of the Coquet River, I bagged a couple of pies for lunch from master butcher Peter Forsyth. I chose his celebrated ‘Northumbrian’, filled with lamb, turnip, onion and haggis, a delicacy they have eaten in these parts at least as long as the Scots. We ate them by the waterfront.

When were pies ever this good?

The coast path crosses the Coquet a mile inland at Warkworth. After 20 minutes beside the busy A1068, we found ourselves gazing at the impressive 12th-century Warkworth Castle, moated by a loop of the Coquet. Once a stronghold for the Percy family – the dynasty that dominated this county from the 14th century – the castle provided the setting for several scenes from Shakespeare’s Henry IV plays.

Soon the path rejoined the coast, giving a distant view of our destination, Alnmouth village – its brightly painted houses clustered on a steep hill cradled in a bend of the river Aln and surrounded by sand dunes. Fortunately, we arrived at Alnmouth Bay at low tide, when the Aln was shallow enough to ford.

Our first night’s accommodation was in Shoreside Camping Huts, an off-grid, solar-powered cabin just a pebble’s throw from the beach. Inside, I fired up the log burner while Lisa set the outside table for dinner. The sun finally began to peek through, briefly illuminating the flowering www.countryfile.com

Photos Alamy, Getty Peter Elia

DUNES AND DYNASTIES

Rowing on the River Coquet is made all the more romantic with the crumbling ruins of medieval Warkworth Castle as the backdrop. The first Earl of Northumberland, Henry Percy (1341–1408) transformed the castle with ambitious works, including commissioning the great tower, built in the shape of a Greek cross 21

thistles and goldenrods between our lodgings and the beach. I set my alarm for 5am, in the hope of witnessing a flaming east-coast sunrise. There’s something special about first light. Maybe it’s the possibilities of new beginnings, or perhaps it’s the comfort of waking up before most of the world and experiencing a moment that belongs solely to you.

Outside the hut the following morning, I could see the Northern Lights on the horizon, swirling with dark orange and yellow hues. Following this grand opening, a blanket of cloud then subdued the sunlight. Fortunately, all was not lost. Lisa brought me a hot cup of tea and the clouds lifted. Today was going to be one of the warmest days of the year.

By midday, Mediterranean-style heat had arrived. Our progress was slower than usual as we walked along craggy clifftops with the sound of waves crashing on the rocks below.

This was how I had imagined the north-east coastline: brimming with raw and abandoned energy – all the elements my body was now lacking. Fortunately, the fishing village of Craster was around the 22

TOP Overlooking Alnmouth, a solitary St Cuthbert’s Cross sits on Church Hill, said to be the site where St Cuthbert was chosen as the Bishop of Lindisfarne in 684 ABOVE Wake with the sun to witness a fiery dawn over the shores of Alnmouth Beach

corner, offering the chance to refuel on delicious fresh crab and plenty of liquids.

After lunch, we met fisher Neil Robson, whose family has been smoking the famous Craster kipper for four generations. He explained that the smokehouse process hasn’t changed – they have used the same traditional methods for 130 years. Neil proudly told us that his daughter Olivia was just as passionate as Neil’s ancestors www.countryfile.com

Photos Getty, Alamy, Peter Elia

SPECTACLE AT SUNRISE

The Craster family made improvements to the village’s charming harbour in 1904, in memory of Captain Charles Craster, who died in Tibet while serving in the British Army – look for his memorial on the harbour wall

about the business and would one day follow in the family footsteps. We exchanged elbow bumps and said our goodbyes, vowing to have a kipper breakfast before going home.

FREE AS A BIRD

CLOCKWISE FROM MIDDLE ROW, LEFT Wildflowers line the path to Craster; L Robson & Sons, home of the Craster kipper; Dunstanburgh Castle was built on the remains of an Iron Age fort www.countryfile.com

Within a short distance of the smokehouse lie the ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle. If ever a structure screamed haunting romanticism, this is it. Northumberland has more castles – 70 in total – than any other county in England, and surely none is more atmospheric than Dunstanborough.

We walked barefoot in the sand towards the old smugglers’ bay of Beadnell, the only west-facing harbour on the east coast of England. Our hiking day finished at the harbour village of Seahouses, the gateway to the ‘Galapagos’ – that is, the Farne Islands, famously teeming with seabirds.

With the knowledge that rain was on its way, we joined a sunset boat cruise around the islands. It was worth it, despite the weather – watching the last-remaining puffins of the season heading out to sea on their migration and guillemots tightly packed together on steep ledges gave us a fantastic insight into the lives of these wondrous birds.

23

village of Belford, I decided to shorten my route and return to the coast by taxi.

Perhaps I had been missing the romantic castles or the raw energy of the sea, but when the taxi reached Beal Causeway, it was like returning home. Maybe this was the moment when I connected with the landscape – or rather, seascape.

HAUNTING HOLY HISTORY

COASTLINE AND CASTLES The walk across three miles of golden sand from Seahouses was dominated by the looming presence of Bamburgh Castle. Its appearance – perched on a large rock – became more dramatic with each step.

Victorian industrialist William Armstrong bought the castle in 1894 then restored it, and it is still owned by his family. The fortress is conveniently integrated within the Northumberland Coast Path and is open to the public. I strolled around the castle grounds, before entering to gaze at the impressive King’s Hall, with its magnificent false hammerbeam ceiling made of teak.

From the mudflats of Budle Bay, the coast path heads inland, looping west and north through farmland and woodland. There are still inland detours like this along several stretches of the English coast; the process of approving and making a new coast path along the shores of Fenham Flats to Holy Island is a work in progress. Initially, I welcomed a different landscape, but when, after five miles or so, I reached the quiet 24

“THE LOOMING PRESENCE OF BAMBURGH CASTLE BECAME MORE DRAMATIC WITH EACH STEP”

Peter Elia is a freelance journalist and photographer. He loves to document his travels on his Instagram account, which continues to grow with over 80,000 followers. @themanwhohikedtheworld www.countryfile.com

Photos Alamy, Getty

We arrived at our hotel a little weary after an eventful day. Lisa’s foot had developed blisters and she needed a recovery day, so the next day, I would hike alone.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP Fishers now store their lobster and crab pots in the old lime kilns at pretty Beadnell Harbour; Lindisfarne Castle was built in the 16th century using stones taken from the ruins of Lindisfarne Priory; from April, puffins return to the Farne Islands to breed, leaving again by late July

After a night in Beal’s Lindisfarne Inn, our final day got off to a great start: Craster kippers for breakfast. Happily, Lisa’s foot had improved, too. With just 11 miles to our journey’s end, we decided to spend the morning on Holy Island, or Lindisfarne, which was settled by Irish monks in 635 and became a key site in early English Christianity. Holy Island is cut off twice a day from the mainland by fast-moving tides, leaving us with just a few hours to visit.

Crossing the causeway felt like entering a lost world. The island, prey to Viking raids from the 8th century, brings history to life with the majestic ruins of a 12th-century priory built on the site of the early monastery.

A meandering cobbled path leads up to impressive Lindisfarne Castle. In 1903– 1906, architect Edwin Lutyens converted this 16th-century fort into a grand holiday home for the publisher Edward Hudson.

Back on the mainland, we set off along the coast path to our final stop, Berwick-UponTweed. Like most of the trail, the track was almost flat. We took refreshments at the 19th hole of a golf club and befriended a herd of Aberdeen Angus cows who appeared to be walking in the opposite direction.

After passing the Victorian promenade of Spittal, we followed the estuary into Berwick. Four gorgeous days filled with beaches, castles, wildlife and local dishes left us wishing we could have continued our walk across the border into Scotland, but it was almost time to head home.

We had one more person to meet: Derek Sharman MBE, also known as ‘Derek from Berwick’, who gave us a fascinating guided tour of the city’s Elizabethan walls. Derek revealed Berwick has changed hands between the English and Scots 15 times in its volatile history. A remarkable fact to conclude an extraordinary journey. CF

One of the largest inhabited castles in England, Bamburgh has a fascinating history spanning 1,400 years. In the sixth century, the Northumbrian kings chose to site their capital on this mighty escarpment, building fortifications and, later, a monastery

COVID-19

NOW GO THERE

Where to eat and sleep along the Northumberland Coast Path, by Peter Elia

Please abide by Government advice on travel, and remain at home if recommended to do so. The information on these pages is meant to assist you once restrictions have been lifted.

CAFÉS

14 7

2

6

1 Scott’s of Alnmouth A café and deli, beautifully designed Scott’s offers freshly prepared breakfasts and lunches (ideal for picnics), great coffee and tasty treats. Lots of veggie and vegan options, too. scottsofalnmouth.com

13

5 12

8 2 Pilgrims Coffee House, Holy Island In the walled garden of a lovely property, Pilgrims serves up excellent quality coffee that they roast themselves. They also offer a hearty selection of pies and delicious cakes. pilgrimscoffee.com 11

Map Laura Hallett Photo Peter Elia

10

GETTING THERE Going to Cresswell: advance single from London to Widdrington (change at Morpeth) from £22.50; 0345 722 5333, lner.co.uk. From Widdrington Station, take the Line 1 bus operated by Arriva North East direct to Cresswell. arrivabus.co.uk/north-east/ Coming back from Berwick, the train station is within walking distance of the town centre. Advance single from Berwick to London direct, £22.50; lner.co.uk 26

3 Lowry’s at the Chandlery, Berwick The breakfast after the hike before! A real crowdpleaser with a great quayside location and offering everything from a hearty full English to fantastic coffees and cakes. facebook.com/Lowrysatthechandlery

www.countryfile.com

RESTAURANTS

6

4

7 8 The Jolly Fisherman, Craster This historic inn oozes with seaside character.

Homemade specialities include crab soup and the famous Craster smoked kippers. There’s also a large selection of real ales and roaring open fires on chilly nights. thejollyfishermancraster.co.uk

ATTRACTIONS 4 Boat cruises ‘Serenity’ at Seahouses operates guided wildlife tours around the Farne Islands. This small family-run company also offers seasonal tours, such as dolphin- and whale-watching and trips at sunset. farneislandstours.co.uk

Castles Marvel at the grand King’s Hall, explore the castle grounds and admire the striking sea views at Bamburgh Castle. bamburghcastle.com Other castle favourites include Dunstanburgh and Warkworth.

6 The Holy Island of Lindisfarne Explore the impressive priory ruins – don’t forget to check the tide times. hiol.co.uk To get there and back, you can walk along the Pilgrim’s Way or catch the 477 bus. bordersbuses.co.uk 7 Historical walking tour Berwick-Upon-Tweed has a unique and colourful history. Learn more on a fascinating walk around the town’s Elizabethan fortifications with Derek Sharman MBE (pictured). explore-northumberland.co.uk

9 The Queens Head, Berwick Contemporary elegance in the old part of town. This restaurant serves great classics with a modern twist. Try the home-cured salmon, and finish with the lime and coconut pannacotta. queensheadberwick.co.uk/restaurant

PLACES TO STAY

10

Barnacre, Longhirst

11

Shoreside Huts, Alnmouth

12

Bamburgh Castle Inn, Seahouses

13

The Lindisfarne Inn, Beal

Berwick YHA, Berwick-Upon-Tweed

A beautiful family-run cottage just outside of Cresswell.

Perfect for an overnight stay for walkers before starting the coast path. Doubles from £80 per night. Note, there is no accommodation in Cresswell Village. 01670 790116, barnacre.com

Artistically designed camping huts overlooking the beach.

Each cabin has a log burner, super-comfortable double bed, small kitchen and toilet.

Prices from £80 per hut (minimum two-night stay).

01665 830554, alnmouthhuts.com

This friendly waterfront inn has an elevated beer garden with amazing views of the Farne Islands. There’s even a spa and swimming-pool area for guests. Prices from £99 for a double. 01665 720283; inncollectiongroup.com/ bamburgh-castle-inn

A traditional country pub with comfortable rooms. This inn is ideally situated on the edge of the mainland causeway overlooking Holy Island.

Doubles from £80.

01289 381223; inncollectiongroup.com/ lindisfarne-inn

Located on the quayside beside the River Tweed, this unique youth hostel mixes modern and original features and has a quirky Tower of Pisa-like lean. Rooms are basic and clean. Doubles from £39. 0345 3719676; yha. org.uk/hostel/yha-berwick

www.countryfile.com

14

27

Save when you subscribe To the digital edition

Available from

BBC Countryfile Magazine takes you on dozens of thrilling journeys into the countryside every issue, through thought-provoking features and guided walks into enchanting landscapes. With stunning photography and the finest line-up of rural writers in the land, it’s your monthly escape to rural bliss.

Don’t miss Surfing makes its Olympic debut at this year’s games in Tokyo from 23 July– 8 August. Catch all the action with the BBC.

MAKING WAVES In his Cornwall workshop, James Otter makes surfboards the traditional way – from wood grown in UK forests Photos: Mat Arney

t’s still fresh in my memory: the feeling of making my first wooden surfboard. There was the excitement of what I was making; the fact I was going to play in the ocean with it. Then at last walking into the water with my new board and riding the final pulse of energy as waves that had travelled thousands of miles folded and carried me with them as they crashed to the shore. All on a piece of wood that I had shaped myself, by hand.

It was my final year at university and I swore to myself then that this was going to remain a part of my life in some shape or form forever. I never looked back.

Making that first board had brought together two of my great loves: for the sea, and for trees. I grew up in Buckinghamshire, a long way from the ocean, but thankfully each summer we would make a family pilgrimage to the Cornish coast. It was on these holidays that I had my first taste of playing in

I

the energy of the surf, experiencing the exhilarating feeling of being carried towards the beach by the rolling waves.

From the first ride, I was hooked.

My other great passion was trees. As long as I can remember, I have had an affinity with woodlands. When you walk among trees, you’re transported to another world. The smell of the earth, the sound of the branches swaying in

CAREER OF THE HEART Following my father’s mantra – “Stick to what you enjoy and you’ll end up doing something you love” – I took a degree in designing and making at Plymouth University.

Most of my time was spent learning to make furniture, but I took any chance I could to head over the Tamar Bridge and back to Cornwall, to the coastline I’d grown so fond of during my childhood.

There I explored and learned more about where would be good spots to surf in the ever-changing weather conditions that sweep through the south west of the UK. Cornwall is fortunate to be a peninsula that pokes out into the North Atlantic, and is exposed to more swell than the rest of mainland Britain, with the exception of Scotland’s northern shores, which are considerably colder. As a result, surfing first took a real hold on this corner of the country and the coastline is

“Making that first board had brought together two of my great loves: for the sea, and for trees” the wind and the crunching of leaves underfoot all bring about a sense of calm and wonder.

It felt natural for me to explore the connection I felt with trees, so, in my early teens, I began crafting things from wood, from skate ramps to walking sticks and everything in-between.

1 James Otter uses a block plane to shape a surfboard 2 Working on a custom surfboard with an inlay of the map of the Philippines 3 Thin strips of wood run along the rail of a surfboard, from nose to tail 4 The skeleton framework of the popular Woodburner, a high volume fish-shaped board 30

www.countryfile.com

1 2

4

3

31

5 6

7

8

LIFE IN CORNWALL Living in Cornwall has its challenges, but with the beauty of the outdoors that we have on our doorstep, we never feel like we’re the ones missing a trick. The pace of life and general attitude of those who live here make it feel far more like home than I ever felt growing up near the hustle and bustle of London. I’m lucky that my sister, mum and dad have moved this way, too, so we have family around to support us as our children grow up. Mum and dad come from a background in accounting, so it helps to have their hand in the running of a business, too.

I’m definitely a maker who is an accidental businessman, rather than the other way around.

intrinsically linked to the history of surfing in this part of the world.

When the time came to leave university in 2009, I wasn’t alone. I was with my girlfriend (now my wife and mother to our two children), and we had two options. It was either head back home for a life around London, or throw caution to the wind and try and make a life for ourselves in Cornwall.

We loaded our car and followed the setting sun. The ocean was calling.

EARTH SURFING

The first question was where to source the wood. Which species of timber grew locally that were relatively lightweight? Western red cedar and poplar provided my starting point. Over the years, I’ve developed relationships with the foresters managing the woodlands where we source our timber, so we can fully understand the whole life cycle of the trees we use and ensure the woodlands we support are biodiverse, healthy environments. Stewardship of the land was fundamental to the start of my journey and has remained a core value ever since.

The next question was how to make a surfboard that could compare in weight and performance to foam boards, but that could by far outlast them. While researching how to make lightweight and strong structures, I found a method that had been developed in the 1920s by Californian Tom Blake – a skin-andframe technique, which I still use today, albeit a little more refined than the boards from almost a century ago.

But what about performance in the water? The first dozen or so surfboards were all about trial and error. Initially, I felt compelled to

“I felt I could make something longerlasting and from sustainable, planetfriendly materials”

Typically, surfboards are made from polyurethane foam, polyester resin and fibreglass and I had found that these boards – the ones I grew up using – simply weren’t made to last and started deteriorating beyond repair after only a couple of years. Being solely made of petrochemicals, there was then no way of recycling or repurposing them at the end of their life.

As someone who was in love with woodlands, the ocean, the health of our planet and making things, I felt that I could create something longerlasting and from sustainable, planetfriendly materials.

HOW TO MAKE A SURFBOARD All of our surfboards start as planks of raw timber straight from the sawmill. We process these into several elements that are brought together to make a hollow wooden blank.

We start by making a bottom skin, that we glue an internal framework on to. We then build up the rails (sides) of the surfboard with a series of thin strips that run from the nose to the tail. We then have another skin of wood that is fixed on top of the frame and rails to close the blank up. This is then shaped back to the desired final form; the part you might have envisaged when I talked about using a hand plane (below) to shape our surfboards.

We then apply a single layer of fibreglass and bio-epoxy resin to seal the boards and make them tough enough for a lifetime of use.

5 A surfer shapes his own board in the workshop 6 A fixed wooden fin, made to match the surfboard 7 James (second from right) and a group of surfers with their finished handmade boards 8 Surfer Gideon Ashworth puts a 7’4” Island Hopper board to the test at Gwithian Beach, Cornwall www.countryfile.com

33

SKILL SHARING

ABOVE Otter Surfboards’ 2018 Annual Gathering of Makers (AGM) at Gwithian Beach, Cornwall compare my surfboards to the foam boards that most people were using.

My wooden boards would almost always feel slightly heavier under your arm – and a world apart in the water, with a different glide and momentum to them than anything I had ever experienced.

After two years of studying as much as I could, meeting and learning from traditional surfboard-shapers, and a serious amount of testing, I decided to embrace that difference and look to follow surfboard shapes and designs that would suit being made out of wood: smaller twin-fins, mid-length single fins and traditional longboards.

At last we were at a point where I was happy to start selling my surfboards, so by the end of 2010, Otter Surfboards was official, complete with order book and everything.

NEW CONTENDER After nine years of experience, we teamed up with professional surfer Alan Stokes (three times British champion) in 2019 to explore the performance possibilities of our wooden surfboards by replicating one of his favourite boards. To see him surfing a board we had made for him out of wood, using the process we have refined, to the level he was able to, was absolutely mind-blowing and he was excited by it too, completing manoeuvres he had never been able to do before.

This has really brought into question where the limit of performance of wooden surfboards actually is. For so many years, I had thought that the world of high-end competitive surfing was completely separate from what we did, and now I’m not so sure.

