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Where to go
Hannafore Beach, Looe, Cornwall. SX255 520
Noteable species, Two-spotted Gobies, Wrasse, Scorpion Spider Crabs, Furrowed Crabs and Scallops. Best time for looking is on an extremely low spring tide. Gullies run parallel to shore, lots of rock pools. Be careful of tides and very slippery weed.
Tregantle Beach, Whitsand Bay, Cornwall. SX 385 527
A long stretch of fine golden sand a good beach for shells and molluscs of various descriptions.
Point Field, Churchtown Farm Nature Reserve, Saltash. Cornwall. SX 417 571
On the Tamar Estuary, so expect to get muddy. Mussel beds with cockles and winkles, butterfish, eels, oysters, whelks, shore crabs, sponges and sea squirts on extremely low spring tides.
Please do not collect live shellfish for eating from this area, they are not fit for consumption, this applies to most shellfish around the Plymouth estuaries.
Devil's Point, Firestone Bay, Stonehouse, Plymouth, Devon. SX 462 534
A good place to visit with easy access and free parking. Access from the swimming pool, a good place to go on low spring tides. Painted Top Shells, Green Sea Urchins, Squat Lobsters, Hairy, Edible, Furrowed and Velvet Crabs are common finds. Rocks can be very sharp.
Eastern Kings, Stonehouse, Plymouth, Devon. SX 467 535
I mention this separate from Devil's Point as I found more Spotted Cowries in this area on the rocks, on a very low spring tide. Other finds are similar to the above.
Tinside, Plymouth Hoe, Plymouth, Devon. SX 477 536
Car parking here is metered on the top of the Hoe. Very good place to visit on a low spring tide, although the rocks here can be very sharp. Dahlia Anemones were seen on a recent visit, together with a multitude of crabs, such as Porcelain, Hairy, Furrowed and Velvet Crabs, and the
occasional Squat Lobster.
The Plym Estuary, Plymouth, Devon. SX 506 554
A largely muddy site with shore crabs, lugworms, ragworms and a variety of molluscs. Also a good place to see seabirds and waders. For free parking access via Saltram, Chelson Meadow, or Blagdon's Meadow.
Batten Bay, Mount Batten, Plymouth, Devon. SX 487 530
Perhaps one of the best and most accessible beaches in the area to visit, plenty to see from the high tide line down to the low water mark. Some rocks are sharp in areas, but most of the site is easily accessible, although there is some climbing to do on the north side of the beach towards Mount Batten Breakwater to access some of the sandier bays. The best place in the area to find starfish, green sea urchins, a numerous variety of crabs, prawns and shrimps, molluscs, blennies, worm pipefish, shore rockling and other rockpool fish, the list goes on. The beach slopes gently making quite an easy beach for children. There is a limited number of parking spaces on the road above the beach, but there is also a free car park on the south side of the mount at Mount Batten. The area is also a good place for bird watching, with a variety of seabirds and waders, there are also grey and pied wagtails, robins, blackbirds, rock pipit, chaffinches, wrens and kestrals present in the scrub above the beach.
Jennycliff Beach. Jennycliff, nr. Plymouth, Devon. SX 491 522
As the crow flies very close to the above with a similar range of species, free parking at the car park above, and a café on site for refreshments, just a shame you have to walk down a steep cliff path to it. The beach is gently sloping, the best place to look in the pools is on the beach over the rock outcrop to the north of the main beach.
Wembury Beach / Blackstone Rocks, Wembury, nr. Plymouth, Devon.SX 518 483
This beach is owned by The National Trust and is the location of the Devon Wildlife Trust's
Voluntary Marine Conservation Area. The beach has its own visitor centre, and the local warden
organises and leads rockpool rambles. The DWT website has a detailed list of upcoming events. Parking is in the National Trust car park at the top of the beach. Parking is free in the winter months and for completely free for NT members all year, otherwise the parking charge is £3 a day for non-members. The area arguably contains one of the largest selections of marine fauna in the area, to numerous to list. The main area of reef is an outcrop of rocks called Blackstone Rocks, but the coastline at Wembury is very long and extends all the way to Wembury Point, near HMS Cambridge.
The Yealm Estuary, Newton Ferrers, Devon. SX 539 478
Warren Beach, Blackstone Point, nr. Noss Mayo, Devon. SX 533 465
Need a map for parking etc.
Visit Get-a-Map from the Ordnance Survey.
Please remember the following when going to any of these beaches.
1/ Only take away empty shells.
2/ Use nets gently and carefully so as not to damage plants or animals.
3/ Touching soft bodied and small creatures may harm them, or harm you, some animals can sting or bite. e.g. crabs, jelly fish, weaver fish, even blennies, just ask my 15 year old.
4/ Only keep creatures captive for a short time, and don't let them dry out, place them in a pool or bucket of fresh sea water.
5/ Carefully replace any rocks or stones in the same position and way up that you found them.
6/ Be careful seaweed is slippery and rocks can be sharp.
7/ Take any litter home.
8/ Plan well and know your tide times.
Tide Times for the South West co/ (BBC Weather Website)
If in doubt do what I do, follow the tide down and leave at low water.
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