Innehållsförteckning för January 2024 från Coast

A new year and thoughts of resolutions fill my head. And yet should they? I often think resolutions at this time of year are an accident waiting to happen if you are someone with a willpower deficit like me. It’s normally January 12 at the very best before my annual pledge to stick at something bites the dust! Perhaps my New Year’s resolution this year should be not to make any resolutions. I’d stick to that all right! And yet I suppose if I was forced to agree to do something I could cheat somewhat and state that in 2024 I am going to use the marvellous opportunity afforded to me by this role to see more of the UK and Ireland coastline. That seems like something I could stick…

FIND OF THE MONTH Keep toes toasty in a pair of sheepskin ankle boots or slippers, handmade by slow fashion craftswoman Xanthe Dewsnap in her Carmarthenshire workshop. Every pair is made to order, using ecologically tanned sheepskin and leather, organic hemp binding, 100 per cent recycled thread and a 60 per cent recycled sole, available in sizes 2 to 13. (from £85, xantheanna.uk) WINTER TREAT IN KENT After a slew of cafe, bar and street food shack openings on Folkestone’s historic and newly restored harbour arm, this seaside gem aims to become a year-round destination for food, drinks and shooting the breeze. During January, indoor eateries such as Sail Box and Brewing Brothers will be open seven days a week, offering comfort dishes along with wintry views of the English…

Make Christmas last the whole year with our exclusive subscription offer where you can save up to £59! Perfect as a gift for someone special to fill their life with Vitamin Sea, or even as a treat for yourself. By joining the coast community, you’ll get to enjoy all the beauty that our coastline has to offer including the best staycations, the dream homes, the walks and places to eat. It couldn’t be easier to sign up for a whole year’s subscription to coast, the magazine which loves our special shores just as much as you do. Take out a subscription to coast and you’ll be part of our ever-growing readership who love everything to do with our wonderful coastline. The people, the places, the environment, the places to eat,…

We recently had a big unveiling here in Bude. Beautifully designed benches, created from a landmark tree that was blown over during Storm Eunice in 2022, made their debut to the delight of our townsfolk. The tree, a Monterey Cypress, was a constant presence in Bude and supported our Christmas decorations for many years. The benches are a fitting tribute and will be as loved as the tree was. But they got me thinking about what we might be facing here on the coast this winter. The 100mph winds we experienced during Storm Eunice also lifted my shed off its base, blew the side off a house nearby and sent the roof of our local pool flapping down the street. The surf was huge and it was almost impossible to…

ON A ROLL WITH BACKPACK… This Roll Top Mini backpack from British bag brand Stubble & Co is ideal for days out at the beach or coastline walks. Despite the name, there really is nothing ‘mini’ about it, as it has a capacity of 14L, is made from waterproof materials, with water-resistant zip and has a 13-inch laptop compartment, bottle pockets and organised interior. stubbleandco.com JACKET FOR ALL SEASONS TOG24’s Glenton three-layer jacket offers everything you need in a stylish weatherproof jacket. Boasting three high-performance layers, this durable coat is super versatile and can be used across the four seasons. The hood is specifically designed to resist heavy rain, whilst added ventilation also provides optimum temperature. Available in black or moss green. tog24.com A COASTAL COMBINATION Try the warming tipple…

• Carmarthenshire: Llansteffan’s coastal path leads through woodlands to reach the rarely visited Scott’s Bay, known locally for its cockle-picking opportunities. • Pembrokeshire: A short distance from Tenby is the shingle-and-sand beach at Church Doors Cove, with cliff archways shaped by the sea. • Ceredigion: From Cwmtydu Beach (near New Quay), walk the coastal path to Castell Bach, a shingle beach bordered by amphitheatre-like cliffs and two striated islands. • Gwynedd: Undervalued by tourists, Bennar has an expansive sandy beach backed by sand dunes of Special Scientific Interest and small natural pools that are great for relaxing.…