Over the past 10 years of running Otter Surfboards, the way we make our surfboards has evolved into a refined, intricate and yet simple process. Each step follows neatly from the last, until, after 70–80 hours of work, you have a finished, hollow wooden surfboard.

We have even started five-day workshop experiences, where we guide people through the making of their own wooden surfboard. Sharing our process is the best part of my ‘job’.

I had originally envisaged my life as a furniture maker, being one man in a shed making individual custom pieces.

But with our surfboards, the ability to share experiences with our customers is so much more than just making.

We see people grow in confidence, discover skills they never knew they had, share laughter, tears and tea; we make people smile and we make good friends. It’s not really about crafting surfboards at all.

Making something that you treasure and enjoy can be so empowering, eye-opening and moving. Sharing that with customers is the most rewarding part of what we do and it’s why we all know we’re more than just a business that makes wooden surfboards. CF

Do/Make: The Power of Your Own Two Hands by James Otter is published by Do Books, £8.99. thedobook.co

SURF CORNWALL The seven best places in Cornwall to try surfing or see surfers in action 1 FISTRAL The home of surfing in England, and for good reason. This great beach in the centre of Newquay has multiple peaks (the highest part of the wave and the ideal place for surfers to take off).

2 PORTHLEVEN Cornwall’s premier reef break. An excellent wave that suffers from crowds with a tight take-off zone. Spectators can watch from the harbour pier and get really close to the action.

3 SENNEN The beach closest to Land’s End. A golden stretch of sand that gathers any swell that heads our way.

4 ST IVES A northerly facing beach backed by artist studios at the Tate St Ives. A good choice if a little shelter is needed and the wind has a bit of south in it.

5 WATERGATE BAY The beach from my childhood. A wide sandy bay with dramatic cliffs at either end.

Postcard-worthy views.

7 PORTHTOWAN 6 My home break. The currents can be • Padstow unforgiving to beginners, but the waves pack an exciting punch.

5 There’s also the Blue Bar to 1 Newquay grab a beer in afterwards as you watch the sun go down St Austell • over the sea.

7 • Truro • Redruth 4

6 POLZEATH A friendly beach break that offers a little more protection than more westerly facing beaches.

Penzance • Close proximity to Rock and Padstow have made 3 this one of Cornwall’s most visited beaches.

Falmouth • 2 • Mullion

34

ENGAGE WITH NATURE No matter what you're looking for, Bushnell products come standard with a reputation for excellence and 70-plus years of innovative thinking. From birding, camping, fishing, spectator sports, stargazing to every outdoor activity imaginable, our products enhance the enjoyment of your outdoor pursuit. Wherever you roam,

Bushnell optics are purpose built to help you experience every moment to its fullest and our commitment to outstanding customer service is unmatched.

Your enthusiasm combined with our dedication have made Bushnell the most recognized and reputable sports optics brand in the world.

Bushnell products are available at leading stores including: Camera Centre UK | Camera Centre Dublin | Cley Spy | Clifton Cameras | Gardenature | NatureSpy | NHBS | One Stop Nature Shop | The Birders Store | Uttings | WEX Photo Video Transcontinenta UK Ltd. | Distributor Bushnell | www.transcontinenta.co.uk

Growing good habits

The future of farming With British agricultural practices becoming greener all the time, there’s a switch we can make to help our homes become greener too

A

griculture plays such a WMKRM GERX TEVX MR XLI &VMXMWL economy. We’re blessed [MXL QEKRM GIRXP] ZEVMIH and fertile landscapes that allow us to produce all sorts of goods, from food crops to everyday materials such as building timber. However, it’s become clear that industrialised farming can often have a negative environmental impact, not only due to the sheer amount of resources like water

needed to grow crops, but also the carbon emissions associated with livestock.

As the British farming industry is now experimenting with modern methods to decrease its carbon footprint without affecting the farmers’ yields, what changes can we as individuals make to lessen our environmental impact? Read on XS RH SYX LS[ VIUYIWXMRK E WQEVX QIXIV installation from your energy supplier could help you do just that.

As much as 72 per cent of the UK’s land is used for agriculture, most of which is dedicated to growing cereals such as wheat. So it should come as no surprise that such an important national industry has a huge role to play in helping the country meet its Net Zero emissions target for 2050. But for farmers, the big question has always been how they can minimise the environmental impact of their trade without suffering reduced returns.

Interestingly, one of the biggest investigations of its kind – a study that reviewed over 5,000 pieces of research – found that in the majority of cases, greener farming practices boosted the local biodiversity without cost to farmers’ yields. And in some examples, the yields actually improved as a consequence.

Practices like agritech, which use XIGLRSPSK] XS MQTVSZI XLI IJ GMIRG] and output of agriculture, have the opportunity to revolutionise the farming industry in the near future. Agritech, or precision agriculture, is still in minimal, experimental use in the UK, but it’s being piloted by Harper Adams University at the Hands Free Hectare project. Its goal is to XIWX XLI HMJJIVIRGIW MR ]MIPH ERH IJ GMIRG] when farming practices such as sowing and harvesting are automated.

The future’s smart Making innovative changes towards a more sustainable farming industry could have a huge impact on the country’s carbon footprint. But what can we as individuals do? Requesting a smart meter installation from your energy supplier can help you take control of your energy bills, shrink your carbon footprint and help move XLI GSYRXV] FI QSVI IRIVK] IJ GMIRX The smart meter’s in-home display shows you in near-real time how much energy you’re using around the home, so when you start making switches like YWMRK IRIVK] IJ GMIRX 0)( PMKLXFYPFW or turning your electronic devices fully off instead of leaving them on standby, you should start to see the difference.

And as well as saving you money, these devices can help you do your bit for the environment too. That’s because the information they provide will assist Great Britain’s energy system in becoming more adept at managing supply and demand in different areas, and make better use of renewable energy like wind and solar.

What’s more, in the future, smart meters may even be able to interact with the smart technology in our homes and provide electricity when it’s at its cheapest and cleanest, ready to store up for use.

Why get a smart meter?

As Britain advances towards a more environmentally friendly future, every industry and every individual will need to play their part, so whether it’s the introduction of agritech, cutting down on single-use plastic or using less energy around the home, the future has the potential to be much bolder and greener.

Some 50% of smart meter owners think their gas and electricity use has reduced since they had a smart meter installed

The average UK household spends an estimated £35 per year leaving electronic devices on standby

If every UK household took action on energy efficiency now, we could save up to 54 million tonnes of carbon dioxide

Join the energy revolution and contact your energy supplier to request a smart meter.

For more information, visit smartenergygb.org

MEET THE

COAST RUNNER With little prior training, Elise Downing set off to run 5,000 miles around the coast of Great Britain. What did she learn about our coastline – and about herself?

Words: Elise Downing Photos: Oliver Edwards t was early February, and I was the best part of 1,000 miles into my journey. More than three months after leaving London, I found myself running along the coast path that hugs the edge of Exmoor National Park, and all was well. Yet in a moment’s time I would face a neardeath experience.

The day had begun in the pretty seaside town of Lynmouth in Devon. Now I was just a few miles from the Somerset border, where, as for so much of the South West Coast Path, the trail sits right at the edge of the land, snaking around the cliffs.

The sky was grey, heavy clouds hanging low and opening periodically. Around lunchtime, as I neared Porlock, the sun broke out for a few moments and as it did, a herd of Exmoor ponies rounded the corner and ran towards me.

The track suddenly felt impossibly narrow. I looked from side to side, where the cliff dropped away to my left and rose up sharply to my right. There was nowhere to go. This was it, I thought.

I

I was about to get trampled. I contemplated my certain death.

Then, half a second later, the herd parted like the red sea and swept around me, somehow staying upright on those near-vertical slopes. I’m sure I felt the bristle of their coats against my arms. While I had panicked, the ponies had known exactly where to go, dancing over the steep drops. It was a stark contrast to my own feelings of incompetence, which I was battling with daily.

NOVICE RUNNER When I tell people I’ve been on a 5,000-mile run, they tend to get the wrong idea about my athletic abilities.

That’s understandable – it does sound like a long way. But I wasn’t much of a runner before I set off in November 2015. At the point when I decided to run around the coast of Britain, my running CV had been made up of little more than one disastrous marathon dressed as a purple crayon, where I suffered for a solid eight miles and a child heckled me as “the crying crayon”.

ABOVE, INSET Elise ran 5,000 miles around the UK OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP On the South West Coast Path at Salcombe, Devon; she raced through seven pairs of running shoes en route; the run afforded novel perspectives on life; Elise carried camping kit in a backpack 38

ABOVE LEFT Heading to Bantham on the South West Coast Path ABOVE RIGHT Tired feet enjoy the Devon surf, a refreshing change from trainers

CATTLE: CLOSE ENCOUNTERS

Photo: Alamy

I could rave about the British coast all day, but its one downside is there are a lot of cattle fields scattered around it. I didn’t even realise I was scared of cows before that trip, but it’s a fear that I didn’t get over at all during my journey and has only got worse since. I would go to almost any lengths to avoid them, adding on all sorts of weird and wonderful detours involving scaling hedges, electric fences and bogs. I tried to go to a ‘Meet the Cows’ tour at a dairy farm I passed to overcome the fear, but they were just for children apparently. Any other opportunities for some kind of immersion therapy, please do let me know.

40

Yet despite my lack of experience, there was something about longdistance running that appealed to me.

I avidly read blogs of people running long distances. One day as I sat at work, the idea to run around the country came from nowhere. I thought: well, if these other people can do it, then surely so could I. This logic was misguided. The people I was following were slightly more experienced. Anna McNuff, for instance, who was then running the length of New Zealand, was an ex-GB rower and the daughter of two Olympians.

Meanwhile, my own sporting history had involved sitting in the car outside the athletics track while my brother trained, begging my mum to take me to McDonald’s.

But the thing about a 5,000-mile run is that, while it sounds impressive, it is actually the sum of lots of manageable parts. At the start of my journey, I was regularly running less than 10 miles per day. Link up lots of fairly modest runs in one long chain and, eventually, you will find you have done something – like run around a country. And I truly believe that if I can run around a country, then almost anyone can.

STARTING LINE I set off carrying a tent and sleeping bag on my back, intending to camp for the whole journey. There was no way I could afford to do it otherwise. But along the way, I experienced a domino effect of hospitality – friends of friends, people following my video diaries, running clubs, hostels and B&Bs during off-peak months – all getting in touch to offer me a bed. In the end I stayed with more than 200 strangers, pitching my tent for less than a third of the time.

I worried that I was cheating. Surely, a real adventurer would be camping in ditches, foraging for dinner and slaying bears? But the dictionary definition of adventure is “an unusual and exciting or daring experience” and I can confirm that being welcomed into so many people’s homes felt both unusual and exciting – and sometimes daring, too (the day I was served caramelised new potatoes and peaches as a dessert option, for instance).

No matter where I was sleeping, one thing was always the same. However grim a day had been or how many hours I’d been rained on, I knew there would come a point where I was sheltered, wearing a pair of dry socks and drinking tea. That made it all worth it. www.countryfile.com

COASTAL RUNNER

ELISE’S COAST RUNNING ESSENTIALS I did start with a Jetboil stove, but I ditched that as I preferred to just eat cold food/buy a cup of tea than carry the extra weight.

• Osprey Tempest 30-litre backpack (a great pack for hiking but I’d choose a running specific pack if I were doing it again.

The Ultimate Direction Fastpack range is great!)

• Nordisk Telemark 1 tent • Mountain Equipment Xero 300 sleeping bag • Thermarest Neoair Xlite mat • iPad

• Battery pack • Phone • Lightweight waterproof coat • Lightweight down jacket • 2 x running tights (or 1 x leggings and 1 x shorts in the summer) • 2 x running T-shirts • Merino wool longsleeve base layer • Half-zip midlayer • 2 x pairs of socks • Running trainers • Hat • Buff

ABOVE Elise carried a lightweight one-person tent on her 301-day journey, but had never pitched a tent alone before embarking on her coastal run Of course, there were good moments on the trail too. Feeling like I was flying down a hill I’d just slogged up from the other side. The relief of winter finally ending and the days of storms, kneedeep bogs and 4pm sunsets being replaced by hot, dry spring days full of endless hours of daylight. The days when somebody came to run with me and I would spend a few hours chatting and laughing and eating ice creams rather than just being in my own head worrying about whether I was doing things ‘properly’.

Yet, by then, I was also growing more content in my own company. I realised that I could have an idea and set about making it happen and that, ultimately, it was my own two legs and nobody else’s that could get me to the end.

I was excited to finish, ready to get back to some sense of normality, to see my friends and my family again, have a choice of more than two T-shirts and eat some vegetables after the endless cake and pasta I had lived on.

The weeks and months that followed were difficult. I went from such a singular focus – just one more mile – to feeling aimless. People kept saying nice

Now, I’m happiest just squeezing in as much time outside as I can around my day-to-day life. Whether that’s cycling to the pub, running 5km with friends after work, wild camping on the weekend or a week of annual leave spent ticking off a long-distance trail.

In a way that I struggle to explain, everything just feels a bit better when I’m outside, and that’s true on any scale.

That said, if you are looking for a big adventure – whether for days, weeks or months – I can wholeheartedly recommend the British coastline as the perfect place to find one. It’s equal parts accessible and wild, from picture-perfect sandy beaches to rugged cliffs and rocky outcrops. I spent 301 days of my life exploring the British coast and I’m certain that I could spend another 3,000 days running our coast paths and still find something new to see. CF

“The days of storms, knee-deep bogs and 4pm sunsets were replaced by hot, dry spring days”

COMPLETING THE COAST The finish line was back in London and I made it there 301 days after starting, somehow relatively unscathed injurywise (with the exception of the backpack chafing, a daily battle from which I still have the scars) and having worn out seven pairs of running shoes. www.countryfile.com

things to me, but I felt a bit of a fraud.

As I’ve said, I truly believe that anybody could do what I did, and so surely I didn’t deserve the praise I was getting.

But the simple truth is that hardly anybody else has done it, and that’s all that ever sets apart somebody who could do something from somebody who has. You don’t have to be the best, I found, you just have to have a go.

‘Having a go’ doesn’t need to mean a huge, months-long adventure, though.

Read the full story in Elise Downing’s book, Coasting: Running Around the Coast of Britain – Life, Love and (Very) Loose Plans, published by Summersdale on 8 July. summersdale.com/sd-book/coasting Find out more about Elise at elisedowning.com 41

Brin lif to our rd n Bu Woodl nd Trust tr s to cr t h v ns for wildlif .

Fr d liv r on ll tr s.

S rch d n Woodl op h Trust S

now

shop.woodl ndtrust.or .uk/tr

s

Th Woodl nd Trust is r ist r d ch rit , numb rs. 294344 nd SC038885. Photo: B n L /WTML CP00069 05/21

COUNTRYFILE ISSUES

JOHN CRAVEN MOW LESS AND PLANT MORE TO HELP NATURE THRIVE ature isn’t Neat.”

What better slogan could there be for a biodiversity initiative that is transforming swathes of closely cropped public parkland into rich wildflower meadows in the Welsh county of Monmouthshire?

“Our once rather boring, uniformly green local park is now a colourful haven for bees and other pollinators,” I was told by one regular user. “All manner of life, including my family, is really benefitting from the change.”

Popping up amid the long grass in the county’s 100 hectares of parks are plants such as oxeye daisy, celandine, black knapweed, bugle and bluebell, as well as the usual dandelions and buttercups – but wilding doesn’t mean that traditional amenities suffer.

them regularly. The ragged look must have horrified those who insist on immaculate, weed-free manicured lawns but I liked it and decided that a largish area of my lawn will stay wild. Already there are more bees (and flowers I can’t identify) so I’m doing my bit for biodiversity.

N

Photo: Alamy

SCRUFFY BEAUTY “The challenge for us is finding the right balance between providing short grass where it is needed – such as in sports fields, recreational patches and picnic spots – and developing the environmental benefits of meadows,” says Mark Cleaver, who is in charge of the project.

“Managing for neatness wasn’t really achieving anything and we are bringing to the fore the beauty of scruffy edges.

In the early days, we received complaints about not enough mowing but now I think it is going the other way.”

Meadowland is being created around park boundaries, in www.countryfile.com

LET BRITAIN BLOOM

The benefits of managing parks for nature rather than tidiness are plain to see – wildflowers bloom joyously and insects thrive open spaces, under trees and on steep slopes. Pathways of mown grass are cut through to allow children to play and everyone to explore the new areas and enjoy the flowers, which fulfil their entire life cycles and regenerate.

Three special mowers have been bought – with grants from the National Heritage Lottery Fund and the Welsh Government – which are capable of cutting long grass when flowering is over and taking away the clippings. The funding also pays for schools and community groups to be told about ‘Nature Isn’t Neat’.

And volunteers are being recruited to spend 15 minutes each month measuring areas of meadow and logging the flowers and insects they find.

Plantlife’s ‘No Mow May’ campaign gave Monmouthshire’s parks a boost but it also made many of us realise how quickly our lawns go wild if we don’t tend

So, too, are thousands of people across the UK who have signed up to Countryfile’s Plant Britain project, which over two years aims to plant 750,000 trees – one for every child who started school in 2020. When I checked the website early last month, the figures were impressive – 434,611 new trees and well over a quarter of a million patches of flowers, plants, fruit and vegetables had been planted.

Plant Britain is just one way that we can invest in nature.

A recent report by the Wildlife Trusts says that such investment improves people’s lives, helps cut emissions and could play a major role in rebuilding the economy after the pandemic.

Monmouthshire is by no means the only authority to be wilding some of its public spaces and I, for one, would love the concept to spread nationwide. After all, since the 1930s, the UK has lost more than three million hectares of wildflower meadows – that’s an area one and a half times the size of Wales.

• Take part in Countryfile’s Plant Britain

campaign: plantbritain.co.uk Watch John on Countryfile, Sunday evenings on BBC One. 43

BEHIND THE HEADLINES

BRITISH FISHING AFTER BREXIT British fishing ports and resorts are still grappling with the changes that Brexit means for fishing exports. Can the British broaden their tastes to eat different – and more sustainable – species of fish caught in UK waters? Mark Rowe reports

25%

POST BREXIT ISSUES

of EU boats’ fishing rights in UK waters will transfer to the UK by 2026 Source: EU–UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement

UK WATERS EU WATERS

EU WATERS UK

EU WATERS

FRANCE

EU WATERS

THE BREXIT DEAL Before Brexit, the UK was part of the EU Common Fisheries Policy, which gave every fishing fleet from EU member states equal access to European waters. Many UK fishers voted for Brexit because they believed it could rebalance quota shares to reflect the resource in UK waters and would provide exclusive UK access to our territorial waters.

Under the EU–UK (Brexit) Trade and Cooperation Agreement, UK fishing boats do get a greater share of the fish from UK waters, but EU boats are still allowed to fish in UK waters, though their quotas are being 44

steadily reduced. In all, 25% of EU boats’ fishing rights in UK waters will be transferred to the UK fishing fleet over a period of five years. By this time, UK boats will have access to an extra £145m of fishing quota every year. The UK fleet can expect increases in quota for 57 out of the 90 types of fish caught in UK waters every year.

The UK will have the right to completely exclude EU boats after 2026 but the EU would be able to reciprocate, by denying UK boats access to EU waters or imposing taxes on exports of British fish to the EU.

