As promised in December, this is the second in a series of three posts on walking in the winter months. Inspiration for this post came while I was on a walking holiday in Dumfries at the beginning of the year, I found myself edging round a clifftop path near the Isle of Whithorn, and looking out over the grey sea, it seemed like the perfect subject for my next Wildlife Scribble.
Being an island, Britain is well stocked on seascapes and coastal walks, even the most inland point is only about a four-hour drive to the sea. There is a wealth of nature along the coastal stretches, and according to the British Trust for Ornithology the isles host around 8 million seabirds of over 25 species. There are also many Marine Protected Areas all around the coast, including the Berwickshire coast, the Purbeck coast, and the Solway coast.
It was these three places that I happened to find myself visiting this winter, three different coastlines, many miles apart.
The Isle of Whithorn, Dumfries
The Isle of Whithorn is one of the most southerly coastal villages in Scotland, and I have to say it really does feel like that. It takes at least two hours to reach this tip of Dumfries from the A74, standing at the village harbour you can see the hills near Kirkcudbright on the far side of Wigtown bay, and on a clear day the peaks of the Lake District in England, across the Solway Firth.
I had ended up on the Isle if Whithorn after some searching on the Walk Highlands website for a reasonably long walk, which I planned to do with two friends and a dog. The walk ‘Burrow Head Coastal Circuit’ was a perfect 5 miles along the clifftops, with breathtaking views across the Irish Sea to the Isle of Mann. It’s not a walk for those adverse to heights or being on the edge of a cliff.
Here, where the Solway Firth meets the Irish Sea, the land was a mix of rough cliffs that tumbled in layers down to the water, and tufted grassy moorland, where cattle and sheep grazed amidst jutting outcrops of rock, patches of jagged green gorse and bushes of tangled brambles (which made a spikey walk at times). It reminded me a little of walking along the coastal cliffs between Saltburn-by-the-sea and Staithes, in Yorkshire. It had the same wild, slightly untamed beauty, with the grey January seas beating the rocks far below.
I had my binoculars with me on the walk, and occasionally I stopped and scanned the seas for any signs of dolphins or seals. I had read that seals could be seen on the beaches near St Ninan’s cave, a mile or so up the coast, but there was nothing in the water. Instead, clustered together on rocky outcrops that jutted from the water, were a mix of gulls and cormorants.
Unfortunately, my gull identification skills are still a bit lacking, so I couldn’t pick out individual species, instead I looked through my binoculars and said the thing people often say while visiting the seaside, ‘it’s a gull.’ Poor birds, it’s so easy to lump them all under one name.
I also hopefully scanned the rocks at the edge of the water as we drew closer to the village, a guest in our holiday cottage had written about seeing an otter eating a lobster in the harbour area. Sadly, we were out of luck, there was no sign of otters along the walk or at the harbour.
It’s possible that the Isle of Whithorn is livelier in the summer months, it was pretty empty in January and most places were closed, apart from St Ninian’s Tearoom, which was excellent, but this meant it was peaceful and quiet. The remoteness of the location made you forget the frantic chaos that often goes with Christmas and New Year, instead I enjoyed the sense of solitude (with two friends and a dog) and found the January weather in Dumfries quite atmospheric, the sunrises over Wigtown marshes were stunning. A perfect place to take a step back from life before the new year really begins.
Swanage, and Durlston Country Park, Dorset
Swanage has been a popular seaside resort since the late 1800’s, it’s also part of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site, England’s only natural World Heritage Site, and an incredible geological site for the Mesozoic Era, which covers the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods. Many fossils have been found in and around the bay of Swanage, due to old quarry works and natural erosion along the cliff face.
Swanage has a very typical English seaside town feel to it, with sandy beaches, striped deck chairs and the smell of fish and chips on the breeze. Even during the busy summer season there are still places along the far end of the beach where you can get away from the crowds and enjoy swimming in the shallow sandy waters, listening to the cry of gulls overhead.
I have been a frequent visitor to Dorset over the years, and this January, I found myself down there yet again. Not willing to miss a chance at seeing Swanage I ventured over there one Saturday afternoon, parking at Durlston Country Park, which sits high above the town at the edge of the cliffs.
There is a quiet peacefulness to Durlston in January, a few local dog walkers and families were enjoying the warmth of the winter sun, and in the quiet the air was filled with bird song and the sound of the waves. Through the bare trees I caught a glimpse of the sea and on the horizon a distant Isle of Wight, with the weak winter sun reflecting off the white cliffs.
