Category: Sea senses

A sonic postcard from Cornwall. The sounds of the sea, beach and cliff top captured during an idyllic morning at Godrevy, as we ventured out for a surf.

It’s spring and the coastline, from the clifftop fields to the low-tide rock pools, is waking up to the new season. We took a closer look at seaside sights, from the door of one Beach Retreat right down to the shore, and found out more about what spring has in store for coastal adventurers, rock poolers and seasonal menus…

Spring is a rapidly unfolding season by the sea, with nature’s delights unfurling: seasonal flavours ready to savour at dinner and clear blue seas inviting explorers in. While seaweed is starting its fresh new growth, farm produce is welcoming in the sun’s growing energy ready for harvest come May.

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To begin, we follow the coast path from Port Isaac to Port Gaverne to find out what spring holds for coastal adventurers Cornish Rock Tors…

Image credit: Mia Rumble

Early emergence

Ben Spicer, Cornish Rock Tors owner, says the team are “a bit like coastal wildflowers, starting to emerge and grow as spring picks up pace”. Winter excursions happen occasionally but March is when everything is checked, in readiness to fully open on the beach-front at the start of the school Easter holidays.

Image credit: Mia Rumble

Based in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty on a stretch of Heritage Coast, it’s a wild and unspoiled environment with extraordinary sights in store. “If there is a prolonged period of high pressure and calm weather then the sea in spring can be extraordinarily clear, marking a stark contrast to the winter,” he explains.

“The rocky coast is a playground of jumps, wave features and caves, and because the tidal range here is so large the route can change drastically over the two hours between setting out and getting back.”

By April, wildflowers begin to carpet the edges of cliffs, with thrift, also known as sea pinks, standing out, soundtracked by the sounds of razorbills and guillemots nesting along the coast.

Coastal playground

Coasteering with Cornish Rock Tors is to journey through an intertidal world, revealing “multicoloured seaweeds, predatory starfish, beautifully patterned anemones, crabs and common blennys – small fish that can survive out of water and slither between rockpools,” says Ben.

Once out in this rocky world, there’s little sign of human activity, aside from distant movement atop the cliff and the occasional passing fishing boat. Instead, the shifting sea reveals a truly picturesque playground:

Image credit: Mat Arney, Cornish Rock Tors

“The rocky coast is a playground of jumps, wave features and caves, and because the tidal range here is so large the route can change drastically over the two hours between setting out and getting back – what was a one meter ‘introductory’ jump at the start of the session can be much bigger a few hours later if the tide is dropping,” he says.

Kayak to clarity

“If we get a period of prolonged high pressure, as has happened a few times in the last few years, the clarity of the water is incredible and you can look over the side of your kayak and see many meters down, all the way to the seabed below,” says Ben.

Image credit: Mat Arney, Cornish Rock Tors

A short paddle from the shore reveals respectfully distant views of seabird nesting sites, and kayak trips often take in the unique view of the harbour at Port Isaac from sea.

“Beyond that, there is a beach that is only exposed at low tide and that it is impossible to get to any other way than by sea kayak or boat. In spring we often take groups there to enjoy their own little private beach before paddling back to Port Gaverne,” he adds.

The dynamic weather along the coast any time of year means booking in advance for any activity is best, advises Ben; if the weather or sea conditions change for the booking time, a different weather window can be found to head on out.

“Every two weeks, all year round, we have spring tides…It’s so much better than other times because these rock pools are home to species that wouldn’t be able to live further up the beach”.

Lying low

While the tidal flux along Port Gaverne’s rocky surrounds creates an ocean playground, each day all along the Cornish coast – north to south – the tides are revealing hidden habitats to discover, with spring quite possibly the best time of year to go on safari there, says Dr Ben Holt of The Rock Pool Project:

“Rock-pooling is all about the tides; it’s the only reason rock pools exist. So it has a really big impact on what you can find.

Image credit: Mia Rumble

“Every two weeks, all year round, we have spring tides when there’s either a full moon or a new moon. It’s when the tide goes out the furthest. It’s so much better than other times because these rock pools are home to species that wouldn’t be able to live further up the beach as they wouldn’t survive with being out of the water for too long.”