Trade with the EU has been disrupted this year by the extra paperwork and border checks required after Brexit, with whole trailers of fresh fish and shellfish having to be checked, rather than just random samples. Vets are required to sign off each consignment and initially were taking up to six times longer than expected to do this.

The National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations (NFFO) described it as “an extended period of depleted and disrupted markets”.

Salmon farmers were hard hit by delays, due to the time it took to get Export Health Certificates for both wild-caught fish and farmed salmon under newly-required stipulations.

In January 2021, Scotland’s salmon farmers incurred losses of at least £11 million. In March 2021, the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation called for post-Brexit export paperwork to be simplified urgently and for the Export Health Certificate to be completely redesigned so that Scotland’s salmon producers can avoid further damaging delays.

£11m The losses incurred by Scotland’s salmon farmers since Brexit Source: Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation

www.countryfile.com

Photos Getty

NORWAY

NEWS HOW IS THE FISHING INDUSTRY FARING NOW? Most requirements remain in place but the largest companies have now whittled the processes down to a minimum of two hours, though in some cases more than four hours.

“The bigger companies are now getting on top of it,” said Jimmy Buchan, chief executive officer of the Scottish Seafood Association, “but the smaller and mediumsize companies are struggling – they simply do not have the capacity to pay people to

do nothing else but fill in forms. The sheer scale of paperwork makes it a bureaucratic nightmare. Those companies are looking to sell more into the UK domestic market, but that needs a long-term change in culture in this country to get people to eat more fish. We knew Brexit was coming and the UK and Scottish governments should have made that promotion and education a real priority.”

The smaller and medium-size companies are struggling... The sheer scale of paperwork makes it a bureaucratic nightmare Jimmy Buchan, chief executive officer of the Scottish Seafood Association

HOW MUCH IS FISHING WORTH TO THE ECONOMY?

ARE MORE FISH VARIETIES BEING SOLD IN THE UK?

Fishing is only a tiny fraction – 0.02% in 2019 – of the overall UK economy; the industry employed around 12,000 people in 2019 (down from around 25,000 in the 1980s). In 2019, there were 5,911 registered UK fishing vessels, which landed 622,000 tonnes of sea fish, with a value of £987m. Fish processing is a larger employment sector, with 353 fish processing sites around the UK, employing around 19,000 people.

Two of the biggest traditional exports to the EU have been rebranded by the Cornish Fish Producers Organisation in an attempt to attract British consumers. Prior to Brexit, about 1,000 tonnes of megrim sole was caught and brought into Newlyn, Cornwall’s biggest fish market, with 98% exported. About 85% of our spider crab catch was previously exported, mainly to Spain. However, these days, you may see Cornish sole (in reality megrim sole) and Cornish king crab (spider crab) being sold in restaurants, fishmongers and supermarkets. This is not a new strategy. In the 1990s, pilchards caught off Newlyn were successfully rebranded as Cornish sardines to make them appeal to consumers.

£987 million

The value of fish caught inside UK waters in 2019 Source: Marine Management Organisation

WHERE DOES THE CATCH GO?

333,000 The number of tonnes, nearly half of all the UK catch, exported to the EU in 2019 Source: Marine Management Organisation

A large proportion of fish caught by UK fishermen is exported because the British public has little appetite for certain species, such as monkfish, gurnard and mussels; such fish are in high demand internationally, particularly in the EU. In 2019, the UK fishing industry exported more than 333,000 tonnes of fish to the EU, which accounted for nearly half of the total catch of the UK fishing fleet and roughly three quarters of total fish exports from the UK.

CORNISH FISH

WHAT WAS THE STAND OFF IN JERSEY ABOUT? JERSEY

JERSEY WATERS

www.countryfile.com

Elements of the Brexit Trade and Cooperation Agreement are only now being properly understood by both sides.

The agreement is complicated and includes not just quotas of specific fish species but tonnage and the number of days they can fish. The NFFO describes the situation as “highly contentious and

imperfect”. In short, EU vessels fishing within UK (and Jersey) waters now require a UK (or Jersey) licence. They are eligible for a licence if they can meet qualifying criteria, mainly that they can demonstrate historic fishing activity. However, the length of time they’re now allowed to fish is often far less than the time they once had.

45

46

www.countryfile.com

PHOTOGRAPHY

Some of Britain’s most jaw-dropping wildlife lies beneath the sea’s surface.

As we flock to the coast this summer, the Marine Conservation Society shares inspiring images of these hidden treasures

ritain is blessed with some of the most wildlife-rich coastal waters in the world. Between Dorset’s eelgrass meadows and Scotland’s kelp forests, we have coral reefs with colourful communities of invertebrates and a wealth of fish, dolphins, turtles and some of the largest sharks on the planet.

But for those of us who are not seals – or even divers – this marvellous world lies tantalisingly beneath steely grey waves. If we are unaware of what is out there, it’s harder to feel moved to act to protect the creatures and habitats from pollution or destructive fishing

B

practices. So this summer the Marine Conservation Society is championing the work of intrepid diver-photographers whose works take us directly into the magical world of surfing seals, shoals of silvery pouting and even the sex lives of starfish – all described in the photographers’ own words.

The charity campaigns for clean seas and beaches, sustainable fisheries and protection of marine life. This year, it’s asking divers to report sightings of wildlife – from jellyfish to basking sharks – to help save Britain’s sealife. mcsuk.org/what-you-can-do/volunteering/ seasearch-diving

1. SEAL SURGE Loch Eriboll, Scotland,

by Kirsty Andrews “The grey seals here are not as accustomed to divers as in some other UK sites but it was fun to watch them enjoying themselves.

They were more comfortable in the surging waves than I was, as I clung to kelp to capture this photo.”

2 2. BLUE SHARK Penzance, Cornwall, by Alex Mustard “I’d only seen blue sharks in British waters once before, so was delighted to get the chance on a sunny late-September day in 2020. After a few hours, the sharks started arriving. As their numbers built up, they became more confident and rewarded me with plenty of close passes. This image of a female slicing through the autumn sun is special because of the blobs of atmospheric lens flare.”

3. COMMON SUNSTAR Loch Carron, Wester Ross, Scotland, by Dan Bolt “I spotted this large common sunstar at the end of a dive in the loch. It was hard to miss on the vertical face of the slipway I used to enter and exit the water.

More often found on the seabed or on reefs, this one spent a few hours snuffling around on the pier, until at the end of my third dive of the day it had totally disappeared – quite a trick for such a large, brightly coloured animal.”

4. BOBTAIL SQUID Loch Long, Argyll and Bute, by Mark Kirkland “I was diving at a site called A-Frames, which gets its name from the sunken concrete blocks of an old pier. They’re a great anchor for marine life. Within minutes of entering the water, I found my first squid, then my second and my third – they were all around.

They’re comfortable around divers but will burrow in the sand when they’ve had enough and that’s exactly what this one was starting to do.”

48

5. THE SHRIMP AND THE ANEMONE Swanage Pier, Dorset, by Matt Doggett “The snakelocks shrimp is a warm-water species ranging from the Mediterranean to the Azores and, prior to 2007, was found only as far north as the Channel Islands. Since then the shrimp has become well established along the Dorset coast.

“The shrimp lives protected among the stinging tentacles of the snakelocks anemone, which also frequents warmer waters. Breeding females can often be much larger with more vivid pink and white colours along their bodies. Non-divers might be able to find these shrimps among some of our deeper rockpools, so keep your eyes peeled this summer.”

6. GRINNING BLENNY Torquay, Devon, by Kirsty Andrews “This tompot blenny is presenting a smiley face to the camera but he’s actually carefully guarding a stash of eggs in the crack behind him. Male tompots can be quite feisty in defending their territory, which they keep clean and tidy, ready for several females to lay eggs in, if they’re lucky.

They will fertilise the eggs and guard them for around a month in the early summer.”

7 7. AN OUTING WITH POUTING Jurassic Coast, Dorset, by Matt Doggett The pouting is a cod-like fish common off southern shores. Also known as the bib, it has a long chin barbule. “I was drifting through crystal-clear waters over an area of huge boulders covered with red seaweeds and sponges. Suddenly, I was joined by this shoal that swam alongside. They would often bunch together nicely, allowing me to snap away as we floated in the gentle current.”

8. BROWN CRAB IN THE SPONGES Falls of Lora, Argyll and Bute, by James Lynott “Situated at the narrow entrance to Loch Etive near Oban, the Falls of Lora has a reputation as a scary dive as the tide races through, creating whirlpools and waves. But there is such amazing underwater topography and proliferation of life. While swimming along one of the gullies, I spotted this crab nestled into the yellow breadcrumb sponge and hydroids surrounding it.”

9. SPINY STARFISH ON THE MOVE Wembury, Devon, by Paul Naylor The spiny starfish is one of around 32 species of starfish found in British waters and some individuals can live for 30 years. “This starfish, slowly making its way up to the top of the kelp canopy, was seeking a good vantage point from where it could release its spawn. A chemical sent out by females with their eggs prompts neighbouring starfish to join the party.”

51

10 10. ANEMONE EXPLOSION Inveraray, Argyll and Bute, by James Lynott “Underwater fluorescence photography has become a passion for me. I never know quite what I’m going to find that will fluoresce under the blue (near UV) light. After a day’s diving, my buddy and I stopped for an evening dive in Loch Fyne at a fantastic site for fireworks anemones. This large individual was a favourite as I was able to capture the whole anemone with its long tentacles stretched out within the frame.”

11. HARE OF THE ROCKPOOL Swanage Pier, Dorset, by Kirsty Andrews The sea hare is a small marine snail with an internal shell. “Sea hares appear brown and sluggish at first glance but if you look closely they have delicate patterns and colours. I used a snooted spotlight effect to show this off and to highlight the head tentacles, which resemble a hare’s ears, giving this animal its common name.”

12. THE BEAUTIFUL WORLD OF NUDIBRANCHS Swanage Pier, Dorset, by Dan Bolt “The colours of this nudibranch Flabellina pedata make it not only one of our most flamboyant, but also easiest to spot. In a dark area under the pier, this individual was making its way along a stalk of kelp. A flash of pink and purple in my torchlight caught my eye, so I had the pleasure of observing it for several minutes before I moved on.”

52

© RHS/Tim Sandall

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Unlock the skills to grow your dream garden During the pandemic, our gardens become an oasis, with many seeking that sense of calm and sanctuary that being outdoors with nature offers.

How then to make the most of your private patch to create the garden of your dreams? If you live near the wild beauty of the coast then your garden may be exposed to strong winds and the challenge of fast-draining soil. Perhaps you live in the suburbs or a town where space is limited or a neighbouring tree is casting shade. You may have a clay soil with drainage issues and are struggling to get your plants to survive.

By understanding your soil type, direction of the sun, and topographical elements in your garden, you can create a design that is compatible with your garden features and the style you wish to achieve, whether that is contemporary, cottage or formal.

A core knowledge of plants, their structure, growth, and health, ensures that you choose plants that will not only

enhance your garden, but will thrive and bring in an abundance of wildlife too.

Gillian Mostyn and her husband moved to a house with a much larger garden, needing a complete overhaul. She said, “I've always loved learning new skills so decided to enroll on an RHS Level 2 course to find out how best to design, plant and maintain the garden. It has made me a confident gardener, giving me a good grounding in the practical and theoretical aspects of horticulture, such as how to plant, propagate, prune etc. I discovered how to investigate and then accept the conditions in my own garden, choosing plants and design schemes that work with them, rather than fighting against it.

Going back into studying reminded me that I enjoy learning, and gave me something to really focus on for my own sake, away from the pressures of work and family. I would happily recommend the RHS Qualification to anyone looking to have a deeper understanding for their own interest.”

Benefits of studyin for an RHS Qualification Expand knowledge and improve skills.

Grow confidence and better understand your garden.

Save money by discovering plants that will thrive in your garden.

Make friends with others who share a passion for gardening.

Discover a sense of achievement.

Study part-time to fit round other commitments.

Choice of over 80 study centres throughout the UK and Ireland

www.rhs.org.uk/qualifications | qualifications@rhs.org.uk | @RHSEducation

BRITAIN’S BEST SNORKELLING LOCATIONS All you need is a mask and a wetsuit to explore magical underwater worlds just metres from the shore. Anna Turns reveals 14 sensational destinations to discover our hidden marine life. Dive in... hen the tide’s right, swim just a few metres away from dry land and you can glimpse a vibrant, colourful underwater world. Snorkelling is the simplest way to immerse yourself in another dimension of the British coastline, where blennies peek out of rock crevices and starfish move stealthily across the sandy seabed.

There’s no need for fancy kit or scuba tanks – just a wetsuit and mask will do, and you don’t need to move fast or venture far from the shore to see the stars of the show. If you can swim, you can snorkel, so dip your head beneath the waves, relax and float to another magical place. Here are 14 locations around the country to explore.

W

2. WEMBURY, SOUTH DEVON Swim down the gully to the eastern end of Wembury’s beach and float over the slate reefs on a low tide. Look out for red-eyed velvet swimming crabs and prawns hiding among the rocks. Access is super easy and the Devon Wildlife Trust runs regular guided snorkel safaris for beginners here (£12.50pp, age 12 and over). wemburymarinecentre.org

3. LUNDY ISLAND, BRISTOL CHANNEL The first designated Marine Conservation Zone is bursting with colourful marine life, from bright cup corals, pink sea fans and kelp forests to spider crabs. One-hour snorkel safaris are available until September (£20pp). lundyisland.co.uk

4. MWNT, CARDIGAN BAY, CEREDIGION

1. ST MARTIN’S, ISLES OF SCILLY Take a three-hour boat trip to snorkel with curious Atlantic grey seals – they might even get close enough to nibble at your fins (£49pp). scillysealsnorkelling.com 54

This sandy cove is sheltered by sandstone cliffs and is popular with families. Just a few hundred metres along the coast path to the east, huge rocky slabs shelve into clear water, ideal for snorkelling. Dolphins and porpoises are often spotted here, too. Park at the National Trust car park. nationaltrust.org.uk/mwnt www.countryfile.com

SNORKELLING

6. KIMMERIDGE BAY, DORSET Follow the trail of five buoys to explore these sheltered, crystal-clear waters.

Search for multicoloured corkwing wrasse (above) among Japanese seaweed, look for limpets moving on submerged rocks and spot snakelocks anemones.

Pick up a waterproof guide to the underwater nature trail from the Fine Foundation Wild Seas Centre. dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk/wild-seas-centre

7. PORT GRENAUGH, ISLE OF MAN Stripy dahlia anenomes inhabit this sheltered bay, while lion’s mane jellyfish (left) and sand eels shimmer past. Book a boat trip (£50pp) at discoverdiving.im/snorkel-safaris

8. BERWICKSHIRE MARINE RESERVE, BERWICKSHIRE The gentle walk into the sea from Eyemouth Beach (right) makes this site perfect for beginners. If you’re feeling more adventurous, swim over the rockier outcrops to the north and look for fish among the seaweed and squat lobsters in the submerged rockpools. scottishwildlifetrust.org. uk/snorkeltrail

9. STACKPOLE QUAY, PEMBROKESHIRE

Photos: Alamy, Getty, Naturepl.com

Wade into this shallow secluded harbour, snorkel over the gullies and look for the spider crabs that come here to breed every summer. An excellent place for beginners and families. nationaltrust.org.uk/stackpole

5. STUDLAND BAY, DORSET Explore the arches of Old Harry Rocks and if you’re lucky to spot the rare spiny (above) or short-snouted seahorses living on the edges of the eelgrass beds, swim slowly and be sure not to disturb them. nationaltrust.org.uk/studland-bay

www.countryfile.com

HOW TO SNORKEL

Marine wildlife thrives in Lamlash Bay’s no-take zone, where fishing is banned. Park at Clauchlands Farm (KA27 8LH) and walk carefully over the rocks to access the sea. Swim south to the seagrass beds and look for small-spotted catsharks, sand stars and hermit crabs.

Otters, seals and seabirds, such as oystercatchers and black guillemots, are often spotted, too. arrancoast.com

13. GRUINARD BAY, ROSS AND CROMARTY At low tide, explore the creatures sheltering among the seagrass and kelp by the headland at the north of this beach. Admire the beds of rare maerl – a hard, purple-pink seaweed that forms ‘carpets’ along this section of the North West Highlands Snorkel Trail. scottishwildlifetrust. org.uk/snorkeltrail

11. FLAMBOROUGH, YORKSHIRE The chalk rock formations at North Landing Beach (above) are perfect for spotting sea urchins, scorpionfish and cuckoo wrasse. ywt.org.uk/living-seas-centre

12. ISLE OF COLL, INNER HEBRIDES Snorkel with basking sharks during July and August. A marine biologist skippers the boat ride to wildlife hotspots (£195pp for a day trip). baskingsharkscotland.co.uk 56

14. SHERINGHAM, NORTH NORFOLK Great for novices, this shallow snorkel trail follows the line of the town’s old sewage pipe – disused now, thankfully – crossing chalk reef rich with seaweeds and sponges.

See the information boards at the Offshore Coffee House (NR26 8BJ).

• Essential kit: Wetsuits with a neoprene thickness of 5mm (such as Fourth Element Proteus II) are ideal for UK waters, and a neoprene hood helps stave off those ice-cream headaches, so you can stay in longer. Neoprene socks and gloves are optional. The bigger your fins, the more power they deliver.

Make sure your mask is a good fit and doesn’t leak before you set off.

Leading makers of snorkelling kit include Mares and Cressi.

• When to snorkel: Check the weather, currents and tides. At slack tide (either fully high tide or low), there’ll be less movement of water. Go on a day without any wind, preferably after calm weather, to ensure maximum visibility.

NOTE: Enjoy observing this underwater world without disturbing or touching the wildlife.

Anna Turns is an environmental journalist based in Devon who specialises in marine issues.

www.countryfile.com

Photos Getty, Alamy, Naturepl.com, Julie Hatcher

10. LAMLASH BAY, ISLE OF ARRAN, NORTH AYRSHIRE

• Stay safe: Always snorkel with a buddy and plan your trip in advance. Check the weather and tides at magicseaweed.com. Wear a brightly coloured tow-float to stay visible and inside it pack a mobile phone in a waterproof pouch. In an emergency, call 999 and ask for the coastguard. On entering the water, take time to acclimatise to the cold and splash cold water on your face before taking the plunge.

Life in a honeypot As restrictions ease, tourists are again descending on popular haunts. For those who live in these hotspots, the return of visitors brings mixed feelings, writes Tim Hubbard, resident of the pretty Cornish village of Mousehole Illustration: Katherine Baxter idsummer in Mousehole. people, things weren’t that good. There Gulls call and a sea breeze was no work in the pub or the gift shop whips around the harbour or for the small army of self-catering walls. Sunburnt families cottage housekeepers and cleaners coming out of the icewho descend on the village on cream shop begin to notice a strange ‘changeover days’, armed with smell in the air. Fish being landed? reinforcements of clean laundry and Pasties cooking? Sunblock? an arsenal of cleaning products.

It’s actually the smell of a burning Deborah Tonkin, whose business clutch as a 4x4 driver, with bikes looks after some two dozen properties strapped to the back, tries to here, says it was a difficult time. “It was manoeuvre out of his parking space on hard. The work and the income just North Quay and drive up the cobbled weren’t there for my housekeeping slope out of the village. An elderly local teams and not knowing when – or even man, leaning on the harbour railing if – things would improve meant it was gives a wry smile; he’s seen it all before. very stressful for everyone.”

