How to go rockpooling with the family

3rd July 2023

Nina Jones, Protected Area Warden at Kent Wildlife Trust has created this handy guide to going rockpooling. Rockpooling's a great summer activity to be had with the whole family, just make sure you're safe and you keep wildlife protected from harm too.

Rockpooling is a fantastic activity that people of all ages can enjoy and with summer in full swing, there's no better time to explore the rocky shores of Kent’s coastline. Peer closely into the small pools that are exposed as the tide retreats, and you will get a glimpse of this mysterious world and the weird and wonderful wildlife that inhabits it. Time your trip to the beach right and you could find yourself and your children occupied for hours.

Rockpools occur on most rocky shores across the UK but Kent is a particularly fantastic place to go rockpooling thanks to the extensive coastline of chalk cliffs. As the chalk cliffs are eroded over time, this process leaves behind a chalk reef or platform which is a wonderful habitat for spotting interesting seaweeds and other flora, a variety of animals including fish, molluscs and crustaceans and even coastal birds that feed on these animals. There are even some rocky shore species unique to Kent such as some algae only found on the chalk reef on Thanet.

Twice a day, small pools are submerged by the rising tide and twice a day they are exposed as the tide retreats. Wildlife which lives in these environments have evolved to cope with a wide range of conditions including high salinity, changing temperature, water pressure, desiccation (the removal of moisture), rough seas and being trapped for periods of time in small pools with potential predators. The adaptions of these creatures are fascinating and makes spotting wildlife even more special.

Some of our favourite places to explore the rocky shores are St Margrets Bay, Folkestone and the beaches of Thanet. Wherever you decide to go rockpooling, there are some rules to follow in order to avoid causing harm to wildlife and to keep yourself safe at the same time.

Tim Horton

Top tips for rockpooling

Plan your visit for low tide when more rock pools will be exposed.
Fill your bucket with sea water before you put any animals in it, as all wildlife you might find needs water to take in oxygen.
Approach a rock pool quietly so you don't scare off the wildlife and try not cast a shadow over the water or you might be look like a predator.
Be patient and remain still while your are looking at a rockpool and you will start to see animals in the pool.
Carefully turn over stones to see if there are creatures hiding underneath. Remember to replace stones the way you found them as gently as you can.
Only put one animal in your bucket at a time otherwise they meet fight.
Look your creatures up on an ID guide (check out our Seashore Safari Guide)
Be careful not to harm any creatures. Once you've finished studying your specimens, return them carefully to the pool by re-submerging your bucket. Don't leave them in the bucket for too long, as they can get stressed by temperature changes.

How to keep safe

Dress appropriately - be prepared for the British weather and remember rocks can be slippery and sharp so thick-soled footwear with good grip is recommended.
Check the tides before you go and keep an eye out to make sure you don’t get trapped.
Look out for sharp object like fishhooks or broken glass.

Wildlife to spot and among some of the easiest to see, even in the highest rockpools, include seaweeds like serrated wrack and animals like edible winkle, shore crab and common prawn. There are plenty of other species to see so why not download this rocky shore guide below to find more out about the kind of animals you might get to spot.