The summer holiday may be over, but there are still some great opportunities to get your feet wet in Cornish rock pools this autumn.
Next week we’ll see some of the lowest tides of the year and Cornwall Wildlife Trust will be making the most of it with a week of Shore Search expeditions to locations around Cornwall. It’s a sure-fire way to find new things and be inspired by like-minded people. (more…)
Sometimes it’s what you don’t see.
It’s been a great summer for finding starfish. All season I’ve been taking snaps of giant spiny starfish and watching brittle stars walk across the sea bed. I’ve placed cushion stars into eager palms, enjoying the giggles as children feel tickly tentacle-feet for the first time. (more…)
It feels like we’re living out a scene from the children’s picture book about a Cornish rock pool, The Selfish Shellfish.
I’m with the author, Grandma Paint Pot (Donna Painter), on Castle Beach in Falmouth, where her story is set. The tide is rising fast and we’re slithering about on a wet rock while we watch limpets, top shells and anemones coming to life as the waves push in. (more…)
Check out these amazing photos of the rare Crystal Jellyfish (Aequoria sp.) taken by Claire Lewis of Cornwall Wildlife Trust in a rock pool on Looe Island.
Crystal Jellyfish are common in the northern Pacific Ocean but are rare in UK waters. (more…)
It’s amazing to watch the rock pools appear. Just an hour ago, as we ate our picnic on Hannafore beach, two ladies were swimming just a hundred metres away. Now the tide has slipped back to reveal the dark, alluring rocks. An egret flies down to stalk the distant pools and oystercatchers follow, trilling loudly.
‘I want to go rockpooling. Now. Now,’ a little boy pleads, dragging on my arm. Tide and time can never move fast enough when you’re five. (more…)
Rock pooling with the experts is a great way to explore the shore this summer. Below is a full list of events where you can find amazing rock pool creatures and learn all about them.
Have a fantastic summer!
Please check the full event details with the relevant organisation page before attending in case of changes and cancellations. (more…)
You’ve come to the right place.
Read on to find out how to rock pool, what you might find, my latest tips and discoveries and groups to join if you want to learn more.
There’s something about rock pooling. It’s a window on the underwater world. It’s the freedom of wandering between the blue sky and sparkling sea, never knowing what you will find. It’s a joy every child should experience, and that every adult should rediscover.
Heather Buttivant – Creator of Cornish Rock Pools
Cornish Rock Pools 