But, of course, he hasn’t seen it for At the village’s Solomon Browne quite a while now. The Covid pandemic Community Hall, manager Tamsin has meant that visitor numbers to this Harvey was amazed by how quickly tiny harbour village at the far-western people came together to help each tip of the UK have been virtually nil. other. “In March 2020, we sat down Superficially, lockdown life was good with a hand-drawn map and marked here; the sun still shone every single house (sometimes), we could in which we knew still gaze out to sea, someone lived who was is the approximate watch dolphins in the potentially vulnerable population of Cornwall in one way or another. bay and go for walks on the cliffs. When we There’s a strong ventured out of our own sense of community Roughly one in five ‘mouse holes’, we knew here anyway, but employed people in everyone we met and throughout each of Cornwall work in tourism smiled and chatted to the lockdowns we have each other behind our supported more than masks, commenting on 60 households with day visitors go to Cornwall practical help as well as how lovely it was when each year; over four million lots of individuals with the village was so quiet.

However, for many of them head to the coast more specific needs.”

M

Source: 2019 figures from Visit Cornwall

569,000

58

14.5 million

There were other concerns: as national pandemic numbers rose, people worried that Cornwall’s only major hospital – an hour’s drive away in Truro – would not have enough resources for residents, let alone visitors. It was said that if Covid came to Mousehole, it would be because of visitors ignoring national regulations.

Feelings ran high across Cornwall and, elsewhere, ‘Tourists go home!’ signs appeared on farm gates and in boarded-up shop windows.

Everyone closed their doors, only venturing out for a pint of milk from the shop or a takeaway from the village deli. The sea has always provided food for the village and, despite the winter storms, some fishermen still managed to put out crab and lobster pots and get to sea. We felt suitably guilty when, after being offered a lobster from that day’s catch, we ate it with samphire from the shore while watching TV reports of supermarket shortages.

Then, this spring, lockdown began to loosen. Ever so gradually, like the tide coming in over the sand, unfamiliar people began to be seen in the village.

A wave of house-hunters, anxious to avoid another city-bound lockdown, deluged local estate agents, pushing already high prices even higher. Some Mousehole properties now break the £1m barrier and while some locals have profited from the boom, others now feel disaffected and say they’ve been forced to move away. Second-home owners were now allowed to travel to “maintain and administer” their properties. Some residents were

Visitors to Cornwall spent

£377 million on shopping in 2019, and

£547 million on food and drink Visiting sailors use around 17,000 boat moorings each year

Around 4.9 million visitors stay in Cornwall each year unhappy that while the letter of the law was being adhered to, the underlying message of “stay local” was not.

Arguments ensued. Curtains twitched.

Lights on at night in previously dark houses were reported. The slang Cornish expression for tourist is ‘emmet’, which in the ancient Kernewek (Cornish) language means ‘ant’; the emmets began to swarm. As the Government opened up holiday cottage bookings from April 12, it was as if a tap of visitors had been turned on.

THE STING IN THE TAIL At times, living in a goldfish-bowl village such as this, or even in larger towns such as Padstow or St Ives, the influx of visitors can feel overwhelming.

A pretty cottage on the harbourside, with its downstairs bedrooms facing the wharf, has tourists pressing their faces to the windows for a view inside

Source: 2019 figures from Visit Cornwall Photo: Mary Evans

A HISTORY OF TOURISM IN MOUSEHOLE

60

Rich young men prevented from doing a ‘grand tour’ of Europe because of the Napoleonic Wars in the early 19th century came to West Cornwall instead. They called Penzance “the Montpellier of England”. In West Cornwall, it was the coming of the railway to Penzance in 1859 that first brought tourists in large numbers. In 1862, Mousehole was called “a desirable little town for a summer residence”.

Tourism developed rapidly after the Second World War and took the place of fishing as the principal economy. A bird hospital established

by two sisters in 1928 became an unlikely tourist attraction.

In 1937, poet Dylan Thomas spent his honeymoon at the village’s famous Lobster Pot Inn; he described Mousehole as “the prettiest village in England”. Some say he based Llareggub in Under Milk Wood on the village.

and we’ve had cliff-path hikers insist that they’ve opened the gate and come into our garden because “this is the way to the coastal trail isn’t it?”.

“The village has certainly changed over the years,” says Avis Bird, who was born here. “There are just so many tourists these days – August can be awful – and many of them leave their common sense behind when they pack to go on holiday. They park so that ambulances can’t get through or they get cut off by the tide, but you just have to live with it.”

Howard and Julie Whitt have lived in Mousehole for over 30 years. They say it’s not the people themselves who are the problem, it’s the traffic. “We have such narrow streets here,” says Julie, “and as the design of cars has got bigger, people seem less able to drive them properly.” Howard adds: “Working life has to go on. Dustbin lorries, fish transport from the quay, meals-on-wheels drivers – they all have tight schedules and can’t wait while someone leans out of a car window to take a photograph.” A common complaint is that drivers who are used to ‘A’ roads and dual carriageways aren’t used to reversing, which is a skill frequently needed in small lanes.

But visitors bring their money with them. Cornwall’s old economic ‘holy trinity’ of fishing, farming and mining has virtually collapsed (though agriculture is still the county’s main economic driver). Tourism is the new tin, entrepreneurs work from home rather than in the fields, and improved new technology rules the (air)waves rather than the pilchard fleet.

Times change quickly but people less so. Tourists will always come to beautiful places but they can never know them like locals do – when the first primroses are blooming on the cliff; where the seals come ashore; who has the best village gossip. I’m so lucky to be here all the time. When you choose to live in a honeypot, while there might be the occasional sting, on the whole life is sweet. CF

Tim Hubbard is a former BBC presenter, journalist and editor. He is now a lecturer and writer and is the author of The Great Gardens of Cornwall. www.countryfile.com

The UK’s No.1 vitamins... ...available now for

TM

SuperDog takes our 50 years of award – all the innovation and careful, effective formulation you’d expect from Vitabiotics, now available for your special companion. From vitality to healthy joints and bones, SuperDog formulations provide optimum levels of micro-nutrients to safeguard the diet of your furriest family member.

Joints & Bones

Health & Vitality

60 Chewable Tablets

60 Chewable Tablets

Canine expert “ See my expert tips to help care for your SuperDog!” Paul Manktelow Visit www.super-dog.co.uk

Proud supporter of Battersea, caring for dogs since 1860

2021-04-21_ADSPDCONP

From UK’s No.1 Vitamin Company* Available from:

www.super-dog.co.uk

SCAN FOR INFO

*Source: Nielsen GB ScanTrack Total Coverage Value and Unit Retail Sales 52 w/e 30/01/21. To verify contact Vitabiotics Ltd, 1 Apsley Way, London, NW2 7HF. UK’s leading supplements for humans. Vitabiotics will donate 10p from the sale of each product to Battersea. (Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, registered charity number: 206394).

E+OE Prices subject to change. Goods subject to availability

Coasts of calm This summer, seaside tranquillity may be more elusive than usual as the public rediscover the great British holiday. Take the path less travelled by avoiding the tourist honeypots and seeking quieter havens on UK shores Words: Julie Brominicks Photographs: Dan Struthers

Photo: Alamy

1. YNYS GYBI, HOLY ISLAND, ANGLESEY

CLOCKWISE FROM MAIN Author Julie Brominicks stands at the seashore at Porth Ruffydd; Ynys Gybi (Holy Island) is home to vast populations of seabird species, such as this striking razorbill; Julie walks over Bwa Gwyn (White Arch), a weathered white quartzite sea arch near Rhoscolyn on Holy Island

rom the summit of Mynydd T r (Holyhead Mountain), you can watch summer showers roll in over the Irish Sea. Some douse mainland Ynys Môn (Anglesey); others quench Eryri (Snowdonia), and one blesses me with a shawl of effervescence before rolling on, to leave a sparkling view over Ynys Gybi, or Holy Island.

To the east, accompanied by the sound of sirens and ferry honks, is a bustle of transit around Caergybi (Holyhead) – docks, railway, and the four-lane North Wales Expressway (A55). And to the west – well, there is none of that. Instead, dark moors, astonishing cliffs and sandy coves await you.

First, let’s consider Ynys Gybi itself. These 15 square miles of land are tethered to Ynys Môn by causeway and bridge, but cleft from it by the Cymyran Strait – a Site of Special Scientific Interest on account of its marine biology, where three types of eel-grass grow.

But why the ‘holy’ moniker? To understand that, it helps to refer to the Welsh. Ynys Gybi means ‘Cybi’s Isle,’ named after a 5th-century Cornish prince said to have renounced the throne to roam through south-west England, Ireland and Wales, spreading the word of God. King Maelgwn of Gwynedd granted him land on which to build a monastery within a disused

F

66

“Although modest in height, this ‘mountain’ is rich in drama – a moonscape of shattered crags” TOP The major Irish Sea port of Caergybi (Holyhead) seen from the summit of Mynydd T r (Holyhead Mountain) ABOVE Julie walks the winding coast path around Ynys Lawd (South Stack)

Roman fort at Caergybi, whereupon Ynys Gybi became a site of pilgrimage, Christian worship and learning. Little of the monastery remains after destruction by Vikings and, later, by Henry VIII, but the medieval church that sprouted on the site is still in use.

The rain shower has added lustre to the landscape. Mynydd T r, being riven with www.countryfile.com

FORGOTTEN COAST

Eroded sedimentary rocks, including Ynys Lawd (South Stack), jut into the Irish Sea on the north-west coast of Holy Island.

South Stack lighthouse was built in 1809 to warn ships of the perilous rocks below

quartzite, is especially sparkly. Although modest in height at 220m, this ‘mountain’ is rich in drama – a moonscape of shattered crags. Stay alert for the sound of a low whistle, the silhouette of curly horns against the sky and a swirl of dogs – RSPB shepherd Pete Godfrey grazes his Hebridean flock of sheep over Mynydd T r and the surrounding heath, moving them on, so they graze the heather only lightly, allowing plants such as spatulate fleabane (found nowhere else in the world) to flourish.

LAND AND SEA LINKS TO HOLY ISLAND Built in 1765 to replace a ford, Four Mile Bridge connected Holy Island to Anglesey for the first time. The bridge still makes for a romantic crossing to Ynys Gybi, though the causeway to the north is more popular, with its four-lane road, railway and cycle path. The latter, the Stanley Embankment, was built by Thomas Telford in 1823 to carry the A5 (and, later, railways)

from London to Holyhead, increasing the port’s importance. Irish ferries and cargo ships dock at the harbour, protected by Britain’s longest breakwater at 1.7 miles, constructed from 1845 to 1873 using seven million tons of stone from 11 local quarries.

The 1996 terminal holds the world’s largest high-speed catamaran ferry; HSS Explorer can carry 1,500 passengers.

WANDERING PATHS Labyrinthine paths will lead you, one way or the other, to Ynys Lawd (South Stack). At more than 800 million years old, this quartzitebearing sandstone and mudstone, rising in towers of crumpled orange-green grimaces and smiles, is extraordinary rock. Summer brings avian visitors to breed on the stack and human ones to the lighthouse. When I arrive, the latter are puffing up the steps to a soundtrack of some 10,000 grumbling, growling auks.

“That’s not something you see every day, is it?” announces a little boy impressed by the bird colonies crammed on to ledges. “They’re not puffins, they’re guillemots, apparently,” says a woman behind me and the RSPB warden, on hand to discuss the birds, smiles. “Most www.countryfile.com

67

people think they’re penguins,” he says. But outnumbered though they are, there are indeed a dozen or so puffins among the hundreds of razorbills and thousands of guillemots.

SILVER CLIFFS The coast path continues south, thrillingly close to the cliff edge, while waves smash below and ravens cavort. It is worth stopping at Elin’s Tower and the RSPB visitor centre for a bite to eat while watching whitethroats, wheatears and linnets in the maritime grassland. You’ll find impressive Iron Age hut circles not far from the path, but if you wish to visit the Neolithic standing stones at Penrhos Feilw, do so before bearing south-west – or make a separate trip.

There are far fewer people, and no guillemots at all, to the south, where heathland grabs at the heart. Depending on the topography, Mynydd T r – rising distinct and quartzy (but chalky in afternoon sun) – is often the only visible landmark above the swelling, skylark-sung moor.

The cliffs are atmospheric, silver and rippled.

Hidden reefs and wicked rocks have wrecked a good few ships on this coast, tragedies that are hard to imagine in the face of so much brilliance. Ebullient yolk-gold gorse, bold blue sky and the houses of Trearddur ahead like a string of white pebbles capture your attention.

68

“Rock pipits and gulls patrol the cliffs where fishermen make black silhouettes” TOP Julie crosses Bwa Du (Black Arch), a headland formed of yellow quartzite and eroded by the sea ABOVE Two white quartz pebbles thrown into St Gwenfaen’s Well can cure mental health problems, according to tradition

The sandy beach at Trearddur Bay is jampacked in summer – popular with holidaymakers staying at a string of caravan sites around the village. This is a seasidy place for rest and refreshment – the Sea Shanty offers real chips, and good coffee and cake. But even here, you’ll find reminders of a quieter, holier history, when Ynys Gybi was popular with www.countryfile.com

FORGOTTEN COAST

far from The White Eagle, renowned for good locally sourced food (white-eagle.co.uk).

The descent now is gentler to Borthwen and Silver Bay. But the wildness hasn’t finished yet.

Here is the ingress of water: reedy pools and secretive birds, marshes and wet flushes of yellow flag iris flowing almost on to the beaches.

A sign that we are nearing the saltmarsh and weedy gravels of Cymyran Strait. And a reminder that, despite its tethers, Ynys Gybi is an island – and a wild and holy one at that. CF

Irish settlers and early Christians: an engraved cross on the seafront marks the site of a ruined chapel built where St Bridget is said to have drifted over the sea on a sod of Irish turf.

WILD CREEKS AND CLIFFS Beyond Trearddur Bay, the coast fragments into creeks and rockpooling inlets and multiple safe, sandy beaches, and soon the shores empty of people. The wildness is calling, and I press on. Rock pipits and gulls patrol the cliffs where fishermen make black silhouettes, rods protruding against a sparkling sea in which mackerel, coalfish, pollock and conger swim.

A theatre of rock invites you to the edge, to better views of a multitude of stacks, islets, reefs and sea arches, swooping choughs, teetering goats and castellated cliffs flushing scarlet in evening light as the sea flashes silver.

At Rhoscolyn, I reach St Gwenfaen’s Well. The remains of this medieval well-house – in passive contrast to the geological drama around it – lie sunken in the grassy slope. The stone seats are lichened now and the water, once believed to cure mental ailments, is a little murky. But here we remember Gwenfaen, apparently one of Cybi’s followers, and the passion she and the early Christians had for the wild places. Her chapel, incidentally, is a short way inland, not www.countryfile.com

STAY TOP Wild seclusion at Silver Bay on Holy Island ABOVE Shaggy, white, horned Saanen goats are believed to have lived on Holy Island for around 700 years, perhaps introduced by the Vikings

• Blackthorn Farm, convenient for Caergybi, is a family-run bed and breakfast, with self-catering cottages and an 18-acre campsite.

Just 10 minutes walk from lovely sandy Porth Dafarch.

01407 765262, blackthornfarm.co.uk • The Seacroft in Trearddur is a lively pub and restaurant with dog-friendly rooms, a stone’s throw from the beach.

01407 860348, theseacroft.pub • Outdoor Alternative at Rhoscolyn offers accommodation near the southern beaches. Pitch your tent, bring a campervan or stay in the bunkhouse. 01407 860469, outdooralternative.co.uk

Julie Brominicks is a landscape and travel writer who lives off-grid in a caravan in a mossy Welsh valley. juliebrominicks.wordpress.com Turn over for more forgotten coast locations

02 20 FORGOTTEN COAST Words: Dixe Wills

2

WORBARROW BAY, DORSET

3

MOOR SANDS, NEAR EAST PRAWLE, DEVON

Escape Durdle Door’s crowds by heading east along the Jurassic Coast. Behind beautiful Worbarrow Bay lies Tyneham, commandeered in 1943 for troop training (residents were never allowed back). Training continues on the Lulworth Ranges today, so check firing times (gov. uk/government/publications/lulworth-firing-notice).

Clothing is optional at this tiny, remote white-sand cove to which access is aided by a rope. Stay nearby in a charming coastguard cottage (prawlepoint.uk).

5

CRIBINAU, NEAR ABERFFRAW, ANGLESEY

The tiny oval tidal island of Cribinau (or Llangwyfan) resembles a cupcake abandoned by some absent-minded giant. It is mostly covered by St Cwyfan’s church, which is one of the most curiously located places of worship in Britain.

Stay nearby at Aberffraw’s Prince Llewelyn B&B (princellewelyn anglesey.co.uk).

6 4

KENNEGGY SANDS AND PRUSSIA COVE, CORNWALL

Photos: Getty, Alamy

The sandy crescent of beach at Kenneggy disappears at high tide, so come when the sea is out and enjoy the tranquillity. Just to the west lies picturesque Prussia Cove, once home to notorious smugglers, the Carter family, but now a swish estate of beautiful holiday cottages (prussiacove.co.uk).

70

SHINGLE STREET TO BAWDSEY, SUFFOLK

A hamlet built for fishermen and river pilots, Shingle Street stands boldly facing a sea that may one day soon engulf it. A walk along the (aptly shingle) coast to Bawdsey – passing a clutch of 19th-century Martello towers – makes for a bracing escape from the world. www.countryfile.com

10 MEWSLADE BAY, NEAR PITTON, GOWER The Gower Peninsula can get extremely busy in summer, but this quiet sandy cove is often overlooked even though it’s a stone’s throw from majestic Worm’s Head.

LEE BAY, DEVON

8

Venture two miles west of Ilfracombe along the South West Coast Path and you’ll come to the picture-perfect Lee Bay, a village apparently lost in time. Located in an AONB, its snug cove sports a small sandy beach and numerous rockpools. Head up lanes flanked by fuchsias to explore the wooded Borough Valley, then seek refreshment at the Grampus Inn (leebay.co.uk/the-grampus-inn), a wonderful farmhouseturned-pub. Stay at the Mill House (themillhousedevon.co.uk), a 16th-century holiday cottage so close to the sea the waves lap at its foot.

7

SANDWICH AND PEGWELL BAY NNR, KENT

The walk north along the coast from Deal gets progressively quieter.

Exclusive golf clubs lie inland, while the national nature reserve offers summertime sand, shingle, sea, saltmarsh and solitude along with ringed plovers, butterflies and lizard orchids. Spend the night at Deal’s seafront Clarendon Hotel (theclarendon-hotel.com).

Head along the River Crouch towards the sea to find a glorious Saxon chapel, one of the oldest in England.

12 KILVE BEACH, SOMERSET Sneakily equidistant from Minehead and Bridgwater, on the very tip of the Quantocks, this lesser-visited stony beach beneath towering cliffs is a real find for rockpool-lovers and fossil-hunters.

9

ABER MAWR, PEMBROKESHIRE

A splendid little pebbly bank protected by a low grassy ridge, Aber Mawr is sufficiently far from anywhere in particular that it’s usually only devotees of the Pembrokeshire Coast Path that get to enjoy its charms.

