This was a jar idea. One I wasn’t too sure we’d be able to do. I honestly can’t remember seeing anyone rock pool in years so thought it may be a thing of the past. But maybe it was more a case of not looking in the right places.
Woolacoombe beach is perfect for any budding rock pooler.
Once the sandcastles were built and the sandwiches demolished, fully kitted out with buckets and nets we headed off.
The climbing of rocks was fun and F was in his element, so much so he was basically a blur in the distance. I probably should have been more concerned but that’s not really the kind of parent I am …. The occasional shout of ‘All ok F?’ is enough to satisfy us both. The girls on the other hand, being the occasional delicate flowers that all children can be from time to time were a little more reserved. I’d like to say I was as fearless as F but I’d be lying. These rocks are not kind on little feet so they are certainly not kind to my super-wide – size 7- can’t fit in the small crack feet! But I have to admit to feeling like superwoman when I had to help the girls across the tough terrain of woolacoombe rock pools!
It is fascinating seeing the various pools of water, some small and some big, some of them shallow and others very deep, but there was certainly a disappointing lack of life in them. Undeterred we carried on looking.
When I spotted 3 legs of what I soon realised was a star fish I was over the moon!!! Now a good parent would delight in calling their children over to share and let them fetch it out… But not me!!! I couldn’t wait to lift if out and put it in my bucket with a sense of pride or total smugness to then show off, I mean allow the kids to marvel at my awesomeness.. Ok the awesomeness of nature!
So Karma saw her opportunity and took instant effect….. What I actually pulled out was actually a 3 legged dead star fish! FOR GOD’S SAKE!!!!
Well ya know what Karma??? The kids loved it so na na na na narrrrrr!!!!
I mean what could actually be more exciting than a dead, 3 legged starfish?? Well nothing it would seem. That’s me, SUPERMUM! Even if only very short lived.
To summarise, a lovely beach for Rock pooling but I think next time we’d try the pools first thing as I think they’d been cleared out by the time we got there.
Our second rock pooling adventure came thanks to the National trust. Northcott mouth is free to enter as it is a beach, but it is maintained by the National Trust. They do ask that Non-members make a donation to use the car park.
This is possibly one of the most beautiful beaches I’ve seen in the UK. It was breath-taking. To access the beach you do have to negotiate rocks. It is not a pebbly beach, this are like boulders! So the access is limited to those with very good mobility (And core strength!) and I am amazed even now that I made it to the sand in one piece.
Now I love nothing more than hearing the waves crashing when I am by the sea so this was paradise for me, and a huge number of surfers! I could sit there all day listening to that sound!
The rock pools were fantastic. It was basically one huge pool with the occasional seaweed and algae covered rocks to climb over. It was much easier on the feet and far easier for the children to explore at their own speed. It was also easier to find the treasures they were so desperate for. E and S set about removing snails from every rock they could find until their buckets were overflowing – this did lead to some fun in watching just how far and how quickly these little guys could escape the bucket. F and Rob took this very seriously and were pulling up ricks and hoping for gold, it didn’t disappoint. F was over the moon with his very long and thankfully very thin eel and the shrimp he found.
Typically, we’d been told the weather wasn’t going to be great the day we visited so we just bought a snack and a drink and very little else. Of course the sun shone for us and it was possibly the nicest day we had. Facilities at the beach were non-existent so we had to call our day to an end.
But I cannot recommend this beach more. It is worth a visit and I wo
uld most certainly go back again.
uld most certainly go back again.