Good photography of marine wildlife almost always entails use of strong telephoto lenses coupled with mirrorless or DSLR cameras. Subjects are usually some distance away, with close-up experiences the exception. Wide-angle lenses can sometimes be useful when it comes to photographing general views of colonies. Photographing a stationary bird with a telephoto lens is generally not too difficult, though shooting one in flight is quite another story. For this a steady hand, quick reflexes and a very fast shutter speed are needed. One advantage of a telephoto lens – quite apart from being able to make the distant subject appear a lot closer – is that the background will go out of focus, ensuring that your subject really stands out. Needless to say, using a big lens is a whole…

LUNCH Lulabelle’s of Tarbert Serving a fusion of seafood and street food, Lulabelle’s is quirky, with a menu that peppers sharing platters with tapas-style dishes, served up in a black-panelled setting like a ship’s galley on Harbour Street. (01880 821294, lulabellesoftarbert.co.uk). LIGHT BITES The Gather Deep-filled sandwiches and locally baked cakes are the specialities at this lodge-style cafe on the A83 into Tarbert from Campbeltown. It’s very popular with locals, stocks a selection of art by Argyll craftspeople, and has six camping pods to rent. (01880 739 215, thegather.uk). DINNER The Anchorage Bistro Specialising in fresh local seafood, proper pies and fare so seasonal the menu sometimes changes daily, this bistro sits right on the fish quay. Proprietor Paul is skilled at adapting recipes to cater to intolerances, but if…

Two lucky readers have the chance to win a pair of newly unveiled LANX 365 Vibram boots with accompanying pairs of the brand’s thick and cosy made-in-England socks. LANX is an independent luxury footwear company based in the North West that knows a thing or two about ‘proper’ shoes. Along with the brand’s much loved smart/casual boots, shoes and sneakers, LANX has now unveiled a new collection of water-resistant leather boots for men and women, ideal for getting out and about in the great outdoors. Whether you’re tramping the coastal path, walking to the pub, or simply hanging the washing out, the LANX 365 range is ready for anything, every day of the year. With trekking-inspired soles from world-renowned Vibram, worn in water-resistant leather, a cushioned insole and lightweight construction,…

Wales - “A Celtic land with an industrial past steeped in myth, legend, poetry and song (National Trust website, Welsh Myths and Folklore*). Few places in the United Kingdom have such a varied landscape and cultural history. From the mining towns of south Wales to the rich farming lands reaching the 1,680 miles of coastline, to the 870 miles of the Welsh coast path, to the Snowdonia and Pembrokeshire National Parks, where wildlife and sandy beaches abound. It may not be the most affluent region of the UK but what it loses in financial wealth it more than makes up for in scenic beauty and a lifestyle generations strive to achieve. And let’s not forget the business and sporting centre of Cardiff - university city, major player in the business…

CLIFFTOP GEM IS A HAVEN FOR POOCHES Dog owners searching for the perfect place to holiday with their four-legged friends should look no further than a five-star experience at The Headland. With a host of treats to keep your canine content, the iconic hotel and its spectacular surrounds has so much to offer on the north coast of Cornwall. The Headland’s partnership with Cornish company Bella’s Pet Boutiques provides the warmest of welcomes for your dog, with a blanket, bowl, poo bags and treats in rooms on arrival. Guests can also request a copy of Sue Bradbury’s Dog Walks in Cornwall to use while you are there, which highlights some of the best places to explore. The famous surf spot which stretches out below the hotel is one of the…

Dave French learned to craft willow into lobster and crab pots on Devon’s south coast in the 1960s. Five generations of his family had fished off the pebble beaches of Budleigh Salterton, and French spent long winters watching as traditional ink-well-shaped ‘withy pots’ were prepared in time for the fishing season’s spring start. Crafted for centuries by the calloused hands of seasoned fishers, withy pots are woven from natural materials like willow, hazel and tamarisk. The pots would biodegrade if lost at sea, while the number of lobsters and crabs caught was limited by the number of withy pots that could be fashioned by fishing families. But the sudden introduction of mass-produced, long-lasting plastic fishing gear in the 1960s ensured that withy pots began to disappear, and the skills and…