Each low tide reveals both a gorgeous sandy beach and a crop of unusual salt-preserved tree stumps – all that’s left of a forest submerged by melting ice eight millennia ago. There are bluebell woods to enjoy in spring, while a ruined cottage adds to the feeling of remoteness. Nearby, Trellyn Woodland Camping offers glamping and six blissfully secluded tent pitches (trellyn.co.uk).

www.countryfile.com

11 BURNHAM ON CROUCH TO ST PETER’S ON THE WALL, BRADWELL ON SEA, ESSEX

13 RUMBLING KERN AND SUGAR SANDS, NORTHUMBERLAND These golden sandy coves were once beloved of smugglers and lie along the rugged coast east of Howick Hall, home to the late tea-drinker Earl Grey (howickhallgardens.com).

71

02 20 FORGOTTEN COAST

18 KNAP OF HOWAR, PAPA WESTRAY, ORKNEY Lived in from 3,700BC, the Knap of Howar is the oldest preserved house in northern Europe. And with cracking views across beguiling Papa Sound to Westray, it’s no wonder.

14

CAMAS AN LIGHE, LOCHABER

Be prepared for a walk if you want to visit this isolated Ardnamurchan Peninsula beach, otherwise known as the Singing Sands. From tiny Arivegaig, it’s a three-mile hike around Kentra Bay and over low coniferous-clad hills to the strand. The soft white sands exposed at low tide are said to ‘sing’ as you walk across them. While enjoying the melody, you can delight in views of mountains away to the north. It’ll take some time getting to know this remote coast, so use the Loch Shiel Hotel (lochshielhotel.com) in nearby Acharacle as a base.

16

LUNGA, INNER HEBRIDES

The largest of the Treshnish Isles takes a little getting to – a boat (turusmara.com) from Oban will put you ashore – but the experience more than repays the effort. The long, uninhabited 200-acre island is the domain of puffins and guillemots, alongside fulmars, shags, kittiwakes and razorbills.

19 MACHRIHANISH BAY, ARGYLL AND BUTE The southern end of this three-mile sandy stretch on the little-visited Kintyre Peninsula is a deliciously lonely spot. Look down to see seals or otters. Look west on a clear day to see Ireland. Stay at the foursquare Ugadale Hotel (machrihanishdunes. com) in nearby Machrihanish.

15

SALTFLEETBY THEDDLETHORPE DUNES, LINCOLNSHIRE This national nature reserve covers over 1,300 acres of sand dunes, salt marsh, sandy beach and mudflats. In summer, you’ll spot several types of orchid, barn owls hunting at dusk and maybe a rare natterjack toad. There is camping at Standen Lodge (standen-lodge-campsite.co.uk).

17

BLACKHEAD LIGHTHOUSE, COUNTY ANTRIM

Photos: Getty, Alamy

Just 20 miles north of Belfast, Blackhead Lighthouse is perched on clifftops at a sharp curve of the Antrim coastline. Walk the dramatic circular Blackhead Path and you will take in both the highs and sea-sprayed foot of the cliffs. You can even stay in the stunning lightkeepers’ houses (irishlandmark.com).

72

20 FLESWICK BAY, CUMBRIA Although St Bees is famous as the start of Wainwright’s Coast-to-Coast Walk, few people head up the coast to Fleswick Bay. Its secluded shingle beach shelters beneath the impressive red sandstone cliffs of St Bees Head, home to innumerable breeding guillemots. Stay at St Bees’ The Manor inn (themanorstbees.co.uk).

Dixe Wills is an author and travel writer. His books include Tiny Islands, Tiny Campsites and The Z–Z of Great Britain. www.countryfile.com

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Martin Hughes-Games (below) has called the Finches Friend a “brilliant innovation”

HELPING FINCHES IN A PINCH With wild birds threatened by disease, a new feeder offers a safer way to welcome avian visitors into your garden

atching birds flit about a feeder is one of the pleasures of having a garden. But when it comes to the species we love, are we killing them with kindness?

The answer, unfortunately, could be yes. Huge numbers of wild birds have been lost in recent decades to a parasitic disease commonly transmitted on bird feeders. This disease, known as trichomonosis, typically affects finches. The British Trust for Ornithology estimates that between 2006 and 2015, trichomonosis wiped out nearly

W

three million greenfinches in the UK. “As well as greenfinches, many other birds including house sparrows, siskin, chaffinches and bullfinches are affected,” says natural history TV presenter Martin Hughes-Games.

Two people who saw first-hand how quickly trichomonosis can affect a wild bird population are Dick and Tina Woods from Kent.

The couple loved the 60 or so finches, particularly greenfinches, that flocked to their feeders.

Then, over a few weeks in 2016,

all the greenfinches died. The Woods were shocked. Spurred into action, they found out more about trichomonosis and how it spreads, and Dick decided to do something about it. With more than 40 years’ industrial design and manufacturing experience, he took on the challenge with enthusiasm.

An effective way to lower trichomonosis transmission is through good hygiene at feeding stations. Damp food can encourage the spread of the parasite, and feeders should be cleaned weekly, but most are fiddly to take apart and reassemble. So Dick set about designing a bird-friendly feeder that is easy to clean.

“The key was separating the feed store from where the birds feed,” says Dick, as where birds perch tends to be where the disease is passed on. After four years of research and development, he 3D-printed a feeder that solves the problem. Dick now works with a local injection-moulding firm to produce two commercial recyclable versions with a low carbon footprint: a large feeder that can hold four types of feed, and a smaller version with two feed chambers.

The Finches Friend Cleaner Feeder is built to last and has a feed station that’s easily removed as well as a storage section that keeps seed dry. Each feeder comes with a spare feed station so you can use a clean one while you wash the other.

Dick and Tina have already seen the benefits of the Cleaner Feeder in their own garden. “The Finches Friend feeders worked,” says Dick.

“The greenfinches returned.” n

For more information, visit finchesfriend.com

GARDEN OPEN DAILY FREE ENTRY hepworthwakefield.org/garden

DESIGNED BY TOM-STUART SMITH Garden café Open daily, 11am – 3pm Gallery, shop and café Open Wed – Sun, 10am – 4pm Photo: Jason Ingram Registered charity no: 1175095

July

Great days out

COVID-19 Please abide by Government advice on travel. The information on these pages is meant to assist you once restrictions have been lifted.

www.countryfile.com/walks

CHARMING FISHING VILLAGES

OS map images: © Crown copyright Ordnance Survey Photo: Simon Whaley

Experience the magic of Britain’s coastal villages, where colourful cottages and stone harbours mingle with relaxing boat trips, the cry of gulls and glistening seas

During Elizabeth I’s reign, enough herring were landed at Lower Fishguard in Pembrokeshire to feed her entire army. There’s less hustle and bustle in the historic village these days, making it perfect for a peaceful stroll on a summer’s day (page 80)

www.countryfile.com/walks

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

75

CONTENTS Your handy guide to this month’s Great Days Out

p88

p84

WALK: Cadgwith, Cornwall

SMUGGLERS, SHIPWRECKS AND SHANTIES AT THE INN Nicola Smith explores mainland Britain’s southernmost fishing village, from its pilchard-fishing origins and boat-strewn beach to its 300-year-old inn

p83

p87

p86

p80

p82

p76

SHIPWRECKS AND SEA SHANTIES Cadgwith Cornwall, p76

HERRING HARBOUR Lower Fishguard Pembrokeshire, p80

SEASHORE STILTS Walberswick Suffolk, p82

GINNELS AND SANDS Runswick North Yorkshire, p83

BAY OF PLENTY Ballintoy County Antrim, p84

MEDIEVAL SEAPORT Blakeney

ith 11,000 miles of British coastline, fishing has long been at the heart of our culture. There are numerous fishing villages with entire communities dependant on the industry, from fishermen braving unpredictable seas to the women and men onshore mending nets, baiting lines, processing the catch and selling fish.

Multiple factors have resulted in the decline of many fishing communities over the centuries: steam trawlers replacing sail trawlers, overfishing and the Cod Wars.

In 1983, the EU’s contentious Common Fisheries Policy, which gave each state a quota for what it could catch, coupled with greater allocation of fishing quotas to large companies, also had a negative impact on once-thriving fishing villages.

In addition, the enduring charm of such villages has increasingly attracted holiday-home buyers,

W

pushing house prices up and forcing locals – including many fishermen – out of the market.

Yet many working fishing villages have adapted and survived, from Looe in Cornwall to Crail in Fife, Clovelly in Devon to Brancaster Staithe in Norfolk, where the shouts and calls of the fishermen can still be heard along with the greedy squawk of gulls as the boats come into harbour. With their pretty quays, winding streets and cosy cottages, not to mention pubs and restaurants – many selling the seafood caught on their doorstep – fishing villages have retained their charm, attracting tourists and, in turn, providing a healthy market for fishermen.

CADGWITH CHARM Cadgwith is one example.

Battered by Atlantic swells on Cornwall’s Lizard Peninsula, it is the southernmost fishing village in the UK. Thatched cottages cluster together on the slopes of the valley, while a stream

runs down to the sand and across the shingle beach.

Old pilchard cellars, winches, and the former lifeboat house – active until 1963 and now home to the local gig club – are evocative reminders of the village’s colourful past.

Cadgwith was built to service the thriving pilchard industry in the late 1700s and 1800s, when huge shoals migrated to Cornish waters. At its peak, there were six pilchard companies in operation here. Lofts were used for storing nets, capstan houses for winching boats ashore, and cellars for pressing the fish to extract the oil, which was salted and baulked, and packed into ‘hogshead’ barrels.

Overfishing put an end to the boom in pilchards (since renamed ‘Cornish sardines’), but today Cadgwith

Norfolk, p86

WELSH RIVIERA Abersoch

SHANTIES AT THE INN

Gwynedd, p87

TASTE OF THE TROPICS Plockton Highland, p88

FISHING VILLAGE BOAT TRIPS Top seven Nationwide, p90

76

Records show that in October 1845, Cadgwith fishermen netted over 15 million pilchards in one day. Today’s catches are more modest

Cadgwith Singers gather to sing at the Cadgwith Cove Inn every Friday night, in honour of Saint Inebriatus, an Irish monk who was said to have been shipwrecked near Cadgwith many centuries ago. The music is unrehearsed and fullblooded, comprising traditional songs and shanties, and never fails to rouse the punters.

www.countryfile.com/walks

GREAT DAYS OUT

Don’t miss!

Can a new generation of Cornish fishermen save their traditional way of life?

Watch BBC Two’s Cornwall: This Fishing Life, available on BBC iPlayer

3

Photos: Getty, Alamy

Used by the village fishermen, the largest of Cadgwith’s two beaches is referred to as Cadgwith Cove, Big Beach, The Cove, Fishing Beach or the Working Cove

www.countryfile.com/walks

77

Cadgwith’s fish lofts, used to store fishing gear, also house an art gallery and two fresh fish shops

6.5 MILES 10.5KM 5 4 HOURS MODERATE

1

FISH LOFTS AND INN

2

3 SCAN HERE to access this route on your mobile device

4

78

fishermen are renowned for their crabs and lobsters, caught in pots from August to December, and monkfish, cod, pollack, red mullet, John Dory and ling, netted all year round.

Their brightly coloured boats are launched from a steep shingle beach, the most easterly of two south-eastfacing beaches sat either side of a small rocky headland called the Todden.

Looking over the beach, strewn with fishing boats and crab pots, is the 300-year-old Cadgwith Cove Inn, a time capsule that harks back to its smuggling history, its walls adorned with seafaring memorabilia. Curio gin, distilled in nearby Mullion, is delicious on a warm evening.

In summer, snorkellers, divers and rockpoolers enjoy

the clear waters of the neighbouring beach, at the bottom of some steep steps.

In the evening, people gather at the Cadgwith Cove Inn for seafood barbecues prepared by local fishermen, with proceeds going towards the village’s Christmas lights.

The barbecues take place outside one of the historic fish lofts, which was safeguarded earlier this year by campaigning locals who successfully crowdfunded just over £300k to buy all three of the village’s lofts, used by the fishermen to store gear and process their catch. The aim is to protect the buildings from potential development and help to safeguard the future of Cadgwith’s fishing industry.

1

BOILING SEA

A lovely 6.5-mile circular walk follows the South West Coast

www.countryfile.com/walks

Photos Getty,

THE ROUTE

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

GREAT DAYS OUT

Path from Cadgwith to Church Cove. Start at the village car park and walk down to the shore. Join the coast path and walk south to the Devil’s Frying Pan, formed by the collapse of a sea cave, resulting in a 100-metre-deep depression. In rough weather the sea appears to be boiling, with the central boulder resembling an egg, while the pounding of waves causes an impressive blowhole.

Cross the fields and rejoin the coast path, where you’ll be directed over a stile and a bridge towards Church Cove.

Close by lies Vrogue Rock, some 800 metres south-east of Bass Point. Hidden two metres beneath the surface, it has claimed many ships over the years, including the Czar in 1859, when 13 people drowned, despite the best efforts of coastguards and Cadgwith fishermen. British military buttons from the uniforms are still found by divers.

2

SHIPS BEWARE

Walk over a footbridge and up steps to a field to reach Balk Beacon (the headland just before Church Cove is known

as The Balk) – a distinctive red and white marker, designed to help ships avoid the notorious Vrogue Rock. Erected in 1859, it was restored in 2002 by the National Trust.

Through a kissing gate at Church Cove is the Lizard RNLI lifeboat station, built in 2012, with a funicular railway line to transport lifeboat crews from the boathouse to the 60-metre clifftop. From here you can often spot dolphins, while grey seals are regular visitors to the nearby rocks.

You can also see choughs around the peninsula, but watch out for adders, too, which are often out exploring early on summer mornings (particularly on the coast path underneath the lighthouse).

3

MAGICAL WAVES

Pick up the South West Coast Path again behind the lifeboat station, and walk past the National Coastguard Lookout and on to Lloyds Signal Station, which opened in 1872 to pass messages to ships entering the English Channel. The Lizard Wireless Station is further along the track, built by

Guglielmo Marconi in 1900, from where he proved that radio waves could be bent around the Earth’s surface.

A series of tracks and paths take you past the Lizard Lighthouse to Britain’s most southerly café, on Lizard Point.

4

HOLY RETURN

Return inland through fields and lanes, east of Lizard village to St Wynwallow’s Church (latesixth or early seventh century).

You’ll then pass the farmstead of Trethvas. Some 400 metres after the farm, turn left on to a country road. Look for a path on the right, opposite Anvoaze Barn, which leads to St Grada, an ancient church built of serpentine (green-hued rock) and used for the filming of Dr Who in the 1960s.

Stay left at the crosspaths to join the road at St Ruan’s Well.

Turn right. Ignore two side roads on the right, then, just before a bridge, turn right through a gate back to the car park.

How to use OS Maps on your device OS Maps gives unlimited access to OS maps throughout Great Britain.

Discover hundreds of thousands of ready-made routes at your fingertips.

No signal? No problem.

Download maps and routes and use them wherever you go.

Visualise your routes in full 3D, and print out as required.

Use the AR Viewer to pan across the landscape and rediscover your view.

Get access to the whole of Britain for only £23.95 for a 12-month subscription.

HOW TO GET STARTED 1. To access BBC Countryfile Magazine routes, download a QR code reader app on to your phone.

Nicola Smith is a writer and journalist based in Falmouth, Cornwall.

TWO MORE CORNISH FISHING VILLAGES TO EXPLORE 2. Hold the phone above the QR code beside the map.

SENNEN COVE A steep hill leads down past the vast stretch of sand to Sennen’s small working harbour, where lobster and brown crab are a popular haul in summer. Wander through the village with its thatched cottages, lifeboat station and 19th-century roundhouse, then drink in the view from the deck of the Old Success Inn.

POLPERRO This fishing village’s steep, narrow streets – built on Cornwall’s rugged south coast – are enticingly car-free in the summer. Visitors can wander down to the harbour for a sandwich made with freshly caught crab, before visiting Polperro’s Heritage Museum of Smuggling and Fishing.

3. The map will appear on your device, and off you go!

What is life like for the residents of these pretty Cornish coastal villages? Find out on page 58 www.countryfile.com/walks

79

Lower Fishguard’s colourful cottages sit at the mouth of the River Gwaun (hence its Welsh name Abergwaun) where it meets Fishguard Bay

WALK: Lower Fishguard, Pembrokeshire

HARBOUR OF HERRING Simon Whaley follows in the footsteps of film stars, French invaders and herring fishermen in the colourful coastal village of Lower Fishguard

C

80

Quaint cottages line the quayside where herring stores once stood. In 1971, it was the perfect set for a film of Dylan Thomas’s Under Milk Wood,

diversions, including locally caught fresh fish, shellfish and local ice cream.

The bench-lined quayside is a crabbing paradise and those patient enough with a rod might catch a pollack, wrasse, dogfish or mackerel.

At low tide, curlew, redshank and sanderling forage within the harbour walls.

The harbourmouth viewpoint offers sightings of the Irish

“ COTTAGES LINE THE

QUAYSIDE WHERE HERRING STORES ONCE STOOD” starring Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor and Peter O’Toole. One such building, the Fishguard Yacht Club café, offers mouthwatering

ferries at Goodwick and occasional grey seals, porpoises and dolphins, too.

And as the Sun Lover sculpture shows, it’s the perfect place for catching a few rays from this west-facing suntrap.

1 STONE CIRCLE For more charming views and coastal delights, leave Fishguard Lower Town car park (free), head to the road bridge, turn right across the river (no footpath), then turn immediately right into another car park. Bear left on to a tarmac quayside path to some

www.countryfile.com/walks

Photos Simon Whaley

ocooned between Pembrokeshire’s rugged coastal cliffs, Lower Fishguard can trace its herring industry back to the 16th century.

During Elizabeth I’s reign, enough herrings were landed here to feed her entire army.

Even the locals were called ‘sgadan Abergwaun’ (which translates in English to ‘Fishguard herrings’).

Near the car park, a bronze sculpture of a shoal of herrings celebrates the catch that was once the backbone of this harbour’s economy.

GREAT DAYS OUT

19th-century lime kiln remains.

Climb this narrow lane to the main road.

Double-back along Penslade to the Gorsedd Stone Circle – which commemorates the National Eisteddfod’s 1936 visit – and drink in beguiling views over Lower Fishguard. At the end of the road, continue on the tarmac path.

2 PORT PROTECTOR Opposite, perched on a narrow headland projecting into the Irish Sea, stands Fishguard Fort. Locals built it in 1779 after a privateer captured a local ship, held it to ransom and, when the locals wouldn’t pay up, bombarded the town with cannonballs.

Join the coast path and turn left for far-reaching views stretching from Dinas Head round to Goodwick.

3 SURRENDER SANDS In February 1797, 1,200 French troops surrendered at Goodwick Sands, following a failed three-day invasion. This is the last time foreign troops invaded mainland Britain.

At the main road, turn left and walk for half a mile, passing Penslade again (on the left) to reach a roundabout junction.

4 INVASION TAPESTRY The Royal Oak pub on the left is where English and French generals signed the Last Invasion Peace Treaty. In the Town Hall opposite, the 100-foot-long Last Invasion tapestry tells the story through needle and thread.

