Tips | Tidal Treasure-Hunting

Winter, particularly after a bit of wild weather, is a great time explore your nearest tideline. When the sea bed has been stirred up, all sorts of treasures are washed up for you to explore, from sea urchins and sea glass to garnets and even coconuts from far shores. Here’s how to make the most of a coastal winter treasure hunt.

Check tide times: The ideal time to visit is 2–3 hours before low tide. The lowest tides, when more of the beach is exposed, coincide with the new and full moon.

Be prepared: Wrap up warm and bring waterproofs. Carry zip-lock bags for your finds – and bacterial hand gel!

Be responsible: Collect natural things sparingly as they provide food and shelter for seashore creatures. There are restrictions on removing pebbles as these prevent coastal erosion.

Give something back: Pick up pieces of plastic on your visit.

Stay safe: Always check the weather forecast. Keep clear of cliffs. Don’t touch jellyfish, as they can sting even when dead.

Thes tidal treasure-hunting tips are taken from our feature, ‘Tidal Treasures’ by Vanessa Wright, in our January issue. Pick up a copy from shops or our online store to read more about exploring your nearest tideline this winter.

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Beachcombing | Things you can take home from the seaside

Photography by Greta Rybus from Remodelista in Maine by Annie Quigley (Artisan Books)

Pebbles and stones may be out but there are lots of inventive ways to find a souvenir to take home from the seaside

If you’ve spent a holiday or even just an afternoon at the beach, it’s lovely to be able to take a small memento home with you. Pebbles are out of the question now but there are plenty of ways you can remember a favourite bit of coast while leaving the wild habitat as it should be.

Seaside souvenir no-nos

Sadly, but with good reason, it’s not ok to raid your local bit of coastline or holiday destination for pebbles and sand. The Coast Protection Act of 1949 made it illegal to remove natural materials such as these from any UK beach. The law is there to protect Britain’s beaches from erosion and encroachment by the sea, so it’s in all our interests to help. 

Coastal takeaways that can be ok

While pebbles and sand are totally off limits, other items are ‘grey area’ and not illegal to remove. Shells should never be taken if inhabited of course, but what about empty shells? Well, they’re ok. Empty shells can still provide important habitats for seaside creatures so think carefully before you take a shell home and definitely don’t be greedy - you’re applying the same rules as foraging here - but the odd empty shell isn’t too much of an issue. 

And what about driftwood? It’s ‘a natural material’; it doesn't ‘grow’ on the beach but is washed up, so you are allowed to take it away. As with shells, driftwood can be a good habitat for small sea creatures, however, so be thoughtful about what you remove. A nice, big piece of driftwood with lots of nooks and crannies might make a rather lovely community for some tiny sealife, but little stubby bits of smooth wood might not be missed so much. And again, be abstemious about what you take. One lovely piece of wood to close your hand around in your coat pocket is fine - bags of driftwood to use for craft - not so much (try Hobbycraft, please!)

But there are plenty more environmentally safe ways to bring a little of the seaside back home with you still. Here are a few ideas. 

Sea-safe seaside souvenirs

Sea glass

Unlike pebbles and shells, sea glass is essentially litter. Very beautiful litter, but litter all the same, so good news - you’re fine to pick it up. It’s simply broken glass bottles, polished smooth by the sea. Sea glass is a lovely thing to collect and the green, blue, white and brown sea glass pebbles you find on most of Britain’s beaches look a bit magical stored in a glass jar on a shelf, or made into a mosaic. 

Sea water

The days of filling a glass bottle with pretty sand on your seaside trip are definitely in the past, but if you’ve enjoyed a wild swim in the sea on holiday, no one will begrudge you taking a small bottle of sea water home to occasionally sniff the ozoney scent and be transported back to the days of late summer. Label your bottle and pop it in your bathroom to remind you while you take your morning shower. 

Buoys

Occasionally those brightly coloured reddy-orange balls wash up, slightly broken or dented on the sea shore. They make great garden ornaments if you’re lucky enough to happen across one. 

