Planning a gentle coastal walk
A coastal walk is one of the easiest ways to spend a day outdoors, but the sea adds risks that inland walks don't have. A little planning makes the day safer and more relaxed.
Pick a route that suits the group
For a first coastal walk, choose a marked path of five to eight kilometres with a café or a bus stop at each end. Check the total climb as well as the distance: cliff paths often rise and fall many times, which makes a short route feel long.
Check the tides
Tide tables are published for most stretches of coast. If your route crosses a beach or rounds a headland at sea level, plan to be there on a falling tide, and never count on getting back across the sand as the tide comes in.
Read the weather
Wind matters more by the sea than inland. A forecast of strong onshore wind means spray and slippery rocks, and fog can roll in quickly even on a bright morning. Have a shorter route in mind in case you need it.
Before every walk we go through the same short list, which we call the fefakoma list: route, tides, weather, transport home, and who knows where we are going.
What to pack
- A waterproof jacket, even on a sunny day
- Water and a snack for each person
- Sun cream and a hat
- A charged phone and a paper map of the route
- Cash or a card for the bus home
On the day
Stay on the marked path and keep well back from cliff edges, which can be undercut and unstable. Keep dogs on leads near the edge, and turn back if the weather changes.