Common mistakes on a first walk along the shore

Most first shore walks go wrong for predictable reasons. The walk starts too late in the day, the shoes are wrong for wet stone, the return trip is underestimated and the walker keeps going because the next point looks close. Each of these is easy to avoid with a little planning before you leave the parking lot.

The sea does not wait for a walker to finish, so the planning matters as much as the walking itself. A good first walk is short, well timed and easy to retrace, and it leaves plenty of daylight and margin for the unexpected.

Starting at the wrong time

The most common timing mistake is to plan the walk around low water and forget that the sea comes back. Tides set the limits of a shore walk, and the water can cover low, flat ground faster than new walkers expect. A walk that starts near low tide without a check of the rising water can end with the way back cut off.

A rough way to picture the rise is the rule of twelfths. In a typical tide cycle, about one-twelfth of the total change arrives in the first hour after low water, two-twelfths in the second hour and three-twelfths in the third, then three in the fourth, two in the fifth and one in the sixth. It is only an estimate, and the local tide table is the authority, but it shows that the third and fourth hours after low water bring the fastest rise. Those middle hours are when a walker should already be heading back, not waiting until the water looks close.

Daylight matters too. Sunset arrives sooner than it feels on a bright afternoon, and dusk makes it hard to see wet stones, holes and the edges of pools. Give yourself at least a couple of hours of usable light, and more if you plan to stop and look around. Starting late is the mistake that compounds the others, because it leaves less room for every other error.

Gear and what to carry

Shoes are the most important item. Flip-flops and smooth-soled sandals slide on weed and wet stone, and open shoes fill with sand and grit within minutes. Closed shoes with a grippy sole keep the feet stable and protect the toes from sharp shells and rock. Many sand beaches can be walked barefoot, but look first, because broken shells and glass can cut feet.

Carry a small set of basics, sized to the walk:

• Water, enough for the full route and the return
• A light layer, since wind off the sea feels colder than the air temperature suggests
• Sunscreen and a hat, because sun reflects off water and pale sand
• A charged phone with the tide information saved in advance
• A small bag for litter

Sun protection deserves attention even on cloudy days, since ultraviolet light can pass through cloud. Reapply sunscreen about every two hours, and after swimming or heavy sweating.

Clothing matters nearly as much as shoes. Quick-drying layers handle spray and sudden showers better than cotton, which stays cold once it is wet. A windproof outer layer, even a light one, makes a large difference on exposed shores. Leave your best clothes at home, since salt spray and wet sand are hard on fabric, and pack a spare pair of socks for the walk back if your shoes get soaked.

The way back and staying in bounds

Shore walks look shorter than they are. Sand is slow going, rock is slower, and a headwind on the return can make the way back much harder. Pick a turnaround point before you start, such as a rock formation, a pier or the mouth of a stream, and head back when you reach it, whatever the time on your watch. Note two or three landmarks on the way out, such as a rock with a distinctive shape or a bend in the cliff, because the coast can look different on the way back, and footprints on sand are soon smoothed over by waves and wind. Plan more time for the return than the outward leg suggests, since tired legs slow down at the end of a walk.

Signs deserve a closer look than they usually get. Notices may mark unstable cliffs, erosion, seasonal closures for nesting birds or stretches of rock that are unsafe to climb. Read them before you walk past, and treat a closed path as closed even if others are ignoring it. Phone coverage can also be patchy along the coast, so tell someone where you are going and when you expect to be back, rather than assuming a signal will be there when you need it.

Stay out of the water's reach when waves are running, and never turn your back on the sea near rocks. Waves can surge onto rock ledges with little warning and wash people off their feet. Avoid following others onto unfamiliar rocks or cliffs, and keep to clear paths on top of cliffs, staying well back from the drop. A first walk is a good time to learn the coast, and the best way to learn it is to come back for another one.