Lost metal

Taking a metal detector to the beach is a fun way to spend an afternoon. Why not make a collection in a little box of all the coins, ring pulls and other tiny scraps of metal you found and display it as a piece of art? Who knows, you may even happen across some pirate gold!

Fossils

Lots of beaches in the UK are home to amazing fossils. If you’re lucky enough to find one, do take a photo and note the location so you can tell the relevant agencies or local museum. Some areas have restrictions on fossil hunting so pay attention to signage and check local rules. In many cases, fossils belong to the landowner. But mostly, in the UK, it’s fine for amateur fossil hunters to take home the odd find. It’s not like you’ll be falling over perfectly preserved ammonites wherever you go anyway. 

Actual litter

Be a beach Womble and take a bag with you so you can do your bit and collect any rubbish you find (do take gloves and be careful about what you pick up). You find all sorts of mad things left on beaches so you could make a piece of modern art from your finds. Or you could just, you know… bin it. But there’s less fun in that!

Seaweed

Beautiful in water - a little bedraggled looking when washed up on sand - seaweed can be brought back to its beautiful self by pressing it as you would press a flower. Find the instructions for making a seaweed print like the one pictured above on page 104 of our September issue. 

No-trace souvenirs

If you want to leave no trace of your visit at all, modern technology allows us lots of ways to take a little of the seaside home with you while leaving no footprint. You could make a sound recording of the waves to listen to in bed at night, or take a photo of a rockpool filled with seaside treasures and blow it up into a canvas to hang on your wall. The seaside may need protecting but we can all carry a little piece of it in our hearts, after all.  

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Folklore | Hag stones

The weird and wonderful stories behind stones with holes in

There’s all kinds of treasure to be found at the seaside, from pretty shells and mermaids’ purses, to sea glass and pebbles. But there’s a particular joy in finding a stone with a hole in and holding it up to spy the sea through. 

Hag stones, as they are properly called, have been enchanting the folk of Britain for centuries, often literally. They’ve often been believed to have magical properties and to be able to mysteriously ward off witches and other ne’er-do-wells. 

It’s all in the hole, you see. The theory goes that only good things can pass through a hole, so while good fortune and good wishes will find you through a hag stone, bad luck and evil thoughts are too big to be able to pass through the hole and become stuck in the middle. This belief may be bolstered by the centuries old belief that magic cannot work on moving water. So, since the hole in a hag stone was created by moving water, it works as a sort of ‘shield’ against spells and the like. 

If you visit the coast soon, keep your eye out for a hag stone of your own.* And when you’ve found one, take it home as protection. Here are a few uses for the hag stone in your life. 

• Hang it above your front door or over a window to keep evil spirits out. 

• If you’re a sailor, tie one with rope to your ship to prevent witches clinging to your vessel, and to swing in the wind to help break up storm clouds. 

• Wear it around your neck on a string to ensure good health and to heal any minor ills. 

• Nail one above the door of your barn to stop witches souring your herd’s milk or taking your horses for a gallop in the night. 

• Attach a hag stone to your bedpost to keep bad dreams away. 

• Tie one to your keys so they will never be lost again. 

• Use them to help you conceive a baby. (We’re not quite clear on exactly how this is done. Perhaps just have one about your person…)

• Enter Fairyland through it (apparently the hole is a portal). Again, we’re unsure about how to do this, but it can’t hurt to just have a peer at Fairyland through the hole. 

*Only ever take one at a time though, and only for yourself. The stones are said to find you; you don’t find the stones. And they only work for the person they found. Plus, you’re not really meant to remove things from Britain’s beaches, but we think the very occasional hag stone is probably ok. 

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Job Vacancy | Lighthouse Keeper

Fancy a career change and something a little different? Apply within…

Do you have what it takes to keep Simple Things Lighthouse ship hape and Bristol fashion and ensure all ships pass safely around the rocks beneath? If think you fit the person spec below, drop us a line via seagull. 

