photo
Beadlet Anemone

The beadlet anemone (Actinia equina) is small red anemone that looks like red circular blobs on rockpools and is found on most UK rocky shores. They only reveal their short tentacles when underwater and use the base of their body as a strong sucker to keep them attached to the shore.

photo
Sea Hare

With their bunny-like head tentacles and charismatic expressions, these marvelous molluscs are always sure to bring a smile to your rock pool adventures.

photo
The Rock Pool Shrimp

The rock pool shrimp (Palaemon elegans) is very common in our rockpools and is often confused with other shrimp species like the common prawn (P. serratus). P. elegans has a transparent body with dark brown stripes along its carapace and six abdominal segments with yellow and blue banded legs. They can be differentiated from other shrimp species by their rostrum (a long appendage that looks like the shrimp’s nose and has several serrations). P. elegans has a much straighter rostrum than P. serratus with 8-9 serrations, 2-3 are behind their eyes. These shrimp can get to 63mm in length but are usually found much smaller than that; around 30mm.

photo
The Painted Topshell

The Painted topshell (Calliostoma zizyphinum) is a beautiful mollusc that can be found on many sheltered rocky shores in the UK. This mollusc has a distinctive conical shell and a flat base which can reach sizes of up to 3cm, both in height and width! This shell is covered in roughly 10-12 whorls usually with a white base colour that is marbled with yellows, browns, pinks and purples. If you’re really lucky, you might be able to see the snail itself, which is just as colourful. You’ll notice that these shells are very clean, this is because the snail uses its extendable foot to remove any algae – around 2 times every 24 hours.

photo
Mount Batten

Located on the shores of the UK’s first National Marine Park, Mount Batten Bay is a small sand and shingle beach with stunning views of Plymouth Sound and Drake’s island. Sheltered behind the break water, the beach offers a wonderful habitat for many marine species, such as Snakelock’s Anemones and the temperamental Velvet Swimming Crabs, allowing for some outstanding rock pooling.

photo
Firestone Bay

Firestone bay is a small pebble beach to the West of Plymouth Sound located next to Devil’s Point. It provides great views of Mount Edgcumbe, Stonehouse peninsula and Drake’s Island. Connected to the popular Royal William Yard via an historic archway through the sea wall is a popular spot for swimmers, snorkelers and paddleboarders, with areas marked with yellow buoys while the nearby tidal pool offers an area for people wanting to just dip their toes in.