RICHARD COLLETT Richard is an award-winning travel writer living on the sandy shores of Exmouth, Devon. When he’s not writing about obscure destinations elsewhere in the world, he’s discovering the history and culture of a coastline closer to home, including the curious tale of withy pots he uncovered for us in this issue. EMMA DEWHURST Emma says being a dog walker gets her out exploring the incredible south Cumbria and north Lancashire coastline. She says it was a delight to write this month about Elsabe White, a rare female CEO of a port, for our regular Coast Character feature. ROBIN EVANS Originally from our largest inland county, Robin Evans has been a commercial pilot since 2007. An airliner flight deck gives a unique perspective but as a writer and ex-cartographer…

1 THIS APRON If you’re cooking up a feast over New Year, a jolly Dollyhotdogs apron created in Devon will add to the fun – we like the Nautilus design, printed onto unbleached cotton canvas. (£21, dollyhotdogs.com) 2 THIS CUTLERY Tableware company, David Mellor, has launched its first cutlery range for 12 years. Liner is inspired by the golden age of transatlantic travel and has an art deco feel. (From £9 per piece, davidmellordesign.co.uk) 3 THESE CANDLES Scent January with candles designed by Jill Stein and hand-poured by Cornwall’s St Eval Candle Company. Padstow Winter is spicy; Padstow Christmas is zesty orange and cinnamon. (£29.95, shop.rickstein.com) 4 THESE SOCKS Ankle socks are everywhere but knee-highs are harder to source, making Solmate raspberry crew socks a find. Made from recycled fibres…

Drimnin, Morvern Peninsula, Scottish Highlands Drimnin is said to be one of the most remote places in Scotland. Now there’s a thing. This ancient settlement - once part of the Maclean clan territory - lies at the end of 12 miles of single-track road from Lochaline (also very remote). Getting here certainly takes some doing but that’s the point. But, if the splendid isolation gets too much, there are a few things to do nearby. The Nc’Nean Distillery was recently named by The Guardian as one of the top ten Scottish distilleries to visit. There are regular tours and the shop opens every weekday. Landscape, seascape and wildlife artist Alan Hayman lives on the Drimnin Estate and has his own studio and gallery on site, open weekdays. Accommodation-wise, there are…

1 Coastal Foraging with Craig Evans teaches how to forage for sustainable ingredients, like seaweed and crabs, and how to cook them over a biodegradable fire (coastalforaging.co.uk/) 2 A Bay to Remember is frequently voted number one dolphin-watching trip in the UK, taking guests on boats towards Cardigan Island and Cemaes Head (baytoremember.co.uk/) 3 From Tenby’s Harbour, sail towards Caldey Island, where you’ll discover Cistercian monks continuing religious traditions begun in Celtic times (caldeyislandwales.com/) 4 Near to Conwy, Psyched Paddle Boarding takes you on guided stand-up paddleboarding excursions along the Menai Straits and Anglesey’s rugged coastline (psychedpaddleboarding.com/)…

The Ordnance Survey (OS) represents a national institution, everyday product and unsung endeavours since 1791. Our nation was first painstakingly mapped with chains, interwar it was updated using theodolite - introducing the distinctive trig pillar - and since has been refined by satellite positioning and aerial survey. Though synonymous with paper maps, app usage and sales soaring during lockdown, the business of digital geographic data forms over 90 per cent of OS turnover. This underpins transport, retail, construction, insurance – even buying property or flicking a light switch. Obtaining the precise photography updating our digital, national map is the job of the OS Air Unit and pilots of aerial specialists DEA at Gamston, Nottinghamshire. Their twin-engine survey aircraft carries a £1m, gyroscopically stabilised camera with five lenses resolving tiny details.…

Formerly a professional rugby player, Rupert Cooper took over Philleigh Way Cookery School on Cornwall’s idyllic Roseland Peninsula in 2018. “I started paving my way into the food industry before I retired from rugby. I was asked to cook for a charity dinner and the guests loved it, and it snowballed from there,” Rupert explains. “As a sportsperson, you’re aware that there’s a time limit on your professional time on the pitch, so when I was given the opportunity to have a career in another passion of mine, I knew it was one I had to jump at.” Having spent time training under some of the best chefs in the world, Rupert’s ethos at the school is “low effort, high reward”. He’s known for sharing tips and tricks that minimise…

