Peter Firstbrook - Coastwise: Understanding Britains Shoreline

For Paula

Above: A common seal pup in the North Sea.

This subtly passionate book is the perfect companion to anyone with an interest in the coast and, given our proximity to water and reliance on what it delivers us, that should be all of us.

In my work for Countryfileand Costing the EarthIve been lucky enough to enjoy many of the nations coasts and they always come with a buzz. Its why as children on a trip to the seaside you strive to be the first to see the sea. My broadcasting work takes me there so often because they are a source of such good stories, an upwelling of issues: flooding, fishing, seaweed farming, smuggling and so many more. All to be found in these pages. As a sailor, scientist and programme maker Peter Firstbrook is clearly smitten by the bit of this country where solid meets liquid. And I get that. It is a dynamic strip of geography. A place of constant change and thrilling unpredictability. Benign golden sand or ship-shattering rock, computer-controlled container ports or snipe on a salt marsh, the author warms to them all and his feelings are infectious.

The breadth of this book is staggering. Peter has taken the whole of Britain and Northern Ireland and, a bit like a parent rightly unwilling to choose their favourite child, has decided to spread the love. You can learn about Roman naval harbours on the Cumbrian coast or kite surfing in Thurso.

The sections of the book loosely follow an epic chronology of the forces affecting our coast geology with tales of hard basalt and soft sandstone; geography and the effects of erosion, currents and weather; biology with abundant sealife; and then humanity with our trade, fishing and fun. This all anchors the reader with the formative facts of the shoreline.

Coastwiseis unafraid of a little light science and much the better for it. Knowledge helps us get so much more out of the coast. Understanding why it looks like it does and why animals and humans thrive in certain spots underpins our enjoyment. Want to know why those corrugations appear on a sandy beach? The answers in here. Want to know how to identify some edible seaweeds? The answers in here. Want to know where best to spot an Atlantic white-sided dolphin? You get the picture.

The author wants us to experience the edge of the ocean first-hand and preferably immersed. The book comes equipped not only with a guide to where to discover the best of the British coast but also how to behave safely when you get there. There are tips on navigation buoys, how to avoid or survive a rip current and even how to conserve body heat in cold water with the Heat Escape Lessening Posture HELP a piece of learning for this reader for sure.

If youd rather avoid all that perilous wet stuff you can relax with a dry gin and admire the crashing waves from aboard one of the twelve most spectacular coastal railway routes also listed in this book.

These pages are a practical love letter to Britains waterfront and no seaside holiday home should be without them.

Tom Heap, CountryfilePresenter

One of my earliest recollections as a young boy is a family holiday to Cullercoats on the Northumberland coast. It was post-war Britain, and I have two particularly strong memories. The first was a dreary boarding house with peeling paper on the walls and a wilting aspidistra in the hall. This could not have been in stronger contrast to the aquarium on the seafront. Here was an exotic, weird and wonderful world of vibrant life and colour. I was mesmerised by what was living just off the beach.

That memory has never left me. I studied and researched marine sciences for nearly a decade, joined the BBC and made documentaries about oceanography, and spent much of my life sailing around Britain and further afield when I could; I surfed as a student, and went scuba diving to see what life was like under the waves. In all this time, I never lost the excitement of that first eye-opening experience.