Sandlarking & Shoreline History Walks

"The Beach is a Living History Book..."

Every tide tells a new story. See where a 17th-century cannon was unearthed

Sometimes the sea brings gifts, and other times it peels back the layers of the sand to reveal secrets hidden for centuries. Sadly, the strandline tells sadder stories in its flotsam and jetsam.

The 10,000-Year old Beach

Following a heavy storm that shifted the sands near the Daymer Bay Petrified Forest, I came across a remarkable sight. Partially exposed in the sand was a 46cm-long, heavily rusted lump of iron.

It was a muzzle-loading cannon barrel, likely a "swivel gun" from the 17th or 18th century.

What makes this find truly incredible is its location because it lay just 50 yards from where my wife, Sam, only weeks before discovered a beautifully preserved Mesolithic flint arrowhead.

Two Weapons, One Shoreline, Ten Millennia

• The Arrowhead: Tells the story of a hunter stalking game through a wooded valley, back when the sea was miles away and the Camel Estuary was a forest.

• The Cannon: Tells the story of the Age of Exploration—of merchant ships navigating the treacherous Doom Bar, using such guns for signaling in the fog or defending against raiders.

Finding these two items so close together reminds us that our coastline is a continuous thread of human survival, trade, and drama.

Join Me for a Sandlarking Discovery Walk

For those who want to learn how to "read" the beach we won't just look for finds; we will look at the landscape that created them.

What we explore:

• The Petrified Forest: Visualising the Estuary as it was 10,000 years ago.

• Wreckage & Iron: Learning to spot the signs of the many vessels claimed by the Doom Bar.

• Flint & Stone: How to identify the subtle signs of ancient human presence among the shingle.

• The Stories: From the early discoveries to the films and books.

Walk Details

• Location: I can meet you anywhere on the route from Polzeath to Daymer Bay including at The St Moritz Hotel

• Duration: 2–3 hours of gently guided walking and discovery.

• Perfect for: Families, history enthusiasts, and anyone who loves digging up the past.

"We don't just find objects; we find the people who held them."