In its heyday it was one of the most popular 19th century seaside destinations in Britain attracting the rich, the stylish and the most influential people of the day. The likes of Albert Einstein, Alfred Lord Tennyson, Oscar Wilde and explorer Ernest Shackleton headed to Cromer to stay at the lavish Hotel de Paris, promenade along the clifftop or sample the famous local crab. Cromer proclaimed itself to be ‘the gem of the Norfolk coast’ and in 1815 even Jane Austen praised the town in her novel Emma: ‘You should have gone to Cromer…the best of all the seabathing places. A fine open sea… and very pure air.’ Although the resort remained popular up to the First World War, visitor numbers dwindled with the growth of foreign holidays. Many grand…

Bailey, my labradoodle enjoying a walk at Birling Gap, East Sussex as long as his paws don’t get wet! Riquita Newmark, Highgate, London. This is Archie, our 12-year-old cockapoo. We are lucky to live near the coast in beautiful south Devon, but this is a picture taken near Porthcurnick Beach, whilst on a campervan trip to The Roseland Peninsula in Cornwall, one of his (and our) favourite coastlines to visit. Karen Jones, South Milton, Devon. As a rescue dog Wenna is now having the time of her life. She loves the north Norfolk coast and is seen here enjoying West Runton Beach. Barbara Kennedy, Bottesford, Leicestershire. Here is Tigger, the Norfolk Deli dog! Mark Kacary. managing director, The Norfolk Deli, Hunstanton. Here is Lochie, our five-year-old Lagotto Romagnolo, on Ryde…

Cornwall-based artist Anna Pope gained a deep respect for the heritage and eco-friendly design of withy pots after marrying into an old Cornish fishing family. Deciding it was necessary to document the different regional styles of withy pots before they disappeared forever, she organised an extensive documentation project with the help of Cornwall College that inspired her to create a range of elegant withy pot-inspired jewelery which she named ‘jewelwithy’. “I want to connect younger generations to withy pots,” explains Anna. “To help them carry on making pots so they can carry on the stories of the fishermen before them. The pots don’t live on, but the skills and stories can, and the jewellery is a way for me to connect and explain the story of these withy pots. It’s…

Tasha and Barney Green were on a trip to Turkey over a decade ago when the idea for Weaver Green was born. “We saw a piece of rope crudely woven from unravelled plastic bottles and that was the light bulb moment,” says Tasha. They realised that discarded single-use bottles could create a yarn that was tough, durable and waterproof, while at the same time reducing the amount of waste plastic being thrown into seas, rivers and landfill. It took the couple seven years to develop the plastic yarn they used to launch the company in 2016; now they have 60 hand-looms and work in areas that are very polluted by bottle waste, such as the Ganges in India. From their Devon base, they started off with a small range of…

Tickets are on sale for an impressive Eden Sessions double bill at the Eden Project in Cornwall this summer. Manic Street Preachers and Suede will co-headline at the St Austell venue - the second stop on their major joint UK and Ireland tour, commemorating 30 years since the iconic bands first took to the stage together. Each band will play in front of the iconic Biomes for around 75 minutes, promising to deliver a musical experience of sounds that have left an indelible mark on the British music scene. It marks an Eden debut for Suede, but the Manic Street Preachers (pictured) will be returning to the Sessions stage, having performed to a rapturous sell-out crowd in 2016. The Welsh indie pioneers have a hoard of accolades under their belt from their…

‘Locals rise with the sun to plough fields, trawl the sea for fish, and stretch their legs along piers, coastal paths and sandy beaches’ Despite being a teeny country, Wales is titanic in stature for its copious number of serene and alluring coastal villages and towns. These are secreted by single-track lanes, bands of ancient woodlands rising in harmony with undulating fields, and storm-smashed sea cliffs that look fit to stand the test of time. The villages and towns positioned here are admired for their slow-paced, pastoral lifestyles, where locals rise with the sun to plough fields, trawl the sea for fish, and stretch their legs along Victorian piers, coastal paths, and swathes of sandy beaches touched with palm trees and pastel-striped deckchairs. The local shops, surfing waves, and coastal…

