It combines swimming, climbing and rockpooling in an adrenaline-fuelled session for a range of abilities and ages. Here’s why you should give coasteering a go.
What is coasteering?
Exhilarating and educational, coasteering feels like an adrenaline-fuelled mashup of rockpooling, mountaineering, climbing and open-water swimming. It’s a physical and mental test that also offers a tutorial in coastal geology and the immense power of the ocean.
What's the history of coasteering?
The term ‘coasteering’ was reportedly first coined in the 1973 book Sea Cliff Climbing by Edward C Pyatt, blending the words ‘coast’ and ‘mountaineering’. It was officially established in 1986 in Wales, when Andy Middleton of the Twr-y-Felin Outdoor Centre began organising sessions along the Pembrokeshire coastline.
Where can you go coasteering?
You can now try coasteering at sites around the British coast, from Devon and Cornwall to Northumberland, Anglesey, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Other famed destinations to try it include New Zealand, Madeira, California and Croatia.
Do I need any special kit for coasteering?
If you’re joining an organised coasteering session, most of the kit will be provided, including a 4/5mm-thick wetsuit for warmth and buoyancy, a helmet and a buoyancy aid. You’ll need to bring pair of lace-up trainers that aren’t beach shoes, a towel for post-session warmth and beach shorts or a swimming costume to wear under a wetsuit.
What are the benefits of coasteering?
Spikes of adrenaline, cold-water immersion and many calories burnt; the coasteering benefits are clear once we exit the sea. It’s a full-body workout and can help challenge fear of heights.
Cold-water therapy has been shown to reduce swelling and inflammation, as well as improve mental wellbeing, while endorphin-releasing cardiovascular exercise can spark growth of new blood vessels to nourish the brain.
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When is the best time to go coasteering in the UK?
Sea temperatures mean April to October is peak season for coasteering in the UK.
Key tips for coasteering
Simon Hope, coasteering instructor at North Devon Coasteering, shares his tips:
- “When you’re scrambling or climbing on the rocks, always aim for three points of contact with your body and the landscape – so two hands and a foot, or two feet and a hand. When you’re about to jump in the water, put one foot in front of the other when you leap and enter the water feet-first.”
- “There are many variables involved to understanding coasteering, with the swell conditions and the tides and the depth of water, so go out with qualified, licensed and insured instructors who plan their routes and check them at low tide. Also look for smaller group sessions to get the most from your experience.”
- “You want overhanging cliffs, ideally a deep-water shelf, gullies, some sea caves and rock formations that are broken apart. And it’s also about the jumps, which are a major part of most coasteering sessions.”
Coasteering vs canyoning: what's the difference?
Canyoning is an alternative to coasteering that takes place in rivers, remote gorges, pools and, yes, canyons, but isn’t typically done in the sea. It sees participants scramble on rocks, abseil with ropes, hike along the side of a river or within a gorge and partake in rafting, open-water swimming, climbing and technical descents. The locations are rugged and wild, with Scotland and Wales two of the world’s premier canyoning (also known as canyoneering) destinations.
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Main image: coasteering near Baggy Point in Devon. Credit: Joe Branston