Position: Lighthouse Keeper

Skills required: 

High level of fitness (the commute involves a lot of stairs).

Exceptional eyesight.

A head for heights.

Top notch organisational skills and a tidy mind.

Resourcefulness (particularly with reference to food preparation as deliveries can be sparse).

Experience of exterior decorating (on a large scale) would be helpful.

Must be able to confidently change a lightbulb.

Personality:

Must be capable of working independently.

An enjoyment of one’s own company would be an advantage. 

Happy to use one’s own initiative. 

Able to find the joy in solitude. 

An appreciation of seagulls would be an advantage.

And did we mention the solitude? 

Experience:

It’s probably best if you don’t have too much life experience; you’ll only miss it. 

Applicants who self-isolated for long periods during lockdown are encouraged to apply. 

In return, we can offer a fabulous coastal location, excellent views and plenty of opportunity for self-improvement (with the emphasis on ‘self’). Plenty of time off during daylight hours. While you will be required to work all night shifts, you will have the opportunity to read for pleasure while working the light - just one line at a time. 

As you may have noticed, we got just a little overexcited by our ‘Outing’ feature on lighthouses in our March issue. It’s a ripping read, whether you’re a fan of lighthouses, or are yet to discover their charms.

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Walking on the edge of land

A stroll is good for body and soul but a canter along the coast is a true tonic

Why is there nothing quite like a stroll along the sea? Walking anywhere outdoors is good for you; a chance to get your heart pumping, fill your lungs with fresh air and clear your head a little. But there’s definitely something a bit special about a coastal walk, especially at this time of year.

Perhaps, as we straddle two seasons, the idea of walking in hinterlands, along ‘the edge of something’, strolling between one world and the next, is appealing: one foot firmly on land, the other lapped by waves. Autumn’s a bit like that isn’t it? 

Or maybe it’s that a day spent in the sunshine is something of a last hurrah right now. As Autumn Proper beckons and evenings get darker, managing a day out by the sea feels like an easy win against the elements, as well as a chance to bank some fresh air and sunlight before we all become just a little more home-based. 

Some 2015 research by the National Trust showed that a coastal walk also gave us 47 minutes’ more rest on average the following night. And who couldn’t do with some extra sleep as summer draws to a close? The NT has put together a list of some of the best coastal walks around the UK. Why not get out there and make the most of an Indian summer this weekend? You’ve nothing to lose and 47 minutes’ of sleep to gain (plus the possibility of squeezing in some last-minute sand-between-your-toes, pebbles-in-your-pocket end-of-summer fun). 

In our September ‘Begin’ issue, Clare Gogerty visits East Neuk for our Weekend Away feature, and walks some of the Fife coastal path. Get hold of your copy of this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

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Winter beaches: Pubs to watch the waves from

Every blustery winter walk should end hunkered down in a cosy pub with a pie and a pint. Even better, the pub should be by the sea to watch storms roll in and winds whip up the waves as a fire crackles comfortingly beside you.

Try these:

l The Butt and Oyster, Pin Mill, Suffolk

At high tide, the River Orwell reaches the walls of the pub and pints have been known to be handed to sailors through the windows. debeninns.co.uk/buttandoyster

l Pandora Inn, Mylor, Falmouth, Cornwall

Sitting above the Restronquet Creek, this 13th-century pub is the place to perch with a bowl of mussels and watch the tide creep in. Alternatively, wrap up warm and eat outside on the pontoon. pandorainn.com

l The Little Gloster, Gurnard, Isle of Wight

The generous deck looks over the Solent – sit here and watch the yachts drift past or eat in the restaurant and watch the sun set over the horizon. thelittlegloster.com

l The Pilot Inn, Dungeness, Kent 

Head here after a tramp along the UK’s biggest (and most atmospheric) shingle spit for fish, chips and mushy peas. thepilotdungeness.co.uk

l The Harbour Inn, Solva, Pembrokeshire

Sitting above the harbour in Solva National Park, this pub is rambler (and dog) friendly providing a comfortable stop-off along the coastal path. harbourinnsolva.com

Turn to page 64 of February's The Simple Things to read Clare Gogerty's piece on the invigorating yet melancholy pleasures of winter beaches.