To return to Lower Fishguard and the car park, follow the main road through town, dropping steeply to the harbour.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP Lower Fishguard Harbour seen from the Gorsedd Stone Circle; wildlife boat trips run from the harbour; the Fishguard Herrings sculpture on the quayside is a nod to the town’s past industry

THE ROUTE

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

2.4 MILES 3.8KM 2 HOURS EASY MODERATE

3

2

1 4 SCAN HERE to access this route on your mobile device

Simon Whaley is a photographer, author and writer with a passion for the countryside.

www.countryfile.com/walks

81

DAY OUT: Walberswick, Suffolk

FISHING HUTS ON STILTS Relax in the small fishing community of Walberswick, which sits serenely on the River Blyth just as it spills into the North Sea, says Adrienne Wyper et in the wildlife-rich Suffolk Coast National Nature Reserve, Walberswick is surrounded by marshland, with long views across water meadows and reedbeds, and a sandy, shingly, dune-backed beach that is luxuriously quiet.

The boats bobbing on the River Blyth may be for leisure fishing these days, but black-stained fisherman’s huts on stilts evoke the area’s fishing heritage.

S

just before the First World War. Fish and seafood are still caught locally along the north bank; Mrs T’s fish and chip shop is licensed, and Sole Bay Fish Co has a smokehouse.

In the village, drop into the Bell Inn, with views over dunes and sea, where you can sample locally smoked haddock in cheese sauce. The Anchor offers tasty halloumi fries and beer-battered fish and chips, with freshly baked bread available at the bar.

BY BOAT AND BY FOOT TASTE OF THE SEA In its heyday at the turn of the 20th century, 300 boats landed herring at the village fish market, with trade peaking

This stretch of the Suffolk coast has few busy main roads, making it pleasant and safe for cycling. Hire bikes from Southwold Surf School

(surfboard hire and lessons are available, too), or Southwold Cycle Hire. Explore the River Blyth on a Coastal Voyager boat trip, spotting gulls, marsh harriers, herons, cormorants and possibly seals. Until recently, Walberswick was home to the World Crabbing Championships, and local shops sell crabbing buckets, bait and lines.

Run by volunteers, Alfred Corry Lifeboat Museum houses the beautifully restored lifeboat named after Alfred Corry, who left £1,500 “for the building, fitting out and equipping of one lifeboat” in his will. Based here between 1893 and 1918, it launched 41 times, saving 47 lives.

Cross the river aboard the rowing-boat ferry, run by the same family for five generations, and most recently

by Dani Church, its first female operator. Alternatively, cross the water on the Bailey bridge.

Easy walks abound: head south to the ‘lost’ village of Dunwich, whose bell still tolls beneath the waves (according to legend). Further on are the coastal lagoons and reedbeds of RSPB Minsmere, and a mile north is the genteel resort of Southwold, with its beach huts, pier and inland lighthouse.

Adrienne Wyper lives in Kent and loves walking, cycling and kayaking.

Photo Getty

The River Blyth flows for 19 miles from its source near the Suffolk village of Laxfield before spilling into the North Sea here at Walberswick

82

www.countryfile.com/walks

GREAT DAYS OUT

DAY OUT: Runswick Bay, North Yorkshire

GINNELS AND GOLDEN SAND Roly Smith visits a North Yorkshire coastal village recently voted as having the best beach in Britain he pristine, mile-long sands of the former fishing village of Runswick Bay on the North Yorkshire coast were recently crowned “Britain’s best beach” by the Times and Sunday Times.

With its sheltered, sweeping bay, golden sands and delightful cluster of pantile red-roofed cottages tumbling down to the sea, it is a firm favourite with many families.

The beach, which once provided anchorage for scores of brightly coloured fishing boats, is now more popular for rockpooling, Jurassic Age fossil-hunting and bracing coastal walks.

T

Regular erosion of the cliffs around Runswick Bay make it a hotspot for fossil hunting

Photo: Getty

RAISING THE CHAPEL Runswick Bay captivates you with its charm as you descend through narrow lanes – known in Northern England as ginnels – to the village, with its ancient, thatched coastguard’s cottage (the last thatched house on the Yorkshire coast), the flower-decked Royal Hotel and the tiny Runswick Bay café, which sells delicious homemade cakes and pastries on the seafront.

The former Primitive Methodist chapel, now privately owned, was built in 1829 largely by the backbreaking labour of the women of the village.

The steep slopes made it impossible for a horse and cart to convey the building materials, so 140 loads of stone, sand and lime were carried down in baskets on the heads of the wives and daughters of the fishermen.

www.countryfile.com/walks

STROLL TO STAITHES Runswick Bay is sheltered at its northern end by the lofty crags of Lingrow Cliffs.

From the cliffs you can take the three-mile stroll north along the Cleveland Way to Staithes, another lovely former fishing village, enjoying breathtaking views of the North Sea and rambling coastline along the way.

At the southern end, you can scramble up the steep coastal path for views from the headland of Kettleness, site of industrial-scale alum mining from 1727 until the late 1800s.

Around the edge of the bay, the ceaselessly pounding waves have created a series of caves known as Hob Holes.

These are small cavities where hobgoblins (mischievous

spirits) were believed to live.

One was supposed to be able to cure whooping cough, and mothers would take their ailing children there, reciting an ancient rhyme and hoping for a cure.

Roly Smith is the author of over 90 books on walking and the countryside.

83

WALK: Ballintoy and Portbraddan, County Antrim

BAY OF PLENTY Helen Fairbairn enjoys a seaside stroll between two of Northern Ireland’s prettiest – and smallest – fishing villages, past crumbling sea stacks, scores of islets and butterfly-filled dunes

Photos Alamy

Looking west from Ballintoy Harbour along the Causeway Coast to the dune-backed sands and dolphin-rich waters of White Park Bay

84

www.countryfile.com/walks

GREAT DAYS OUT

et in the midst of Antrim’s famous Causeway Coast, Ballintoy is a small village whose name translates as ‘town of the north’.

The title is apt; Scotland’s Mull of Kintyre is visible on the Atlantic horizon.

The village jewel is its harbour, a time-honoured haven for fishing boats, constructed from limestone blocks and protected by a jumble of offshore stacks. So evocative is the location, it was chosen as the setting for the Iron Islands in HBO’s popular TV series Game of Thrones.

S

WANDERING WEST Yet long before its small-screen fame, this coastline was celebrated by walkers and naturalists. The signed Causeway Coast Way stretches off in both directions, providing 33 miles of superlative coastal hiking.

Less than two miles east along the path lies the unique and thrilling Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge. The route west towards Portbraddan is even better, and an out-and-back hike in this direction is not to be missed.

One word of caution: both ends of White Park Bay are guarded by cliffs and boulders, which become impassable at high tide. Check the tide times before you set out and avoid the route at high water.

1 STACKS AND ARCHES Ballintoy village is located along the B15, around five miles west of Ballycastle. Descend a steep, winding road to park beside Ballintoy Harbour. A lovely tearoom and picnic tables offer opportunities for refreshment.

To begin the walk, join a signed path that heads west from the back of the harbour.

Pass a series of stacks and

www.countryfile.com/walks

ABOVE The name Portbraddan derives from the Irish Port Bradán, meaning ‘port of the salmon’ islets, some cut by spectacular natural rock arches. Negotiate a couple of stiles, then hop over a cluster of boulders at the base of a chalk cliff to reach the sandy sweep of White Park Bay. 2 BAY BLISS More than 1.5 miles of enticing golden sand now stretch ahead. As you cross towards the western end of the beach, you pass beneath a green amphitheatre of dunes and grassland that has been a National Trust conservation

site for almost 100 years. It’s wild and beautiful, and provides a protected habitat for a wide assortment of coastal birds, flowers and butterflies.

3 FAMILY BASE Nestled beneath the rock face at the far side of the bay is Portbraddan, an idyllic collection of houses fronted by a tiny harbour. You’ll have to cross more boulders to reach the hamlet itself. At the western end is Portbraddan Cottage; the National Trust-run property

sleeps six and is the perfect base for a family holiday.

4 ROCK ARCH It’s worth continuing along the path for another few hundred metres, through a natural rock arch, to reach Gid Point. Then it’s simply a matter of turning around and retracing the route back to Ballintoy.

Helen Fairbairn is the author of several books, including Northern Ireland – A Walking Guide.

THE ROUTE 5 MILES 8 KM 3 3.5 HOURS MODERATE RETURN

1

2 4 3

85

DAY OUT: Blakeney, Norfolk

MEDIEVAL SEAPORT Blakeney Point’s basking seals are a must-see on a visit to North Norfolk, but with its exuberant history and cosy inns, the spit’s namesake village on the coast shouldn’t be missed either, says Chris Gee he tang of salty sea air and the clinking of halyards add to the sensory experience as you gaze out over saltmarsh and tidal creeks at those famously big North Norfolk skies, the deep orange sun sinking slowly over the horizon.

A barn owl hovers in the air as it hunts small rodents.

When the sun comes up tomorrow to cast Cley Windmill into silhouette, the marsh harrier will be hanging over those same reedbeds.

Today Blakeney is a quiet little haven, but from the Middle Ages through to the very early 20th century, this was a bustling seaport with

T

a thriving fishing industry and distant trade in spices and oriental cloths.

PAST PROSPERITY The port reached a peak in the 15th and 16th century, when cod and ling were the main hauls. That wealth is reflected in the 15th-century Guildhall, one-time home of a prosperous Blakeney merchant and, by 1516, used by the guild of fish merchants. When it was built, Blakeney was the third most important port in Norfolk.

Dating from the same time, the church of Saint Nicholas is unusual in having two towers, the smaller built as a beacon to help ships navigate the tidal creeks and River Glaven.

CATCH OF TODAY As the Glaven silted up, shipping traffic was lost to other ports and today just a handful of fishing boats operates out of Blakeney, catching local crab and fish to service nearby pubs, restaurants and shops.

Many pubs in the area offer excellent locally caught fish dishes, often accompanied with samphire handpicked from the shore. Try a crab sandwich or seafood platter from Cookie’s Crab Shop in Salthouse for a sample of the local catch.

Pleasure craft have replaced fishing vessels and a number of operators offer trips out to Blakeney Point to

see the grey and common seals. They depart from either Blakeney or Morston Quay depending on the tides.

Today, the flint fishermen’s cottages often operate as holiday lets and Blakeney makes an excellent base for exploring the North Norfolk coast, whether it be on foot along the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path, on a bike or using the Coast Hopper bus that connects the charming villages of Salthouse, Cley next the Sea and Morston with Wells-next-the-Sea. Chris Gee is the author of Walking the Yorkshire Coast: A Companion Guide.

86

Photo Alamy

Blakeney village sits among a series of tidal inlets midway along the Norfolk Coast AONB

www.countryfile.com/walks

GREAT DAYS OUT

DAY OUT: Abersoch, Gwynedd

SUMMER ON THE WELSH RIVIERA The Ll n Peninsula is one of the best places in the UK for spotting dolphins. It’s also home to endearing fishing villages, not least Abersoch with its sandy shores and river-fed harbour, says Vivienne Crow Surrounded on three sides by the Irish Sea and fed by the Gulf Stream, Abersoch has a unique microclimate, giving rise to its popular moniker, the Welsh Riviera

bersoch sits in a sheltered spot on the south side of the Ll n Peninsula, a slender finger of land reaching out into the Irish Sea at the north-western tip of Wales.

Like many other settlements looking out on to the vast blueness of Cardigan Bay, the village once relied heavily on fishing for its income, with herrings a particularly lucrative catch. Small-scale fishermen still operate out of the harbour, mostly bringing in lobsters and crabs, and you can book fishing trips with local boat operators.

A wander around the village is a slow affair, with visitors repeatedly being lured from

Photos: Getty

A

www.countryfile.com/walks

their explorations by the many bars and cafés lining the street leading down to the harbour.

Once you reach the point where the river, the Afon Soch, opens out into the sea, you’ll need to stop again, this time to take in the jagged skyline along the eastern horizon: the mountains of Snowdonia.

SEASIDE STROLL Beyond the small harbour beach is a longer, more popular stretch of sand, backed by dunes and home to a line of colourful beach huts.

One sold for a record £153,000 in 2016, despite being in need of some TLC. Grab yourself an ice cream and sit awhile here, watching

the paddleboarders and windsurfers out on the water.

You might even be lucky enough to spot a bottlenose dolphin, since Cardigan Bay is home to one of Britain’s largest populations.

For something more energetic, take to the Wales Coast Path. Following it south from Abersoch initially, you pass over the top of rugged cliffs and across open heath where crow-like choughs, their red bills and matching legs conspicuous, swoop and dive exuberantly. From the four-mile surfers’ beach at Hell’s Mouth, leave the coast and complete a 10.5-mile circuit by walking quiet lanes and farm paths back to Abersoch.

must visit!

PORTHDINLLAEN Looking for more seaside charm? On the Ll n’s north coast is Porthdinllaen, a tiny cluster of fishermen’s cottages accessible only on foot from Morfa Nefyn. Don’t miss the beachside T Coch Inn!

Vivienne Crow is a photographer and writer who specialises in the outdoors.

87

DAY OUT: Plockton, Highland

TASTE OF THE TROPICS While away summer days amid tropical palms and clinking sailboats, writes Chris Gee

T

urquoise waters lap gently at the shores of secluded white coral beaches. Palm trees sway gently in the breeze under azure skies. A Caribbean daydream comes easily to mind on a lazy summer’s day spent in the ‘Jewel of the Highlands’.

This charming fishing village, sheltered from the prevailing westerlies by the protective arm of Carn an Duine, looks out over the wildlife-rich waters of Loch Carron to a landscape dominated by the towering Applecross Mountains.

CROFTERS’ COTTAGES The pretty little whitewashed cottages of Plockton (Am Ploc in Gaelic) give little clue that this village was planned in 1801, on behalf of local landowner Sir Hugh Innes, to exploit the extensive herring shoals.

Engineer Thomas Telford even had a hand in designing some of the cottages, which housed crofters displaced by the Highland clearances.

By 1850 the fishing trade was thriving and Plockton schooners were busy shuttling to the Clyde with barrels packed tightly with herring preserved in sea salt. As herring declined, Plockton fishermen landed white fish, but over the 20th century the industry waned.

BY BOAT OR BY TRAIN Photo: Alamy

Some small boats still operate, landing crab, langoustine and

88

white fish, but today Loch Carron is more famous for its annual two-week summer yachting regatta. The most popular boat in Plockton is the Sula Mhor, operated by the friendly crew of Calum’s Seal Trips. Daily excursions around Loch Carron offer sightings of grey seals and maybe even a golden or sea eagle.

The local fishing trade gained a brief reprieve in 1898 when the railway reached Kyle of Lochalsh, giving access to more markets. The railway survived both the decline in fish stocks and Beeching’s cuts, and today offers a handy request stop service along the shores of Loch Carron. That clickety-clack of the train can deliver you to the charming halt at Duncraig for a shoreline amble through flowering gorse back to Plockton. Or journey a little further to Kyle of Lochalsh for a more adventurous return via Balmacara Square, over the hills that separate Plockton from Loch Alsh.

The fishing heritage lives on in local menus; try fish and chips from the tiny wooden cabin, cullen skink from the Plockton Hotel or seafood from the excellent Plockton Inn. This atmospheric pub is a great place to sample the local folk scene and a wee dram or two.

Chris Gee is the author of Walking the Yorkshire Coast: A Companion Guide.

www.countryfile.com/walks

GREAT DAYS OUT

“ A CARIBBEAN DAYDREAM

COMES EASILY TO MIND ON A LAZY SUMMER’S DAY IN THE ‘JEWEL OF THE CLYDE’”

Plockton’s sheltered position and relatively mild climate allow its iconic New Zealand cabbage palm trees to flourish

www.countryfile.com/walks

89

TOP SEVEN FISHING VILLAGE BOAT TRIPS Make your summer holiday one to remember with a trip aboard a ferry, kayak or fishing boat, suggests Fi Darby

01

5 4

1 2 3

7

6

ENJOY A HARBOUR TOUR FROM CARNLOUGH BAY, COUNTY ANTRIM

A pleasure boat and fishing port today, much of Carnlough was built to support limestone exports from a nearby quarry. Take a boat tour from the stone harbour – Braavos in Game of Thrones – to enjoy wildlife, scenery and some good old-fashioned local stories. carnloughboattours.weebly.com

02

03

VISIT THE ISLAND OF LUNDY FROM CLOVELLY, DEVON

Described as ‘Britain’s own Galapagos’, the island of Lundy’s land, air and seas are home to a cornucopia of wildlife. Observe puffins, discover wildflowers and perhaps swim with seals on a boat trip from the picturesque fishing village of Clovelly. clovelly.co. uk/things-to-do/activities-2/chartered-trips

TAKE A WILDLIFE KAYAK TOUR FROM RHOSCOLYN, ANGLESEY

Once renowned for its oyster fishing, Rhoscolyn on Anglesey’s Holy Island is now popular with watersports enthusiasts. Hire a kayak from the village and set out on a coastal exploration. Look for seabirds and seals as you paddle through caves, coves and inlets on this stunning section of coastline. b-active-rhoscolyn.co.uk

Explore the stunning Annstead Dunes Nature Reserve then treat yourself to traditional oak-smoked kippers in the village of Seahouses. In the evening, take a cruise around the Farne Islands, spot colonies of seals and watch the sun set behind magnificent Bamburgh Castle. farne-islands.com/trips/sunset-cruise

90

www.countryfile.com/walks

Photos: Getty, Alamy

04

WATCH THE SUN SET BEHIND BAMBURGH CASTLE FROM SEAHOUSES, NORTHUMBERLAND

GREAT DAYS OUT

06

TAKE A FERRY RIDE FROM MEVAGISSEY TO FOWEY, CORNWALL

Formerly one of Cornwall’s busiest pilchard fisheries, Mevagissey (above) is a charming harbour village, which still has a small fishing fleet. Take in views of St Austell Bay from the cliffs then hop on the ferry to enjoy lunch before a wander up the river in bustling Fowey, once home to Daphne du Maurier. mevagissey-ferries.co.uk

05

FEAST ON SEAFOOD FROM PORTREE ON THE ISLE OF SKYE, INNER HEBRIDES

For a touch of luxury, indulge in delicious seafood on this culinary boat trip from the village of Portree (below). Relax in comfort, feast on local delights and raise a glass of the good stuff as you view some of Skye’s favourite landmarks, including the Cuillin and the Old Man of Storr. seaflowerskye.com

07

CHARTER A RIB FROM RYE HARBOUR, EAST SUSSEX

Enjoy the dunes at Camber, then book an adrenalinefilled RIB charter from nearby Rye Harbour. View the dunes from the sea, then head two miles offshore to Fairway Buoy. Alternatively, take a trip to the Royal Sovereign Lighthouse; but be quick, it’s overdue for demolition. fullthrottleboatcharters.com/rye-harbour

Fi Darby is a Devon-based writer, OS Get Outside Champion and co-author of the outdoor blog Two Blondes Walking.

www.countryfile.com/walks

91

READER IMAGES

YOUR GREAT DAYS OUT… IN PHOTOS Share your best photos of the British countryside with us and you could see your image published in print or online and win a great prize. Email your images to photos@countryfile.com photo of the month

DAISY GOSLING By: Kevin Bates Where: Lytham St Anne’s, Lancashire “I spotted some Canada geese with their goslings and I particularly liked how they looked among the daisies, which gave the image a feeling of new life. The scene just made me happy.”

