COUNTRY PASSION
Finding treasure on Cornish shores
I believe any child that has grown up loving the beaches of Cornwall is a beachcomber at heart. For some, it’s a serious hobby (think early morning starts and metal detectors) but for others, like me, it’s a method of relaxation. It takes me back to a childhood spent sifting through sand for hidden treasures, my dad crouched down next to me helping to identify the things I’d found. Now as a grown woman, my windowsills are filled with a curated collection of favourite finds.
The best time to beachcomb is after a big storm. So many wonderful things wash up on the shores and the sand gets churned up, so they’re much easier to spot. I’ve even found some bits of bottles that date back to Victorian and Georgian times, most likely from shipwrecks, after rough weather. In the summer months, the beaches of the Isles of Scilly are my favourites to explore. I’ve found some very pretty sea glasses there. Kynance is one of Cornwall’s most mystical beaches and is extremely popular with tourists on sunny days, but in winter, it takes on a different personality altogether. It has a real wildness about it – it’s almost otherworldly.
My husband loves to beachcomb too, and often we’ll go together. We live right next to the ocean so we’re fortunate that we’re able to visit the beach on a whim. We wander along chatting, occasionally drifting off to look for things on the shoreline. The sound of the waves makes for a wonderful, meditative mood. In fact, beachcombing is great for both physical and mental wellbeing. If I’m feeling a little rundown or lethargic, it’s more often than not remedied by a dose of fresh sea air. It’s such a wonderful way to blow away the cobwebs and escape the daily grind. With day-to-day life busier than ever, it’s never been so important for us all to slow down, recharge, and fully appreciate the little joys nature has to offer, and beachcombing encourages exactly that. Read this... Discover more of Sarah’s beachcombing finds and tales of life by the sea on her inspirational blog, Salt & Sea Stories (saltandseastories.com)