Read more: 

From the February issue

The essential winter beach kit

Islands of adventure: Britain's coastline

February's The Simple Things is out now- buy, download or subscribe. 

The essential winter beach kit

Inspired by our February issue, in which Clare Gogerty takes us on an exhilarating journey to some of our finest winter beaches, our shopkeeper, Louise Gorrod, has compiled the essential The Stuff of Life winter beach kit for those wishing to head coastal and blow away those late winter cobwebs. 

Warm layers, wellington boots, waterproof coats and bags, a packed lunch to feast on and your own portable tea making facility will set you up nicely for such an adventure.

For those not willing to brave the sand and shingle quite so early in the year, there are some great coastal inspired homewares and stationery products on the shop too. Don't forget to send us a postcard!

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Images from top, left to right: Seasalt tea towel by Ulster Weavers, £6.50 | Oilcloth bag by Ulster Weavers, £19.00 | Organic print sweatshirt by Lost Shapes, £32.00 | Wellington Boots by Story Horse, £35.00 | Raincoat by Story Horse, £40.00 | Yay! lunchbox by Quince Living, £7.50 | Ghillie Kettle by The Glam Camping Company, £47.50 | Pack away bucket by The Glam Camping Company, £19.95 | Set of coastal greeting cards by Alfie’s Studio, £8.00

Sounds of our shores: World Listening Day

To celebrate World Listening Day and the theme of water, join in with the Sounds of our Shores project and record sounds of waves at noon tomorrow.

From crashing waves to bustling piers, children’s laughter to chattering seabird colonies, what we hear at the coast connects us to it. The sounds of our shores project (National Trust/British Library/National Trust for Scotland) aims to get as many people as possible recording the sounds of waves along the whole UK coastline at 12 noon on Saturday 18 July. The aim is to build up a sonic snapshot of how waves sound and how this sound is affected by the beach, the topography of the land etc. The coastal sound map aims to reflect the beauty and diversity of the entire UK coast, 775 miles of which are cared for by the National Trust thanks to their Neptune Coastline Campaign.

Getting involved

To take part in the project, which runs for three months until 21 September, you can record a sound from anywhere on the UK’s 10,800 mile coastline from beaches to ports, cliffs to seaside towns. You can also share historic coastal sounds to illustrate how our coastline has changed.

Each sound should be an audio or video clip up to five minutes long and can be uploaded along with a location, images and a description to the map via the audioBoom website or app and there’s lots of great information to help you. You can also share your sounds on social media using #shoresounds.

Tips to get you started

The British Library website has useful tips for making the most of your coastal recordings including how to minimise unwanted wind noise and advice for recording near wildlife. There’s also practical information on using a smartphone, tablet or handheld recorder.

What you record is completely up to you but Catherine Lee, community and volunteering officer on the Lizard in Cornwall and a former sound recordist, has a few suggestions to get you going:

Footsteps in the sand
People ordering and eating ice-creams
Waves crashing against the rocks
Seagulls calling

Sounds of the Shores is featured as part of July's Things to Plan and Do (page 16). Read more - July's issue is available from all good newsagents, supermarkets and our official online store. 

Sold out? Download it from Apple Newsstand or subscribe now.

Escape: Islands of adventure

For a real get-away-from-it-all day out, hop on a boat and sail to a British island. Timeless, remote and teeming with wildlife, they are the places for a carefree escape.

One of the most romantic is Lundy Island in North Devon. Car-free, wild, and full of seabirds (Lundy means 'puffin'), this is the place to choose for a Blyton-esque holiday with the Landmark Trust's 23 holiday properties located on the island.

Get to know this beautiful island and its history by watching this short film about Lundy.

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