By the Water
From urban beaches to sheltered coves, rocky foreshores and wild stretches of hiking paths both at the coast and up into the far reaches of the Tamar Valley AONB, there’s much to see and enjoy around the Plymouth Sound & Tamar Estuaries. You can help to keep our shorelines and coastal areas pristine by taking your rubbish away with you, so that we can maintain the beautiful views and keep litter out of our waters. Please also be considerate of wildlife, giving them space and quiet in their own habitats.
Coastal walks
The South West Coast Path is a superb way to the enjoy the Plymouth Sound & Tamar Estuaries Marine Protected Area (MPA), without getting your feet wet (although with Devon & Cornwall weather being what it is, we can’t guarantee it). With the help of some local ferries, it’s possible to walk the entire width of the MPA, from the Yealm Estuary in the South Devon AONB, all the way across to Rame Head in Cornwall, although we wouldn’t necessarily recommend doing it all one day – there’s far too much to see and enjoy along the route.
Visit the South West Coast Path website for walking routes and ideas.
Rockpooling
There are plenty of places around the MPA where you can go rockpooling, but our top spot has got to be Wembury Bay. With it’s rocky foreshore and wave-cut platforms that stretch out in the intertidal zone, it’s a magnet for a huge diversity of marine life to explore. Devon Wildlife Trust also run rockpool safaris from the Wembury Marine Centre, if you want a guide to help show you some of the amazing critters that make the rockpools their home. If you’re looking for some rockpool action closer to Plymouth, there’s plenty of cool stuff to find at Jennycliff and Batten Bay.
Please be respectful of animals and plants in the rockpools and be aware of tides changing. Remember to follow the seashore code and handle all wildlife with care. Only keep one animal in a bucket at any one time and make sure to put everything back where you found it.
The Marine Conservation Society have a great Seashore Safari Guide that you can download and take with you on your rockpooling expedition, to help you identify the creatures you find and make sure you look after the marine life for everyone else to enjoy.
RNLI
Guides for staying safe at the coast
Whatever the activity, and no matter how experienced you are, understanding the risks and being prepared could save your life. The RNLI have safety advice on a range of different activities to make sure your visit to the coast is memorable for all the right reasons.