Why the coast demands more of you than an inland walk

There is nothing quite like the sound of the sea over a hawthorn hedge, or the moment a headland opens up a bay you had entirely to yourself. But coastal walking is a different discipline from a stroll through the Chilterns. The ground beneath your feet changes constantly: shingle that drags at every step, soft sand, wet rock draped in seaweed, tussocky cliff-top grass and, after rain, clinging mud that can turn a gentle descent into a skating rink.

You are also exposed. A sheltered woodland path gives you trees to break the wind; a cliff path gives you nothing at all. Wind, salt spray, sun and sea fret arrive without warning, and the same route can feel entirely different in a westerly gale compared with a still, hazy morning. Distances are deceptive too. A kilometre of pebbles or a flight of steep steps down to a cove can take three times as long as the same distance on a towpath.

Most importantly, the coast has a schedule of its own. The tide changes the shape of the land twice a day, and parts of any route may only be passable within a narrow window. Planning around that is the single most useful thing you can do.

Read the weather properly, not just the temperature

The forecast on your phone is a starting point, not the whole picture. Look at wind speed and direction, gust figures, visibility and the inshore waters or sea state forecast if your route hugs a bay or crosses an estuary. A 20 mph headwind on an unshielded headland will slow you far more than you expect, and gusts on cliff tops can knock you off balance — particularly on wet, greasy rock.

Sea fret and coastal fog can roll in within minutes and turn a familiar path into a disorientating white room. If visibility is forecast to drop, choose a lower-level route with clear handrails such as a river, a wall or the shoreline itself. Check the forecast the evening before and again on the morning, and be genuinely willing to change your plan. A shorter walk in good conditions beats a longer one you spend worrying.

Tides: the hazard that catches people out

Every year, coastal walkers are caught by rising water on beaches, in estuaries and along stretches of shore beneath cliffs. Tide tables differ from place to place and the range varies enormously around the UK — a metre or two in some places, well over ten in others — so always use the table for the nearest port or harbour, not the nearest large town.

• Identify any stranding points on your route in advance: headlands, narrow beaches, river mouths and rocky sections that vanish at high water.
• Where possible, walk tidal sections on a falling tide, ideally starting a couple of hours after high water. Falling tides give you the day's longest safe window.
• Remember spring tides bring a much bigger range than neap tides. A beach you crossed comfortably last month may be underwater today.
• Estuary crossings are the most dangerous of all. Mud, quicksand and fast-filling channels make them genuinely lethal; if you are unsure of the safe window, do not attempt the crossing.
• Never try to outrun an incoming tide. If in doubt, turn back or climb to higher ground and wait.

Footwear and the kit that earns its place

Your feet decide how the day goes. Choose footwear with real grip and ankle support — walking boots or fell shoes suit most coastal terrain, while wellingtons are comfortable for a mile and punishing for ten, offering no support and guaranteed blisters. Whatever you wear, it should cope with wet rock and loose stones.

Pack for the worst hour of the day, not the best. A waterproof shell, a warm spare layer and a hat cost little to carry and can transform a cold, windy afternoon. Add sun cream, sunglasses and a hat for summer, because sea glare is fierce.

• Water and more food than you think you need
• A paper map and a compass, plus a GPS device or charged phone as backup
• A head torch or small torch, even on a short walk
• A whistle, a basic first-aid kit and any personal medication
• A power bank, and a fully charged phone stored somewhere warm and dry
• Trekking poles if your route includes long flights of steps or steep descents

Navigation you can actually rely on

Phones are wonderful until the battery flattens or a steep valley cuts the signal. Carry a paper map covering the whole of your route at 1:25,000 or 1:50,000 scale, in a waterproof case, and know how to take a bearing. Coastal paths are frequently rerouted because of erosion or land management, so a recent edition is worth having.

Before setting out, mark the escape routes — points where you can turn inland to a lane, a village or a bus route. Note where the path crosses farmland, golf courses or land that may be closed on certain days, and check any local notices at car parks and gateways. Then time the walk generously. Allow for terrain, for stops, for photographs and for the fact that coastal walking is simply slower. Finish in daylight with an hour to spare.

Tell someone, and know who to call

Leave your route, your expected finish time and your car registration with someone at home, and agree a time at which they should raise the alarm if they have not heard from you. If something goes wrong on the coast, dial 999 and ask for the coastguard — they coordinate coastal rescues, including cliff and shoreline incidents.

Finally, hold your plans lightly. Turning back because the wind has picked up, the fog has dropped or the tide is filling faster than expected is not a failed walk; it is exactly the judgement that keeps coastal walking a pleasure for decades. Start early, keep an eye on the sea as well as the path, and save the rest of the headland for another day.