New coastal camping spot.(pic heavy)

[andybysea]

Ive been looking for a new spot to do a bit beach bushcraft (if you can call the coast stuff bushcraft) anyway i found a place today, its a 1.5 hr walk from the car along some pretty steep cliffs, but looks well worth it,

First pic is looking down on to it half way down the cliff,

Its really tricky to get down to the beach(which adds to its appeal as less are inclined to try)
once down i found one side is mainly sandy the other mainly rocks

this shows the sand side(course sand)

On further inspection looks like someone has had a similar idea and had a go at shelter building?

a closer look,

over on the rocky side theres a old ship wreck (whats left of it)

the beach is quite protected from the sea as theres a large rock reef? running its full length

i didnt really get chance to cover its full lenght hopefully in the near future i plan to spend a couple of days there.

 

[Nagual]

A lovely place there, looks quite and remote. On the shelter bit, it wouldn't surprise me if that was once a good hut perhaps used by someone with a boat. The sheltered sides there would offer a good place to haul up a smallish boat and the hut allow them to have verious bit n bobs needed for repairs or fishing perhaps. They used to be fairly common years n years ago, vaerious huts, shacks or buildings for that purpose.

Whats the wildlife like there or sea life in particular - I've been reading HFW's Fish and it's got my sea food interst up, in particular crabs n razor fish.

 

[Shewie]

Looks good Andy, I might even bring my drill and a few U bolts to hang my hammock from.

 

[rancid badger]

I cant see the far right of the pictures, not that important but I'm wondering if it's just me?

Anyway, looks very interesting, I would imagine there will be plenty of food; both in the sand and among the rocks. How far is the makey do shelter from the high tide mark?

I like the look of the wreck too, is it north or south of St Abbs?
This is the kind of place our earlier ancestors would not only have gathered their food but also cooked and eaten it.
cheers
R.B.

 

[Shewie]

I cant see the far right of the pictures, not that important but I'm wondering if it's just me?

R.B.

It`s probably your screen resolution RB, I have the same problem at home on the old laptop.

 

[wicca]

That's an interesting wreck Andy, difficult to tell but that could have been a dumb barge of some type, ( barge without engine and towed by another vessel) It's very old because she's riveted even the deck plates and that method of building lost out to welding many years ago. The two big bollards also suggest towing and the raised strips on the deck look like "non-slip" for when the bargeman was working there. Be interesting to know her history, possibly a tow broken adrift in bad weather and wrecked on the coastline. Looks a great place for some isolation though..

 

[Mistwalker]

Awesome shots Andy, thanks for sharing! I really like the looks of the shores over there in your part of the world. It looks like those timbers of that shelter are pretty well weathered, probably been there a while, but still looks like much of it would be solid enough to re-use, think I'd have to give that a go. I don't have much experience with the northern Atlantic even on this side, can you catch crustaceans with traps or bait on a string and a dip net there? I used to use a piece of string, a turkey neck and a did net to catch buckets of Blue Crabs and some stone crabs down on the gulf side of florida. They sure made for some good eating. With the fishing too one could have a feast for twenty or more in little time and only spending a few dollars for the baits.

 

[Pang]

wow, that's a great place, with good seclusion. Kinda reminds me of treasure island lol with the ship wreck and all. However i would suggest you check on the tides, wudn;t want you to be busy building a shelter and have it washed away or worse get trapped with the rising tides.

 

[andybysea]

I will try and answer a few questions, there is a high tide line but the old shack is safe from it, there is also a long strip of grass at the back of the beach where the cliffs end which i was thinking of using as a bivy site
To RB yep its north of St Abbs head approx 2 miles
the shelter is approx 20 metres from high tide mark, there is lots of edible crab, velvet swimming crab, lobster, in the area, my next door neighbour is the local crab/lobster fisherman, Mistwalker ive only caught crab and lobster by Snorkelling (during the summer)
i dont know anything regards dip nets , but string and bait i assume you could give that ago, Wicca i think the wreck is part of whats known locally as the peanut boat which sank around here begining of last century about 2 miles south where i snorkel there is lots more of it including the capstons, anchor chain and boiler all visible from the surface,
on the top of the cliffs are the remains of iron age? forts there was so im told a very large community living the long ago. There was until recently a few seals and pups on the beach so im assuming there are plenty of fish out there to feed them and hopefuly me.

cheers guys,Andy.

 

[andybysea]

theres plenty of these critters this is a small one but there's much bigger,

 

[Peter_t]

i wonder if anybody ever stayed in that shelter? lovely looking place thow, nice and isolated, i wana live in scotland damit!

pete

 

[stooboy]

Nice looking photos. that cove make a nice shelter from the elements.

 

[Mistwalker]

theres plenty of these critters this is a small one but there's much bigger,

That's making my mouth water. As for the dip nets..they are used in conjunction with the string and bait. Toss the bait out in the water about ten or fifteen meters (in the gulf anyway) then slowly pull it back in and the crustaceans will follow it as the slow movement mimics movement from tidal flows then when you have them near you you take a long handled dip net and scoop them up. I have caught two and three five gallon buckets full of Blue Crabs in less than two hours before on the gulf coast we used to have some big get-togethers on the shores there on the weekends and with Blue Crab, StoneCrab, and Langustina (rock lobster), they have no claws, Red Fish, and flounder we'd have great feasts. I really miss my days along the shore.

 

[andybysea]

In the summer when im snorkeling about 2 miles south of here there are literally thousands of edible crab at high tide crawling around the rocks just below the surface easy to just pick up, also quite alot of pollack and codling,and the occasional flat fish.
think i will give your idea ago(line and dip net) although this time of year it seems all quite i think they stay in deeper calmer water as the shore tends to be rough water, maybe spring time.

 

[Mistwalker]

Jeeez I'm back in the mountains of home now...hundreds of miles from the nearest shore. All of this talk of seafood is going to have me at the store spending money I can't afford to spend lol.

 

[andybysea]

Just for you mistwalker, a pic of a nice big one taken last summer.

 

[Pounder]

its so easy to 'free-dive' down the end of a broken pier and collect lobsters and eddie the edible crabs theres no need for a creel, just a wet suit-depending on how brave you feel.

 

[Mistwalker]

Just for you mistwalker, a pic of a nice big one taken last summer.

Thanks a lot, lol, that's just what I need...I just found a new curry recipe last night that I was thinking sure would be good made with lobster...it calls for croc, pork or firm fish. I guess I'll be at the seafood market this weekend whether I can afford it or not now

 

[andybysea]

Edible crab are quite easy as the tend to be just below the surface just walking along the rocks(about 5 to 10ft down) in the bay where i do most snorkeling, lobster are more tricky, they tend to be in the burrows? or under large rocks etc during the day,and are very defensive, we use a long 5mm metal rod with a hooked over end put under them in the holes, and then hook the back of it and bring it forward and they come out fighting, then it depends if you can grab it or not without losing a finger etc, oh and not forgeting to keep holding your breath, alot tougher than getting crab!

 

[BOD]

Brilliant. Would love to walk and play there

Keep us posted on your adventures