SUNSET CYCLE By: John Ansell Where: Rhos-on-Sea, Conwy “I was on my daily cycle commute to work. It was morning, about 7.30am, and the sunrise looked amazing so I had to have a five-minute break to drink it all in and take a few pictures.”

THE PRIZE This month’s winner receives a pair of Ariat Skyline Summit Gore-Tex® boots, worth £170. The boots are mesh-lined and made with a waterproof, breathable membrane, plus a shock-absorbing EVA midsole and leather upper with nylon panels. A dualdensity Duratread™ outsole provides extra traction for sure footing on rough terrain. Sizes: women’s 3–8.5; men’s 7–12.

92

www.countryfile.com/walks

GREAT DAYS OUT SEA, SAND, SKY By: Julie Taylor Where: Watergate Bay, Cornwall “I took this on a March day, at 11am.It was such a tranquil scene with not a soul on the beach and my two cocker spaniels and the cries of the gulls for company. Magic!”

RELAXED WREN By: Liz Roberts Where: RSPB Frampton Marsh, Lincolnshire “This lovely little bird with its loud voice allowed me to get within a few feet of it. It posed for several minutes among the blackberry bushes along the path before flying off. What a joy!”

WELCOME PARTY By: Mitchell Hampton Where: Long Mynd, Shropshire “In lockdown, my partner and I took up walking. At the top of Long Mynd, we were greeted by a family of friendly and curious wild Welsh ponies.”

www.countryfile.com/walks

MIGHTY FLIGHT By: Verity Hill Where: Weymouth, Dorset “My friend and I were very lucky to see this short-eared owl quartering the grassy fields in search of food. It was the first time we had ever seen this beautiful species.”

93

Waterways adventures and wildlife – escape to 0,*"4%"/" !& "/"+1 01 , #,/ /"#/"0%&+$ "0 -" "0&!" ,/ ,+ 1%" 4 1"/ &+ /2/ ) /4& (0%&/" &1% /&3"/0 /& % + ) +"14,/( +! *&)"0 ,# 1,4- 1%0 1, "5-),/" 6,2 + "+',6 !& "/"+1 !3"+12/" "3"/6 ! 6 /&$%1 &+ +$) +! 0 %" /1 &/" , 1 #,/ *,/+&+$ 4""("+! ,/ ),+$"/ 0-,1 1%" /" 12/"0 +,4 1%/&3&+$ ),+$ ,2/ ,2+1/6 4 1"/4 60 +! *""1 1/ 1#,/! 0 04 +0 2 ( &+1, 4 1"/0&!" -& +& 0 +! -2 )2+ %"0 !&0 ,3"/ + 12/" 1/ &)0 ,/ ,*" 6 )&+$ +! &/! 4 1 %&+$ &+ 4 1"/ - /(0 ) + 6,2/ 4 1"/4 60 !3"+12/" 1,! 6

visit.warwickshire.gov.uk/ waterwaywonders

* $" /"!&10 1,-

/4& (0%&/"

+ )0&!"

,11,* ) /

,2+1/6

/(

/4& (0%&/" ,2+16 ,2+ &) 1/ 1#,/! 2-,+ 3,+ , 1&+$

"01 &!) +!0 /,41% ,*- +6

&!#,/! ,+ 3,+

"01 &!) +!0 /,41% ,*- +6

LAZY DAYS

July

Lazy days BOOKS TV RADIO PODCASTS LETTERS PUZZLES Reviews editors: Margaret Bartlett, Maria Hodson

From walking guides, plant and wildlife observations, recipes and travel journals to poetry, Women on Nature brings together the many ways women write about their experiences of the natural world

LUMINOUS VOICES ON THE NATURAL WORLD This important collection of nature writing shines a new light on women’s words BOOK such as Jane Austen are those that are And the parallels between Margaret new (to me) – Irenosen Okojie, Trileigh Cavendish’s 17th-century A Dialogue WOMEN ON NATURE

Photo: Alamy

EDITED BY KATHARINE NORBURY UNBOUND, £25 HB

pebble (a poem or essay perhaps), or a crystal-sharp extract from some larger work of fiction or non-fiction. I have a new ‘to read’ list. Among familiar voices

www.countryfile.com

Tucker. How could I not have come across Eluned Gramich before, who captures the inter-relationship between the people and place of my adopted country (Wales) so eloquently?

The alphabetical ordering chosen by editor Katharine Norbury (author of The Fish Ladder) is inspired. How extraordinary it is to emerge gasping from the white water of Amy-Jane Beer’s account of a friend’s kayaking accident on to the earthy ground of Isabella Beeton’s recipe for mushroom ketchup.

Between an Oak and a Man Cutting Him Down and Nicola Chester’s very contemporary battle to save her community’s woodland are particularly poignant, when read one after the other.

To think I might never, from the title, have picked it up! (I prefer the strapline ‘100-plus voices on place, landscape and the natural world’.) Like me, Norbury finds the term ‘nature’ slippery. But there is nothing vague here. The writing is sure and precise. It is definite, luminous and strong.

Julie Brominicks, landscape writer

www.countryfile.com

95

INSPIRING READS FOR KIDS Words: Margaret Bartlett, Maria Hodson Plan exciting outdoor adventures for the holidays with these new countryside titles for young ones LET’S GO FOR A WALK

BY RANGER HAMZA, IVY KIDS, £7.99 PB This cheerful book stars CBeebies’ popular adventurer Ranger Hamza, who encourages children to observe and engage with their surroundings while exploring outdoors. Bright, bold illustrations by Kate Kronreif accompany the ideas for activities, which are often in catchy rhyming verse: “Roses are red, holly berries are too. We’re looking for

WILD CHILD

BY DARA MCANULTY, MACMILLAN, £14.99 HB

RED things. Can you find a few?”

Suggestions include spotting colours, shapes and sizes while out and about, and noticing different textures.

Aimed at children aged two-plus, this is best read while sitting outside or on a walk, as the text asks the reader what they can see around them. But the outside world doesn’t have to be countryside; the focus is on observing your surroundings, urban or rural, and paying attention to details, natural or manmade. MH

BIRCH TREES, BLUEBELLS KEW: GROW, AND OTHER BRITISH PLANTS FORAGE AND MAKE

BY NIKKI DYSON, NOSY CROW, £4.99

BY ALYS FOWLER AND HANNAH GRIFFITHS, £9.99 PB

nature. Beautifully and boldly illustrated by Barry Falls, the book starts in Dara’s back garden, with gorgeous, lyrical descriptions of his favourite birds, minibeasts and wildflowers, peppered with fun facts. He leads the reader into the woods, hills then rivers, with explanations of migration, metamorphosis and tree propagation on the way. Each section ends with a fun activity, too. This is a book to treasure. MB

garden, wildflower meadow, ponds – provide the backdrop for 120 stickers of plants and animals that children can add to the pages, such as acorns to oak trees or butterflies to the meadow. At the back, an illustrated checklist of 46 plant species – including ash, campion, sea kale and sycamore – help children to identify and tick off the plants they’ve spotted. MH

of activities, from seed gathering and growing to crafts, experiments, recipes and foraging. While some will be an exercise in patience, others give instant satisfaction, such as searching for the ‘Wood Wide Web’ and making art with fresh leaf pounding.

Delightfully illustrated and beautifully written, this inspiring book could sow the seed for a lifetime of plant-loving. MB

A YEAR ON ADAM’S FARM

WHEN WE WENT WILD

BY ADAM HENSON, PUFFIN, £9.99 HB

BY ISABELLA TREE, IVY KIDS, £7.99 HB

RSPB: NATURE GUIDE, WILDLIFE

BY CATHERINE BRERETON, BLOMSBURY £8.99 PB

has the answers. On each richly illustrated page, Adam takes young readers to every part of his farm through the seasons, to see how our food is grown and harvested.

Look inside a combine harvester, see how sheep are shorn and potatoes are planted, and glimpse machines of the future. Lift the enticing flaps on each page for further facts and farm stories. MB 96

to nature. Struggling farmers Nancy and Jake plough fields, milk cows and spray chemicals – but everyone is unhappy and they can’t make end meets. By abandoning commercial practices and letting the land take care of itself, the farm transforms into a utopia of abundant growth and happy, free-roaming animals. The narrative is quite earnest but it brims with positive spirit. MH

where and when to look for animals and plants, the book is divided into groups – from mammals and fish to invertebrates, amphibians, trees and wildflowers. There’s a description plus a concise fact box for each listing, allowing for easy identification.

With activities to try too, this is a great choice for budding nature watchers. MB www.countryfile.com

LAZY DAYS Maria Nilsson’s striking illustrations bring a quiet calm to the pages of 50 Things to do by the Sea

BOOK 12 BIRDS TO SAVE YOUR LIFE

BY CHARLIE CORBETT MICHAEL JOSEPH, £14.99 HB In recent years, a publishing

along these lines. With great feeling, Charlie Corbett details the death of his beloved mother, the subsequent collapse in his father and his own descent into panic attacks and deep sadness. There is much to be admired here as Charlie relates the events and thoughts that brought him so low. This is by far the best part of the book and is well worth reading on its own merits.

The title and heart of the book relates how the author’s recovery from the raw pain of grief (never complete, of course) was aided by a renewed interest and appreciation of his natural surroundings, and especially by watching birds. There are 12 birds in particular, from skylark (below) to chiffchaff, that helped him.

While many people will relate to this, I found this section slightly contrived in places. However, you will learn something and many of the encounters are enjoyable.

I have a major gripe. Much of the author’s inspiration comes from old bird books (e.g. from the 1850s.) But things have moved on. Some of his research could have sharpened up, too. At one point he says, about birdsong: “In winter, the birds are largely silent.” This simply isn’t true; most species are singing strongly just after the midwinter solstice.

Gripes apart, though, this book has much merit and could genuinely help people who are navigating life’s darker lanes.

Dominic Couzens, birder and author

BOOK 50 THINGS TO DO

BY THE SEA

BY EASKEY BRITTON, PAVILION, £9.99 HB If you have been unable to

step towards soothing your marine biologist and renowned big-wave surfer, someone more than qualified to author such a book.

Divided into six sections and beautifully illustrated by Maria Nilsson, Britton inspires the reader to think about how people are intrinsically connected to the sea with activities, ideas and fun facts. For example, did you know human amniotic fluid and seawater contain the same salts in the same proportions?

Britten also explains why we think we can hear the sea in seashells.

CATCH UP TV SPRINGWATCH BBC TWO, AVAILABLE ON IPLAYER

Photo: Getty, BBC, Maria Nilsson

Filmed live from new locations across the UK, this year’s 12 episodes of Springwatch captured the effects on wildlife of an unusually cold and dry season. See the late spring from Wild Ken Hill – a rewilding project in Norfolk – where Chris Packham and Michaela Strachan keep tabs on live cameras recording the daily life of brown hares, plus nest cameras watching avocets,

www.countryfile.com

Practical information can be found in the first section, from how to understand the tides, rips and currents, and how to stay safe in the sea. A host of activities, including beachcombing, rockpooling, birdwatching, exploring the seaside’s multi-sensory environment, searching for bioluminescence and wave play offer options for year-round exploring. The final chapter includes calls to action, with a guide to beach clean-ups, restoring habitats and sustainable foraging.

Some of the ‘things to do’ seem to have been stretched across multiple activities, particularly ones involving mindfulness, which could have been grouped together. Others feel as though they have been squished to fit. More detail about identifying different species, such as sea anemones or seabirds, would be handy. But this is a minor quibble, as the book points the reader on to resources for finding out more.

Megan Shersby, digital assistant

barn owls, pied wagtails, sedge warblers and lapwings and their chicks.

Based at Alladale Wilderness Reserve in the Scottish Highlands, Iolo Williams meets red deer and is on the lookout for black-throated divers at Loch Shin, while Gillian Burke searches for the rare cryptic wood white butterfly and a family of otters at WWT Castle Espie wetland reserve on the banks of Strangford Lough in Northern Ireland.

Each episode also includes a beautiful and tranquil Mindfulness Moment in the sounds and sights of nature.

97

Your countryside HAVE YOUR SAY ON RURAL ISSUES Share your views and opinions by writing to us at: Have your say: BBC Countryfile Magazine, Eagle House, Colston Avenue, Bristol BS1 4ST; or email editor@countryfile.com, tweet us @CountryfileMag or via Facebook www.facebook.com/countryfilemagazine *We reserve the right to edit correspondence.

PROTECT OUR LAND FROM LITTER

I litter-pick in spring, before the weeds and foliage start to grow over the rubbish on the road verges, river embankments and fields. I litter-picked over three Sunday mornings in early March, which took me around 12 hours in total. I covered a distance of 225 metres on both road verges of the A1122 and the adjacent bank of the river Great Ouse and our field, filling four black dustbin bags with an assortment of items (pictured).

The glass bottles and cans were typically alcohol related. As we are two miles from the nearest shops, I can only surmise there are elements of drinking alcohol and driving before throwing the litter on the nearest green space. This year, I have seen for the first time medical supplies, disposable plastic gloves and a used colostomy bag.

There is no emphasis on protecting grazing and domesticated animals.

Despite vigilantly litter-sweeping the field for rubbish, we have had sheep in the field found dead with plastic in their mouths.

I have been litter-picking here for 12 years, and the quantity of litter is not reducing. And although there has been a significant reduction in road traffic due to the year of lockdowns, the litter burden is greater than ever.

I have always felt that I am making a difference in a small way, but clearing up

KITE CONTROVERSY

the mess year after year is not enough – simply recruiting more volunteers is not solving the problem. There needs to be a shift in attitudes, education and enforceable penalties to improve Britain in the 21st century.

Mandy Candler, via email Editor Fergus Collins replies: You are making a massive difference to your local landscapes and community and attitudes will change if we all keep the pressure on. I pick litter locally (in Monmouthshire) and it can be so disheartening but I’m noticing less litter this year. Keep going – we’re all with you!

THE PRIZE This star letter wins a portable and lightweight Helinox Chair One, worth £90. Easy to assemble thanks to DAC aluminium alloy technology and with breathable fabric for great comfort, the Helinox Chair One comes in a tiny pack size and weighs only 850g. helinox.eu

98

Having read in your May issue about the book Meadowland by John Lewis-Stempel, I decided I should read it. When I got to page 80, I was horrified by what he had written. He clearly suggests that a red kite killed his black lamb.

I have lived and shepherded in what used to be called kite country most of my life and I have never heard such rubbish. A red kite is incapable of killing a lamb, black or of any other colour. Kites live on worms and carrion, and they have to rely on crows, ravens or foxes to cut open carcasses for them before they can feed.

There are enough idiots out there trying to justify killing birds of prey without being fed rubbish like this by people who should know better.

John Davies, via email

GROUSE MOOR MANAGEMENT Further to the article in your May issue ‘Should grouse moors be licensed?’, there are some assumptions about grouse moors that need to be corrected.

The proposed licensing of grouse moors is, by the Scottish

www.countryfile.com

Photos Alamy, Getty

letter of the month

LAZY DAYS

Government’s own admission, a very complex issue. There is no detail at present as to how it may work or how a licence could be withdrawn. The case for licensing was based on an apparent need to resolve raptor persecution. In fact, given the time since the Government review of grouse moor management was instigated in 2017, much has changed, which renders such unprecedented new legislation unnecessary.

The existing strong laws around wildlife crime have already been effective and were supplemented last year by increased penalties – a move supported by the land management sector. As a result of this and other factors, bird-of-prey crimes are now at an all-time low.

As regards environmental management, there is a real need for the latest science to be taken on board. Skilled, ‘cool’ burns, as done on grouse moors, conserve the heather and specifically do not lead to conversion to species-poor and rush-dominated habitats. Neither do they damage peatland; in fact, there is published science that shows the benefits of muirburn to sphagnum moss – the key plant in peat’s carbon sequestration.

Damage to peatlands is historical and mostly caused by drainage in the time of post-Second World War agricultural expansion, overgrazing, plus external factors, such as industrial pollution or peat cutting. In the last decade, grousemoor owners in Scotland and England have been at the forefront of restoring damaged peatlands and reversing historical drainage, and further work is planned as part of the Government’s climate change strategy.

Tim Baynes, Director of Moorland, Scottish Land & Estates

CANINE TRAINING IS CRUCIAL I don’t always agree with Sara Maitland’s opinions, and often disagree. But this is fine, and promotes debate. How dull would

www.countryfile.com

Gamekeepers manage moorland so that red grouse have enough tender green shoots of young heather to feed on, plus older, taller heather for nesting and shelter

life be if we simply all agreed or acquiesced? I am fully onboard with her article on dog behaviour in the countryside, in your May issue, and enjoyed the read.

I used to have a working English springer called Honey. She was my gun dog and was (in my biased opinion) a superb example. I’ll always remember a time when I showed her a chocolate ball and simply said, “leave”. I then rolled it some four yards from me. She looked at me, I looked at her, and with a simple head gesture she went for the chocolate. I then said, “Honey, bring.” She returned it and placed it in my hand without as much as a tooth mark.

Now, I admit this is an extreme level of training, but Sara made the good point that a well-trained dog can be enjoyed.

But it’s important to remember that the dog will enjoy it more also, not

having to be checked or pulled back or shouted at several times a minute. If more people shared this view, it would go a long way to not only protecting our countryside, but allowing all to enjoy it, too.

Mark Cubitt, North Yorkshire

FRIGHTENING DOG ATTACKS I agree with Sara Maitland in your May issue that ‘worrying’ is too soft a word for dog attacks on livestock. It is easy to feel empathy for the farm animals if you are a jogger or cyclist. There is rarely a week when I am not ‘worried’ by an out-of-control dog while cycling and it is frightening and potentially dangerous. Many owners either make a half-hearted attempt to stop it, such as “Oh no Fido, it’s naughty to chase bikes”, or even sometimes turn around and walk away. It’s very scary when it is a big dog and must be worse for a small child.

In my opinion, we should be allowed to carry a reasonable form of self-defence.

Julian Wiseman, via email

99

SCARECROW VERSES Here’s my new poem inspired by a Scarecrow Festival in Horstead/ Coltishall area, which raises funds for the local preschool. It had a theme of explorers and exploration and was very enjoyable.

Steven Pointer, via email THE SCARECROW The day had woken The dawn chorus had spoken, The sun rose from being low Opens the eyes of the scarecrow.

He had an important job to do Whether sky was grey or blue, When the crops had been sown Or where they had grown.

Pond predator I chanced on a little drama by my garden pond recently. A sudden movement caught my eye and I spotted this grass snake grabbing a frog by the head.

The frog soon stopped struggling but the snake stayed still long enough for me to grab my camera and capture the moment. It appeared to me that the snake simply waited for the frog to suffocate before finding a way to cram such a large frog into its slender body.

Phil Martin Ledbury, Herefordshire

DON’T FORGET ACCESS ISSUES

Photo: Alamy

As a long-term rights-of-way campaigner (as am I), your recent ‘Walking Special’ had wonderful pages and pages on walking, with the Ramblers rating a mention for its organised walking groups all over the UK as well as the Walking for Health scheme.

It was more than a little sad though to see that the role of promoting, developing and protecting rights of way wasn’t mentioned – and the long history of this, from Kinder Scout to the present day – and the Ramblers’

100

Don’t Lose Your Way campaign.

Could you and Ellie Harrison explore that in a future feature and column in the magazine?

Dominic Pinto, East Sussex

Young crops all grow row after row, All protected by the scarecrow Until the golden wheat was swaying, While song of a skylark was playing.

