Why rocky shores are worth the effort

Britain's rocky shores are the best free wildlife park in the country. Within a few square metres of a decent rockpool you can find shore crabs, prawns, beadlet anemones, starfish, gobies, limpets and a dozen varieties of seaweed, all within easy reach of a curious eight-year-old. Unlike a sandy beach, a rocky shore keeps children busy for hours, and the best ones are rarely crowded even in August.

The catch is that wet rock is genuinely slippery, the sea does not negotiate, and a small cut from a barnacle can turn nasty surprisingly quickly. None of that should put you off. It simply means doing a little groundwork before you park the car.

Check the tide before anything else

Tides are the single biggest factor in a safe, enjoyable day on the rocks. Look up the times for the exact beach you are visiting, not for the nearest big town. Two bays twenty minutes apart can differ by an hour or more, and a headland that looks walkable at one state of tide may be cut off at another.

• Time your visit around low water. Arriving two hours before low tide and leaving an hour after gives you the widest safe window and the most rock to explore.
• Understand spring tides. Around the new and full moon the range is at its greatest, which means more rock exposed at low water but a faster return over flat ledges. The tide rises quickest in the middle hours, not at the start.
• Watch the swell, not just the sky. A bright, calm day can still bring larger sets of waves. If white water is reaching higher up the rocks than it was half an hour ago, move up.
• Work out your exit route the moment you arrive, and point it out to the children. If the way back involves a scramble, know that before you need it.

Footwear and kit that actually works

Bare feet and flip-flops are the most common cause of a ruined day. So are smooth-soled wellies on weed-covered rock. Deep tread matters far more than height.

• Old trainers or walking shoes with a grippy sole are the best all-round choice for rocky ground.
• Wetsuit booties are excellent in summer: warm, grippy, and they stay on if you step into a pool.
• Wellies are fine for wet sand, shallow water and muddy estuary edges, but take care on sloping weed. They fill quickly if you wade deeper than the top.
• Layers, a waterproof and sun cream – sea breezes hide how strong the sun is, and rock reflects a lot of it.
• A basic kit bag: a charged phone in a waterproof pouch, a small first aid kit, drinking water, snacks, a bucket with a lid, and a towel plus spare clothes left in the car.

How to walk on wet rock

Wet rock is slippery in a specific way: green seaweed and the thin brown film of algae near the waterline are the worst offenders, while dry barnacle crust is abrasive but comparatively grippy. Teach children to step on bare rock where they can and to avoid the green.

• Take short, flat-footed steps and keep your weight over your feet rather than leaning forward.
• Keep hands free. A child carrying a bucket and net cannot steady themselves. Use a small rucksack instead.
• Use three points of contact on any steeper section, and turn around to face the rock on the way down.
• Never turn your back on the sea. Glance at the horizon every minute or two. The wave that catches people out is almost always the one nobody saw coming.
• Avoid the base of cliffs and never linger under an overhang, where falling rock is a real hazard.

Rockpooling without doing harm

Half the pleasure is in the looking. Handle creatures gently, with wet hands, and always put them back exactly where you found them. Turn stones back the way they were, so the animals underneath keep their damp shelter. Never prise a limpet or anemone off the rock, and leave jellyfish alone entirely, even the small ones washed up on the strandline.

Keep an eye on hands while you are at it. Barnacle and limpet shells cut cleanly and deeply, and small wounds from the shore can become infected. Rinse any cut with clean water, cover it properly, and check that tetanus boosters are up to date before your trip rather than after.

If something goes wrong

Most incidents on rocky shores are minor: a slip, a soaking, a scraped knee. Deal with those calmly, get warm and dry, and carry on. But know what to do if it is more serious.

• If someone is badly hurt, call 999 and ask for the coastguard. Give the beach name and the nearest access point. Do not move a person with a suspected back, neck or head injury.
• If you are cut off by the tide, go up and over rather than into the water. Climbing to higher ground is nearly always safer than swimming for it. If you cannot get clear, call for help and stay put.
• If a wave knocks someone over, get them away from the waterline first, then check them over. Cold water shock and a knock to the head are both easy to miss in the moment.
• Watch any wound over the following days. Increasing redness, swelling, heat or fever needs medical attention, not another day of hoping.

Do those things and the rocky shore becomes what it should be: a place of endless small discoveries, where the children are absorbed for hours and the only thing you bring home is a pocketful of wet shells and a very good appetite.