Let us turn our compasses north towards the Fair Isle Shipping Forecast region, not a single isle as the name would suggest, but a combination of the Orkney and Shetland archipelagos, a scattering of hundreds of wild, windswept islets rich in both natural and human history. If these seas could tell story, what a tale they would tell! From Viking longships to Bronze Age seafarers tracing the coastline in search of settlements, every ripple, every wave seems to whisper stories of adventure and discovery. For those who make the effort to travel this far north, you will find traces of an ancient epoch etched into the landscape, revealing the profound connection the Neolithic inhabitants had with the environment. With their bare hands, they crafted monumental legacies to match Stonehenge; the…

Knap Guesthouse Book a harbour-view room at this charming B&B in a Victorian townhouse in the centre. Décor is Scottish-homely, all magnolia paintwork and tartan furnishings, and breakfast is simple but tasty. For anyone staying longer, the Captain’s Suite has self-catering facilities. Superior King Doubles from £115 B&B per night (01880 820015, knapguesthouse.co.uk). Stonefield Castle This Scottish baronial pile is spectacularly situated, two miles out of Tarbert, where its 19th-century cornices and stone carvings bathe in woodland on the shores of Loch Fyne. All 38 rooms are ensuite and feature sumptuous jacquards and hardwood fittings; most have a view; and three have a four-poster bed. The restaurant does a very popular afternoon tea. Loch View Doubles from £123 per night (01880 820 836, stonefieldcastlehotel.co.uk).…

WHAT’S THE VIBE? There’s a distinctive beach club vibe at the Cooden Beach Hotel - from the newly refurbished interior, to its spectacular spot right on the beach. Located on the stunning Sussex coastline, Cooden Beach offers a perfect blend of elegance, relaxation, and stunning sea views. Once home to the De La Warr family, this building has undergone a nine-month ‘coastal cool’ refurbishment under the watchful gaze of owner and 30-year veteran hotelier and designer Grace Leo. Just 90 mins from London and close to Brighton, Eastbourne and Hastings, the 45-bedroom hotel occupies an idyllic location on its own private beach, creating that cool, Hamptons-style relaxed atmosphere. The staff at Cooden Beach Hotel are excellent; all professional, courteous, and always willing to assist. From the warm reception at check-in,…

Help us develop a pioneering Scotland-wide path network by becoming a volunteer today. Not only will you be contributing to creating an outdoors for all, volunteering is a great opportunity to improve your navigation skills and also discover your local area, and the nature on your doorstep, afresh. After a short, free training workshop, you’ll be all set to stride out and explore the paths near you, feeding back on the ones we have mapped and discovering new trails for the very first time. Join us today: tinyurl.com/3s99arfy…

Stay at the elegant Edwardian hotel The Cliftonville which has luxury boutique rooms and a modern, comfortable and dog-friendly vibe. It serves fresh, locally sourced food and rooms at the front and the terrace bar have an incredible view along the coastline. A double with breakfast costs from around £99 per room (thecliftonville.com). The Grove offers every kind of accommodation from family rooms and self-catering cottages to glamping, from £120 per room for a small double (thegrovecromer.co.uk). On the seafront, The Red Lion is pet-friendly and has sea view rooms. Around £300 for a room with minimum two-night stay (redlioncromer.co.uk).…

WHERE TO EAT The Jolly Fisherman is an award-winning gastro pub with its beer garden overlooking the harbour. It retains the original stone floors and low beam ceilings. thejollyfishermancraster.co.uk/ The ShoreLine Café is situated in the centre of Craster - opposite Mick Oxley’s Gallery. It offers a wide selection of seafood, pasties, sandwiches and ice creams. There is a seafood shop in Robson’s kipper smokehouse and of course you can buy kippers! Other delights include smoked salmon fishcakes, kipper fishcakes, kipper pate and smoked haddock. kipper.co.uk/ The Piper’s Pitch catering van situated in the courtyard of the Craster Tourist Information Centre. Home of the famous Craster ‘kipper in a bun’ and Auchtermuchty sandwich. Two signature sandwiches inspired by Craster and its beauty. Also on offer are home bakes, teas and…