There is a coastal path down to Swanage from Durlston, which winds its way through woodland alongside Durlston Bay and comes into Swanage near Peveril Point. I set off on my walk, and having recently downloaded the Merlin App, which helps identify bird song, I was soon trying to spot the birds I was apparently hearing, there was mainly a lot of robin song and the odd Herring Gull, as one flew overhead.
Swanage, like Durlston, was relatively quiet without the hubbub of summer tourists. Filled with wonderfully independent shops, and a steam train, the town is perfect for an afternoon amble. I meandered about my favourite places - the wool shop, the bookshop and the chocolate shop - until pausing by the beach to watch the waves wash gently in over the sand and listen to the gull’s crying overhead, before beginning the uphill hike back to Durlston.
When I reached the car park again, I took a quick detour down to a lookout point below Durlston Castle, it was just past four in the afternoon and the sun was beginning to sink towards the horizon. A pink blush was spreading across the sky and the sea had turned a beautiful turquoise, below me Jackdaws and Fulmars (I think) were soaring out from perches on the cliff to catch the thermals and glide over the water.
With only a very soft breeze the sea was lapping gently at the base of the cliff, and what might have been Razorbills were bobbing in a crowd together in the water. Looking west I could see the white walls of the lighthouse at Anvil Point, and beyond that the clifftops towards Dancing Ledge and Seacombe. I felt I could have easily walked for miles along the coastal path in the January dusk (or until it got too dark to see, which didn’t feel safe). Instead, I headed back to the car and enjoyed the sunset skies as I drove home.
St Abb’s Head, the Scottish Borders
Cared for by the National Trust for Scotland, St Abb’s Head is a beautiful coastal nature reserve, tucked away at the end of a road in the Scottish Borders on the east coast of Scotland. Recently the nearby village of St Abb’s has become famous for being used as New Asgard in the Marvel films, and as you approach the start of the houses a sign welcomes you to ‘St Abb’s, twinned with New Asgard’. It is also known, more importantly, for its tranquil, remote setting and the incredible array of wildlife that can be spotted on the reserve.
I actually visited St Abb’s in December, rather than January as the title of this post suggests, this was mainly so I could catch a glimpse of seal pups. From October through to the end of December, St Abb’s Head acts as a safe haven to grey seals, one of the rarest seals in the world, with the UK holding around 45% of the population.
As I approached the first beach where I knew the mothers and pups would be I could hear the eerie call that seals make, it always reminds me a little of whale song and is beautiful to listen to. It was reassuring to see that due to the high numbers of pups that year, the Trust rangers had fenced off large sections of the path to prevent visitors getting too close to the seals, this can frighten mothers and lead them to abandon their pups, who then starve to death.
However, there is lots more to enjoy at St Abb’s Head than just the seals, the Mire Loch in the centre of the reserve is home to many different types of waterfowl, I spotted a couple of moorhens paddling their way through the water and saw a Mallard duck drifting quietly among the reeds by the lochs edge.
From May to July, St Abb’s Head is home to thousands of seabirds, who use the cliff face for nesting, these include important numbers of Gulliemots, Kittiwakes, Fulmars, and Razorbills.
In December, as in January I imagine, the reserve was quiet, with less visitors walking the coastal routes. I had arrived early in the afternoon, but by the time I had walked round the cliffs and was reaching Horsecastle Bay and Burnmouth Harbour the sun had begun to dip towards the horizon and the sky was awash with pink and gold. The eerie call of the seals mixed with the cry of gulls, as I made my way back to the car park, and above me a crescent moon hung in the darkening sky.
January walks
In my previous post I talked about embracing winter and appreciating the colder months of the year, I think it’s even better to do this in January. It can be a long dark month, with no Christmas celebrations to look forward to at the end of it, but there is still lots to enjoy in January.
Look out for the first signs of spring with bulbs beginning to push through the earth, in the far south of Britain you will see this a bit earlier than my native Scotland. While in Dorset I spotted a few daffodils already beginning to flower, but in Scotland you might see the first snowdrops flowering.
Try to catch the evening sunsets, when half the natural world is turning in for the night and the other half is waking up. It’s quite peaceful to take a safe stroll around your nearest green space with the sky turning pink above you or to sit by your window and watch the sun set.
So, keep embracing those winter months, with the added anticipation that spring is on its way and the days are getting longer.
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