Experience the mesmerising allure of the sea with the sensational sea, where each moment is immersed in the beauty and tranquillity of coastal living.

Hide and seek

This abundant marine environment, hidden for much of the day, is bright and bustling as spring shoots into life. The 350 different seaweed species in the UK waters are more vivid than ever, growing fresh fronds and leaves, while, mirroring the terrestrial life cycle, it’s a time for laying eggs and carrying young.

Image credit: Mia Rumble

“Pipe fish are in the same family as seahorses, and the male pipe fish carries the eggs,” says Ben.

“Female crabs carry their eggs on the underside of their body. They can be carrying six or seven thousand tiny eggs until they’re ready to be released. Some rock pool creatures reproduce at other times of year but spring is when there’s a higher rate of this behaviour.”

Spring tides – which fall to their lowest in the middle of the day in Cornwall – get their name because spring is when these tides are at the greatest range, their lowest and highest; although, autumn is the other season of very high and low spring tides.

As well as checking the tide times for the best rock-pooling opportunities, Ben’s tip for any intrepid explorers is to make sure you have the right footwear. Flipflops and bare feet don’t make for the best foundation on the slippery, sometimes sharp rocks out on the farthest strandline. In colder conditions, wellies are great, and a pair of old trainers work well for safely exploring in warmer temperatures.

To get searching, grab the guidebook and a camera – to snap any mystery finds for later identification.

The Rock Pool Project runs community projects around Plymouth and Falmouth. You can also book a guided rock pool safari with the team throughout the year.

Diverse delights

Looking out to St Michael’s Mount standing tall in Mounts Bay near Marazion, the team at Trenow Fields are tending to their produce, dictated by the season on land that’s managed to regenerate the habitat and boost biodiversity.

“There’s wild rock samphire, foraged at the cove, which is fantastic in curries or sautéed with eggs.”

Ready for harvest from May, flavourful salad leaves, herbs and edible flowers from Trenow can be found in restaurants all over west Cornwall, and further afield, from Argoe in Newlyn to The Crumb, Penzance, to Source Kitchen in St Ives.

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Chefs also request ingredients from the wilder fringes of the farm, emerging from rocks and sand as spring gets going.

“There’s wild rock samphire, foraged at the Cove, which is fantastic in curries or sautéed with eggs. And nettles – great steamed with poached eggs on sourdough toast, or as a creamy nettle soup with lashings of double cream,” says Trenow grower Mark.

Image credit: Mia Rumble

Not on the Trenow produce list, but abundant not far from the shoreline, Mark recommends keeping a lookout for navelwort: “a cucumbery succulent leaf that will be all over the hedges”, and mallow leaves: “an excellent ‘poppadom’ when baked in the oven for a minute.”

While not open to the public, Trenow’s essential oils – produced from the lavender grown on the farm – are available online, and farm shops and veg boxes stock their seasonal sustenance.

To stay by the sea in spring is a chance to spot all that is unfolding along the shoreline from your door to the shore, whether fresh shoots served up at dinner, rare rock pool discoveries or tidal thrills in the clearest of seas.

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Image credit: Dive Newquay

Read three perspectives on the sensory power of the sea, from deep sea diver to experienced mariner to wild swimmer…

Throughout time and place, the sea has had a powerful effect on humans. Its dazzling forms and mysterious depths have seeped into culture, enchanting, thrilling and calming at once.

Whether the crash of the waves on the beach or the glow of the red sun rising over a rippling cove, it’s impossible not to feel the effects of the water.

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Dynamic feelings

Jack Carter from Boscastle sought out solace in the sea during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic when his first child was born. He opened his own marine touring business to combine his love for both boats and the Cornish coast. Despite these potentially stressful demands, he said “I just can’t seem to be stressed when I’m working at sea every day. For me, it’s the environment I relate to best; I’m in my element.”

“So here, there’s the Irish Sea, the Atlantic and the English Channel, creating some of the world’s biggest tides ripping through the area, along with crazy currents and tidal waves.”

Jack has spent 15 years at sea and some of his favourite moments are witnessing storms, describing feeling both humbled and charged by the water’s immense energy and power. Experiencing the emotions the sea can inspire was behind Jack’s decision to set up Coast Boat Trips.

