Rock pooling is one of the best things about visiting Hilbre, especially if you've got kids in tow. The sandstone platforms around the base of the islands are carved with pools of all sizes, each one a miniature ecosystem that gets refreshed by every tide.
The pools are best explored at low tide, when they're fully exposed and the water is clear and still. Time your visit right and you can spend ages just crouching over a single pool, watching the tiny dramas playing out.
What You'll Find
Shore crabs
The most common find. Look under rocks and seaweed for green shore crabs of all sizes. They scuttle sideways and are completely harmless, though they might give a little pinch if you pick them up.
Beadlet anemones
Those dark red blobs stuck to the rock are anemones. When submerged they open up into flower shapes with waving tentacles. You'll find them in most of the pools, usually attached to the sides of the rocks.
Limpets and periwinkles
The cone shaped shells clamped to the rocks are limpets. The smaller snail shaped shells are periwinkles. Both are grazers, feeding on algae. Limpets grip incredibly tightly; don't try to pull them off.
Shrimps and prawns
Look carefully in the deeper pools and you'll see shrimps darting about. They're almost transparent, so you need to look for the movement rather than the animal itself.
Blennies and gobies
Small fish that live in the pools between tides. They're well camouflaged against the rocky bottom, so watch for quick flickers of movement. Blennies have a blunt head and will peek out from crevices.
Seaweed
Several types of seaweed grow in and around the pools: bladderwrack (with its bubble shaped air bladders), serrated wrack, and bright green sea lettuce. The seaweed provides shelter for many of the pool's residents.
Where to Look
The best rock pools are on the wave cut platforms around the base of Hilbre Island, particularly on the western and southern sides. The sandstone here has been carved into channels and depressions that hold water beautifully at low tide.
The deeper pools tend to have more variety of life because they hold more water and stay cooler. Look for pools with seaweed, overhanging ledges, and crevices: that's where the interesting stuff hides.
Rock Pooling Tips
- Go at low tide for the best pools
- Wear shoes with good grip (wet sandstone is slippery)
- If you turn over rocks to look underneath, always put them back
- Don't take anything from the pools. Look, enjoy, leave everything where it is
- Move slowly and be patient. The more still you are, the more you'll see
- Bring a clear container or cup to get a closer look at small creatures, then put them back
- Watch your footing: seaweed covered rocks are treacherous
- Keep an eye on the time. It's easy to lose track when you're absorbed in pool watching
Time It Right
The best rock pooling happens in the low tide window, so check today's tide times and aim to be on the island when the water is at its lowest.