The sun was now going down low, Still smiling was the scarecrow He had done a good job today, All the crows had flown away.

The wheat had been now cut And the field had now shut Down for the growing year, As golden days of autumn appear.

The day woke to winter skies, The scarecrow opened his eyes While the field waited for spring And a new season to begin.

Fergus Collins replies: This is a vital issue and one we will continue to tackle regularly in the normal magazine in features and columns (and it’s something Ellie has written about). For the ‘Walking Special’, we were keen to focus on walking for physical and mental health as well as for discovery.

www.countryfile.com

EXPLORE Take a look at theessexcoast.com and plan your Essex adventure Coastal Coa Communit munities Fund

“Science with Nature”

Peter Moore is a specialist plant breeder introducing high quality plants to the industry Buddleja Sugar Plum ‘LONPLUM’ Image: PlantippBV

Buddleja x alternifolia Unique ‘PMOORE12’

For more information on these and other plants bred by Peter Moore, see his website www.bredbypetermoore.co.uk

Summer walking shoes The best low-cut hiking shoes for day walks and treks, from country paths to mountain approach routes Words: Pat Kinsella

BBC Countryfile Magazine favourite

Ridge Flex Low, Keen, £145; keenfootwear.com The first thing you notice about the Ridge Flex is the big bit of concertinaed plastic on the forefoot, just below the laces. This is the ‘bellow’ feature around which this innovative walking shoe has been designed. Keen’s theory is that most pieces of hiking footwear fail in this area because it’s constantly under stress as the foot attempts to bend while walking up or down hills – causing discomfort and wasting energy. To fix this, the bellows flex easily when you’re walking up and down steep gradients. Keen claims to have tested it a million times on one boot without any sign of material fatigue. It works well on most terrain, but not on extremely craggy surfaces – choose an approach shoe (a hybrid walking/rock-climbing shoe) for

102

that sort of thing. These heavy-duty (541g per shoe, men’s size 10.5) shoes are basically boots – similar to the Keen Targhee – with the collars removed. They retain tyre-like soles, armed with 5mm-deep tread, and enormous toecaps – both signature features on Keen footwear. They’re also reliably weatherproof, thanks to Keen’s own breathable and waterproof membrane, and have an excellent heel-lock system, cleverly integrated to the laces for a really secure fit. All this means they offer more protection, control and support than any other shoe on test, and they’re made with relatively sustainable and ethical materials and methods.

VERDICT A chunky trail-walking shoe that performs much better than it looks. 8/10

www.countryfile.com

All the shoes featured are available in men’s and women’s sizes

MQM Flex 2 GTX, Merrell, £120; merrell.com hiking tough trails. The tyre-like Continental outsole is armed with a set of terrain-gripping 4.5mm lugs. There’s a meaty toecap and heel cup, plus a robust rand (rubber upper). They look like a running shoe, but have the rigidity of an approach shoe. People will either find this level of protection useful (on rocky terrain), or restrictive (on gentler ground). The EVA midsole supplies some cushioning.

At 444g per shoe (men’s 10.5), they’re in the midweight category.

VERDICT A hardcore technical trail shoe disguised as a pair of running shoes. 7/10

Lightweight (399g per shoe for a men’s size 10.5) and built to be nimble even on technical trails, the Flex 2 has an outsole with pronounced lugs, arranged so they don’t gather too much mud.

There’s also a brake on the heel for control during descents, and a serrated area on the toe for traction when ascending. A light but ‘tear-resistant’ textile upper backed by Gore-Tex lining keeps water out. There’s plenty of bendiness, while a rockplate protects you from sharp sticks and stones underfoot. A good performer for fast hikers, it may lack heft for more traditional trail walkers.

VERDICT Light, nippy trail shoe for fast-moving walkers. 7/10

Mountain Trainer, Salewa, £165; salewa.com

Mojito Trail GTX, Scarpa, £160; scarpa.co.uk

A classic approach shoe, the Mountain Trainer offers serious rigidity. It also boasts solid 360° protection with a substantial toecap and full-cover rand, making it ideal for rocky trails. A Gore-Tex lining combines with a stretch gaiter beneath the laces to provide superior waterproofing. The climbing-style lacing system grasps your foot tight, and a Vibram outsole gives you great grip on rock. Despite the deliberate stiffness of this shoe, it remains comfortable, although it is heavy (566g per shoe, men’s size 10.5); its benefits would be lost on more pedestrian paths outside the peaks.

VERDICT Technically advanced shoe for mountain trails. 7/10

For handsome design and functionality. Approach shoes are so called because climbers wear them while walking in to the base of the crag they intend to scale; but often they are worn for a whole mountain hike, too. The Mojito Trail is ideal for this purpose, with a fairly rigid shank, excellent toe and heel protection, and a Vibram outsole with superb grip. Although not especially flexible, they are comfortable and light enough (507g per men’s 10.5-sized shoe) to wear on easier paths. With a waterproof Gore-Tex membrane.

VERDICT Good-looking shoes, fit for the mountains but equally at home on less challenging trails. 7/10

www.countryfile.com

103

Outline Prism GTX, Salomon, £120; salomon.com

Facet 30 OutDry, Columbia, £125; columbiasportswear.co.uk

Coming from a French brand that makes running shoes, it’s no surprise that the Prism is the lightest and most athletic waterproof walking shoe in our test. Weighing just 360g per shoe (men’s 10.5), they feel like running shoes. They’re flexible, highly breathable and waterproof, with a Gore-Tex membrane and good grip. There is a substantial toecap and protection at the sides. Like many Salomon shoes, the fit is quite narrow. We suspect they won’t last quite as long as some other more robust shoes on test.

VERDICT Super-sleek shoes for those who want to travel light and complete trails fast. 7/10

These ‘hiking sneakers’ have a love-them-or-hate-them appearance, thanks to the chunky midsole. This lightweight walking shoe (under 400g per shoe, men’s size 10.5) is made for moving fast.

The shoe has lots of padding, and there’s a protective rand around the heel and toe area. The upper is breathable and waterproof.

There’s plenty of bounce in the midsole, and the heel has a stabiliser. The outsole’s lugs are so densely arranged they collect mud in gloopy conditions. Best suited (aesthetically and technically) for drier, well-maintained paths and urban trails.

VERDICT Quirky hiking sneakers with in-built bounce. 6/10

Trail 2650 Campo, Danner, £105; global.danner.com

Explorer Active, Berghaus, £115; berghaus.com

Designed in the US for warm-weather hiking in dry conditions, these comfortable and lightweight (348g per shoe) trail-running-style shoes feature a funky-looking leather upper, reinforced with abrasion-resistant textile panels and backed by a breathable mesh.

There’s plenty of flex in the forefoot and ample cushioning in the midsole. We particularly liked the sock-like inner – created by a 100% integrated tongue, which stops grit getting in – but be warned: these are not insulated or waterproof (although they drain well and dry fast). The Vibram sole gives good grip even on wet rock.

VERDICT Fair-weather shoes with a bit of Californian cool. 6/10

Berghaus gear tends to be reliable rather than flashy or gimmicky, and so it is with these classic walking shoes, which deliver lots in terms of performance, even if they don’t look exciting. They’re loaded with top-level tech, from the waterproof Gore-Tex lined upper to the comfortable footbeds and grippy Vibram outsole.

A rubber toecap and full rand protect the foot. The degree of flex has been nicely balanced with the level of support they offer.

A durable middle-weight (440g per men’s shoe, size 10.5) that sits in the sweet spot between hiking boot and trail-running shoe.

VERDICT A tidy shoe that delivers on all its promises. 8/10

For more reviews of outdoor gear, go to countryfile.com/country-kit

www.countryfile.com

xpl ore, enjoy, esca pe

Cat Hole Cottages offers 24 cottages, from cosy cottages for a romantic break for two, to spacious homes for families or friends.

Stone-built, the cottages benefit from luxurious modern amenities and decor, combined with traditional Dales character, either in rural isolation, or just steps away from a welcoming pub. Many are dogfriendly and all are within Swaledale or Arkengarthdale, on the route of the 2014 Tour de France. The Pennine Way and Coast to Coast Walk are on the doorstep, with many gentler rambles direct from the cottages. The magnificent landscape is perfect for exploring, hiking or cycling, with the bonus of returning home to a delightful, comfortable cottage, where you can relax and admire the stunning scenery.

Idyllic self-catering holiday cottages, tucked away along the banks of the Fal Estuary, Mylor Yacht Harbour is located in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and is the ideal location to explore the south Cornwall coastline.

T 01326 372121 E enquiries@mylor.com

01748 886366 | catholecottages.com

MYLOR.COM/HOLIDAYS

STOCKHAM FARM EXMOOR

Experience the magic and tranquility of Exmoor.

Two unique luxury period holiday cottages with sensational views sleeping four and six.

Dogs welcome. Located close to the pretty moorland town of Dulverton. Open all year.

stockhamfarmexmoor.co.uk stockhamfarm@gmail.com | 07785 901017

Super warm and versatile, the R036X Polartherm™ fleece jacket is a stretch fit, easy wash, easy wear style, combining practicality with comfort. A perfect companion to your outdoor adventures.

resultclothing

Country puzzles RACK YOUR COUNTRYFILE BRAIN WITH THESE WILD AND WONDERFUL GAMES COUNTRYSIDE QUIZ

answers at bottom of page 107

The Holy Island of Lindisfarne on the Northumberland coast

9.Where is Britain’s largest seal colony? a) Blakeney Point, Norfolk b) Donna Nook, Lincolnshire c) Farne Islands, Northumberland d) Skomer Island, Pembrokeshire 10. Which fish does the UK export in the largest quantity (by weight)? a) Mackerel b) Cod c) Haddock d) Salmon

1. Which saint’s pilgrimage path leads to the Holy Island of Lindisfarne in Northumberland? a) St Cuthbert b) St Botolph c) St Dyfrig d) St Aidan 2. How tall is the Old Man of Hoy, a red sandstone sea stack in the Orkney archipelago? a) 58m b) 82m c) 137m d) 156m

4. Who penned the first record of snorkelling, writing of divers using ‘instruments of respiration’ similar to an elephant’s trunk? a) Aristotle b) Alexander the Great c) Julius Caesar d) Leonardo da Vinci 5. In surfing, what is the unbroken part of a breaking wave called? a) Deck

d) Whitewater

d) Ling

106

St Gwenfaen’s Well on Holy Island, Anglesey? a) A pair of shoes b) Two white quartz pebbles c) An old penny d) Spotted rock rose 7. Lower Fishguard in Pembrokeshire was the setting for which 1971 film? a) On the Black Hill b) Under Milk Wood c) Bitter Harvest d) The Corn is Green 8. Which Scottish circular route runs for 516 miles, taking in Inverness, Applecross, Ullapool and Caithness? a) Scotland Coast to Coast b) John Muir Way c) Fife Coastal Path d) The North Coast 500

11. Which coastal wildflower is pictured below? a) Sea campion b) Golden samphire c) Sea aster d) Sea bindweed

12. Which Cornish town was home to author Daphe du Maurier? a) Boscastle b) Padstow c) Fowey d) Mevagissey 13. Dendrodoa grossularia is the Latin name for which of these marine creatures found in UK waters? a) Baked bean sea squirt b) Prawn cracker sponge c) Dead man’s fingers d) Fried egg anemone

www.countryfile.com

LAZY DAYS

CROSSWORD SOLUTIONS

COUNTRYSIDE CROSSWORD

by Eddie James

WALKING SPECIAL ACROSS 1 Thumps... Suffolk draught horses (7) 5 Vulgar type of public grassy area? (6) 8 E.g. Countryfile’s TV support team... cried like a cockerel? (4) 9 Harvests spoilt pears (5) 10 Get rid of fly tip? (4) 11 County location of Sandstone Trail and Beeston Castle (8) 12 Permits (6) 14/24 The summit of Ireland’s Mourne Way... a surplus of dairy produce? (6,8) 16 Summit on a route to Lake District’s High Street – OK, with the TNT exploding! (3,5) 18 Farm building for poultry – shop, once rebuilt (3-5) 21 Golden liver-coloured spaniel named after a historic county (6) 22 Strode around county location of Maiden Castle (6) 24 See 14 across 26 Equipped with horseshoes (4) 28 Tempted fish with artificial bait (5) 29 Island group at mouth of Galway Bay... in quarantine! (4) 30/7 down A 65ft-high rock pillar on Gritstone Trail, near Stoke-on-Trent (3,3,2,3) 31 Marked like a badger’s face (7)

EDITORIAL Editor Fergus Collins Production editors Margaret Bartlett and Maria Hodson Features editor Joe Pontin Art editor Tim Bates Deputy art editor Laura Phillips Picture editor Hilary Clothier Section editor Daniel Graham Group digital editor Carys Matthews Editorial and digital coordinator Megan Shersby

DOWN: 1/9 Isle of Sheppey 2/29 Milk Hill 3 Glamrock 4 Rhynes 5 Badger 6 Edge 10 Yields 15 Ruler 17 Munro 19 Narrows 20 Orcadian 21 Twitch 23 London 24 Grouse 25 Skeins 27 Kent.

JUNE DOWN 1 Peak District’s twin of Chrome Hill – peak hours involved (9) 2 Amphibians whose young are called efts (5) 3 Hawk relative; also a hunting dog (7) 4 Green-flowering coastal plant of beetroot family – bees ate wildly! (3,4) 5 Small waterfall, or series of waterfalls (7) 6 It might help pigs stay cool (3) 7 See 30 across 13 County location (abbrev.) of Brockholes Nature Reserve (5)

ADVERTISING AND MARKETING Group advertising manager Laura Jones, 0117 300 8509 Advertising manager Neil Lloyd, 0117 300 8813 Senior sales executive Samantha Wall, 0117 300 8815 Sales executive Stephanie Hall, 0117 300 8535 Classified sales executives Antony Jago, 0117 300 8543 Alex Armstrong, 0117 300 8538 Subscriptions director Jacky Perales-Morris Senior marketing executive Tom Bull Press & PR manager Dominic Lobley and Emma Cooney

15 Blood-sucking mites’... ‘correct’ markings? (5) 17 South West Way’s southernmost point (3,6) 19 Bunting visitor – seen in Radnor to Lanarkshire (7) 20 Largest of the Isles of Scilly (2,5) 21 Herd of wild boar piglets – more healthy? (7) 23 Hill range in Clackmannanshire – one in loch, oddly (5) 25 Walk wearily (5) 27 Foal’s mother (3)

LICENSING Director of international licensing and syndication Tim Hudson PRODUCTION Production director Sarah Powell Junior production co-ordinator Sarah Greenhalgh Ad services manager Paul Thornton Ad designer Parvin Sepehr Ad co-ordinator Florence Lott PUBLISHING Publisher Andrew Davies Promotions and partnerships manager Rosa Sherwood Publishing assistant Lara Von Weber Managing director Andy Marshall

We abide by IPSO’s rules and regulations. To give feedback about our magazines, please visit immediate.co.uk, email editorialcomplaints@immediate.co.uk or write to [the magazine editor], Immediate Media Co., Eagle House, Colston Avenue, Bristol BS1 4ST

ACROSS: 1 Spot 4 Rolls 7 Ruff 9 Cavern 10 Cranefly 11 Stanhope 14/12 Smooth snake 16 Swallow 18 Nuttall 21 Plaice 22 Fence 23 Whimbrel 25 Barmouth 27 Staffa 28 Shoo 29 Yorks 30 Hunt DOWN: 2 Plantsmen 3 Treen 4 Rannoch 5 Lichens 6 Swansea 7 Rue 8 False 13 Alloa 15 Orton 17 Wicken Fen 19 Avebury 20 Lowther 21 Priests 22 Flash 24 Beach 26 Moo.

MANAGEMENT CEO Tom Bureau BBC STUDIOS UK PUBLISHING Chair, Editorial Review Boards Nicholas Brett Managing director, consumer products and licensing Stephen Davies Director, Magazines Mandy Thwaites Compliance manager Cameron McEwan UK publishing co-ordinator Eva Abramik uk.publishing@bbc.com www.bbcstudios.com SUBSCRIPTIONS AND BACK ISSUES Annual subscription rates (inc P&P): UK/BFPO £61.75; Europe and Republic of Ireland £72.50; rest of world £76.50.

July–Dec 2019 40,226

ANSWERS QUIZ: 1a, 2c, 3c, 4a, 5c, 6b, 7b, 8d, 9a, 10d, 11c, 12c, 13a

Photos: Getty, Alamy

This magazine is published by Immediate Media Company Bristol Limited under licence from BBC Worldwide.

ACROSS: 7 Swill 8 Husbandry 11 Esk 12 Mange 13 Geese 14 Farrows 16 Pyramid 18 Blakeney Point 22 Warbler 24 GM crops 26 Token 28 Ovoid 29 Hoe 30 Hen houses 31 Allen

www.countryfile.com

107

COUNTRYFILE DIRECTORY UK HOLIDAYS

PRODUCTS For more ideas to help plan your next trip, check out the Travel Planner at

www.countryfile.com/ go-outdoors/travel-planner

Handmade in England PATTARD, NORTH DEVON COAST Do you seek luxury accommodation with many walks from your doorstep? Three Barn conversions sleeping two to eight. Central heating and woodburner. Pets welcome.

Good pubs within 10 mins walk. Now with on site restaurant, Pattard Restaurant.

Discover fashion, made for you Image: Getty

www.pattard.com – 01237 441311 www.pattardrestaurant.co.uk Table reservations 01237 441444

Shop at davidnieper.co.uk

Advertisement

DISCOVER NORTHUMBRIA

Call for a catalogue 01773 83 6000

THE

COLLINGWOOD ARMS collingwoodarms.com | 01890 882 424 With charming views across the River Tweed and into the Scottish Borders, sublime and well-reviewed food and 15 classically furnished rooms, The Collingwood Arms is a multi-award winning retreat that offers a luxurious home from home. Whether you are planning a fabulous weekend break, a memorable sporting trip with all the facilities you could need or simply a stay to take in the romance of the Borders, we look forward to welcoming you soon.

DISCOVER NORTHUMBRIA

© Jane Wood Photography

With fabulous spa and leisure facilities and ten acres of private estate to roam, Doxford Hall is the perfect base to explore the Northumbrian coast and countryside.

36 Individually Styled Rooms & Suites Award-winning Dining • Spa • Dog Friendly

Doxford Hall Hotel & Spa, Chathill, Alnwick, Northumberland NE67 5DN � 01665 589700 info@doxfordhall.com

Eshott Hall has a magic all of its own. With a double AA rosette restaurant and a passion for providing the highest standards of service and comfort, it’s the ideal spot to explore Northumberland’s majestic coast and countryside.

23 Individually Styled Rooms & Suites Award-winning Dining • Dog Friendly

Eshott Hall, Morpeth, Northumberland NE65 9EN � 01670 787454 info@eshotthall.co.uk

To advertise here please phone Antony Jago on 0117 300 8543 or email Antony.Jago@immediate.co.uk PRODUCTS

Reimagine to-go We believe beautiful, healthy food has a place in your adventures. Our new TKCanisters make it a reality. With Climate Lock™ vacuum insulation and TKClosure™ thermal technology, TKCanisters keep contents hot or chilled for all your adventures. Available in three convenient sizes 237ml, 473ml and 946ml. kleankanteen.co.uk

UK HOLIDAYS