Image credit: Coast Boat Trips

“We do the tours between Lands End and Cape Cornwall; it’s a really unique area of coastline. The word ‘cape’ literally means where multiple water bodies collide. So here, there’s the Irish Sea, the Atlantic and the English Channel, creating some of the world’s biggest tides ripping through the area, along with crazy currents and tidal waves. The area is just so dynamic.”

“And when you’re out on the boat you can also see the cliffs from another angle and they’re dramatic and incredible in themselves. It’s where an immovable object meets an unstoppable force.”

Going deeper

From thrills above the water to the mystery below, Joe Gurney has been working as a scuba dive instructor at Dive Newquay for the last eight years. He describes the sensation of diving as “weirdly feeling as if you’re flying down there.”

“If you get a clear day, with the sun coming in right, the water is turquoise blue and everything is illuminated on the coral, it’s just amazing.”

While beginners dive to 10m, Joe recently went to 65m in his deepest dive yet. He was aiming to explore one of Cornwall’s 3000 shipwrecks, a ship that sank to the seafloor in 1888 after crashing into the headland near Fistral beach in Newquay.

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Image credit: Dive Newquay

“Shipwrecks are kind of mysterious, especially if there’s lots of plankton it can be pitch black. But it’s like a whole different world and there’s so much marine life sheltering in the wreck, as well as different types of coral that you just wouldn’t see in shallower waters.

“The UK  is pretty underrated I think. If you get a clear day, with the sun coming in right, the water is turquoise blue and everything is illuminated on the coral, it’s just amazing. I’ve also had dolphins doing somersaults in front of me and an inquisitive seal nibble my flipper.”

The effects of exploring the depths are clearly visible for those who try it. “Everyone who comes up from their first dive is beaming from ear to ear,” says Joe.

“it’s my playground, where I go to connect with my inner child, whether that’s snorkeling, seeing different animals or splashing around with friends.”

Water therapy

Lydia Paleschi believes cold water has a healing effect. A founder of Wild Swimming Cornwall and author of ‘A Guide to Wild Swimming in Cornwall’, she swims without a wetsuit all year round, come rain or shine. She said: “The sea has always been a backdrop for me growing up, but it wasn’t until I left Cornwall that I realised how special it is and really started to crave it. When I went through a rough patch with my mental health, I found coming home and going swimming really, really helped.”

Image credit: Wild Swimming Cornwall

Lydia describes being in the sea as a type of therapy that brings many other feelings, from creative inspiration to the feeling of being part of a community. She explains how cold water swimming has a physiological reset effect, as blood rushes from the brain to warm the core.

“I love to sea swim after a run because of the explosion that happens on your skin with all your nerve endings being activated. Each time you go in, you build your confidence and feel proud of yourself; I call it my arena for confidence building.

“But, at the same time, it’s my playground, where I go to connect with my inner child, whether that’s snorkeling, seeing different animals or splashing around with friends.”

Like a reflection, the sea can be something different to everyone. Whether you’re after a new thrill, a sensory overload or a peaceful escape, there is something for you in the sea’s wonderful expanse of possibility.

Stay footsteps from the beach, minutes from the sea

From annual tradition to daily dose of invigoration, what are the feelings and benefits of outdoor swimming? We spoke to three swimmers about where and why they swim…

Waves have a time-honoured way of beckoning swimsuited humans to them, whether it’s joining in with the summer holiday swimmers or that freezing, giddying, in-out dash at Christmas and New Year. Then there are those who cannot imagine life without immersing themselves in cold saltwater as part of their weekly or even daily routine.

Sea swimming can offer much to swimmers: a free exercise activity, a refreshing plunge to put the day into perspective, a connection with a marine environment we’re often estranged from.

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Some studies show that regular exposure to cold water through sea swimming has proven to keep depression and anxiety at bay by stimulating the senses and energising swimmers with a hit of endorphins.

When it comes to the positive effects on cognitive health, Professor Giovanni Mallucci from the University of Cambridge has even drawn a possible link between cold water swimming and a delay in developing neuro-cognitive disease, as the low temperatures provoke the production of a “cold-shock” protein RBM3 which early research suggests offers protection against the onset of dementia.

But it can seem daunting and exposing to don a swimsuit, or wetsuit, and submerge ourselves in coastal waters at first. What is it about cold water swimming that makes it so addictive and integral to life for so many?

“Jumping in the sea offered me the maximum respite and escapism achievable in the 20 minutes I felt I could spare.”

Being in the water

Sarah Walsh, a 51-year-old mother of three started the Perranporth branch of the Bluetits swimming group with fellow group member Sophie Reeves. She swims in the open sea, or the tidal pool, at Perranporth, or along the coast near Crantock.

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“Sea swimming is a very spiritual experience for me. I do love the silence of being in the sea and underwater. My body feels free and childlike. I feel very at one with the environment. It clears my thoughts and resets me for the rest of the day,” says Sarah.

Paige Payne is part of the team at inclusive swimwear brand Soul Cap, created to help open-up swimming for all. Her favourite outdoor swimming spot is Hampstead Ponds in London. “Swimming out in the open with nature is blissful and freeing. Hearing birdsong in the trees, feeling the water touching my skin, and the sounds of water are so therapeutic,” says Paige.

 “Even long after I leave the water, my body feels good inside.”

Chloë Peglau, who lives in Leeds but grew-up in Falmouth, takes a dip at Gyllyngvase beach when she is back in Cornwall.

“It’s a full body experience. It can be quite painful but for me it’s the best experience, especially after I’ve done a longer, more physically exerting cold water swim without a wetsuit. You get an elating head rush when you come out and your body feels super strong and empowered,” says Chloë.

Image credit: Amy Bullock @amsbullock

Free feelings

Paige describes a similar feeling from being in the sea: “Physically, sea water makes you feel great when you are active in it. Even long after I leave the water, my body feels good inside,” she says.

Sarah found sea swimming to be a valuable physical and mental activity when she started Bluetits. “Being peri-menopausal, that first wave going over my head and washing everything away helped with hot flushes.

“Around the time of starting the Bluetits, my role had changed suddenly from an active working mother to a full-time carer for a teenager suffering severe mental illness. Jumping in the sea offered me the maximum respite and escapism achievable in the 20 minutes I felt I could spare.”

“The sea is a great leveller and we all have a love of cold water swimming in common. I have made long-lasting friendships and reignited old friendships.”

For Chloë, the invigorating experience of sea swimming is simply a long-held affinity: “I’ve just been swimming in the sea my whole life since I was young so I don’t ever reflect on its effects on me. It’s just something I do and that I like to do.”

Swim together

Swimming alone can be daunting, particularly when swimming further from the shore into open water. Lots of cold water swimmers swim together informally or in organised groups.

Of her group, Sarah says: “It’s very supportive – and hilarious! Also inspirational and moving to see people conquer fears and achieve amazing things. The sea is a great leveller and we all have a love of cold water swimming in common. I have made long-lasting friendships and reignited old friendships. It has been an amazing experience.”

“Sea swimming can mean meeting people of all ages and exchanging different life experiences,” adds Paige.

Taking the plunge

“Everyone has a different reason for not feeling confident in water,” says Paige. “This could be beliefs, money, hair etc. As small as these things can seem, they can have a massive impact on people’s relationship with the water.”

For Chloë, having confidence in the pool is essential before putting your stroke techniques to test in the sea. It’s important to check conditions and find out about tidal patterns wherever you take the plunge. The best place to go, particularly if you’re new to sea swimming, is lifeguarded beaches, with lifeguards able to tell you all about local conditions.

“Don’t go out for too long, that’s the important thing,” says Chloë. “Go in and come back out when you’ve warmed up; don’t stay in the water long enough to get cold again. It can take a long time for your body to warm up once you’re out of the water.”

You can find more information on swimming outdoor this summer on the Outdoor Swimming Society website and from the RNLI.

Find your place by the sea to experience the sea as a swimmer…

Experience the mesmerising allure of the sea with the sensational sea, where each moment is immersed in the beauty and tranquillity of coastal living.

From walking the coast path to diving beneath the waves, being by the sea is being able to fully immerse your senses. We found out more about the sensory benefits…

Picture yourself on your favourite Cornish beach. The waves fizz over the sand. The sun warms your face. The pebbles you stash in your pocket feel smooth. The foraged seaweed you dare to nibble on tastes salty; the air smells briny.

Stir it all together, for a unique sensory experience. Sound, sight, touch, taste, smell – all five senses are enlivened: gathering information, grounding the body and soothing the mind.

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Research repeatedly shows how contact with nature can improve mental health. According to the Forestry Research Institute in Japan, just being outside can lower our levels of the stress hormone cortisol by as much as 15%.

“Writing over 150 years earlier – long before the dawn of the smartphone – the poet William Wordsworth expressed a similar sentiment. “How much more ought the feelings to prevail when we are in the midst of the realities of things”

And yet the relentless pace of our increasingly two-dimensional, digitised lives is drawing our attention further and further from the natural world. Meanwhile, our highly-evolved senses become largely redundant if we spend too much time sitting in front of screens.

Return to reality

“Nature is our default setting but we have been trained to wander so far away from it,” chef Valentine Warner told Hole&Corner magazine recently. “We have depleted our senses and I find nature awakens mine. I wish we could all stop stroking our phones and look up.” In this virtual age, nature can bring us back to reality.

Writing over 150 years earlier – long before the dawn of the smartphone, the poet William Wordsworth expressed a similar sentiment. “How much more ought the feelings to prevail when we are in the midst of the realities of things; of the joy and happiness of birds and beasts, of hills and streams, and trees and flowers,” he reflected.

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Let your senses grow

Gardening – an activity rooted in nature that engages all five senses – has been prescribed by the NHS since 2019. Scientists have even found that people who garden have measuredly better wellbeing.

For Kendra Wilson, author of Garden for the Senses: How Your Garden Can Soothe your Mind and Awaken Your Soul, gardening is “a way of embracing mindfulness by stealth.”

“Cornwall’s wild spaces present abundant sensory experiences – especially at this time of year, as spring breathes new life into the landscape.”

The first step to enjoying a sensory green space, writes Kendra, is to “make sure you leave your phone indoors,” and find plants that appeal to at least two senses. Aromatic herbs, flowering shrubs and fruit-bearing plants will lead you on a journey through taste, texture, scent and colour.

But you don’t have to tend a garden to access these tactile delights. Cornwall’s wild spaces present abundant sensory experiences – especially at this time of year, as spring breathes new life into the landscape. Edible rock samphire starts sprouting on cliffs; gorse turns the coastline golden; wild garlic scents woodland air; calmer seas invite morning swims.

Immerse yourself in Seascape Sounds, where the rhythm of the ocean meets coastal melodies, offering a tranquil escape along the Cornish coast.

Hands-on activity

Creative pursuits also allow us to tap into the calming benefits of sensory experience. Cooking, painting, carving, weaving, knitting, sculpting: any activity where we use our hands has a remarkable ability to relax us.

“In today’s society, many of us go through our whole lives without ever working with our hands: we live, we work, we eat, we buy, we repeat,” writes artist and professional textile repairer Molly Martin. “Everything is made and delivered at a blistering rate, from fast food to fast fashion and, although this may keep the economy buoyant, it’s not necessarily good for our mental health, or for our planet.”

When Martin uses her hands to mend textiles and create illustrations, she says she is left with “a sense of calm and balance.”

Getting hands-on with creativity has been shown to have quantifiable benefits from feeling happier and more relaxed to reducing anxiety.

Sea more

Over the coming months, we’ll be uncovering the many sensory experiences, and the joy of tuning into your senses, by the sea, so you can make more of every beach retreat…

Stay by the sea in one of our beach locations, and keep your eyes peeled for special offers to be here, for less.

Fat Hen wild cookery school experiences open up a new natural world. Join Fat Hen’s Caroline Davey as she sets out on a foraging walk to the beach.

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“Seaweed, as part of our local ecosystem, is so important for our marine life. And, I think people are recognising its health-giving properties. More and more people are interested in knowing how to eat it and how to cook with it.”

Watch Caroline talk about sustainably foraging seaweed and how she approaches using it in the kitchen, as she searches out seaweed on Cornwall’s rocky shores.