Elizabeth's Kitchen Diary

fuel that adventure

Published on August 11, 2014 • Last updated July 23, 2017 by

Rockpooling at Leebitton Shetland

We’ve had some pretty glorious weather up here in Shetland this summer. Temperatures have regularly been hitting the 20’s, which, in Shetland, is considered a heat wave! On one fine sunny day we decided to go rock pooling at Leebitton, a place we’d never been before but we were told by a nature loving friend that it was the best place in Shetland for rock pools at low tide. Checking the tide tables and weather and we were in luck – low tide was early afternoon and the sun was blazing.

Rockpooling at Leebitton, Shetland

We were on the hunt for crabs (and anything else we could possibly find) but mostly crabs. The first rock pool we looked in we saw a crab, but he quickly scurried away under thick seaweed so we couldn’t catch it. We did, however, find plenty of sea anemones, limpets, barnacles, different coloured seaweeds and a live jelly fish – the kids loved this and they took turns squealing with glee and touching the jelly-like top. It was the first time any of them had touched a jellyfish before.

Rockpooling at Leebitton, Shetland

Anemone

White Jellyfish

Crab

We did eventually find two crabs. We found a large dead one with seaweed growing on itthat the kids found fascinating. They spent ages touching and feeling how all the appendages worked – you couldn’t do that with a live crab!

Our eldest (14) went off on his own quietly looking for a hermit crab. He went from rock pool to rock pool picking up every snail shell he could find and he eventually found one that was occupied, much to the delight of the younger children who watched its little legs wiggling in the shell. When the hermit crab was put back into the rock pool it went scuttling off.

Hermit Crab

Other wildlife we saw that day included:

• diving gannets (called solan geese here in Shetland) beautiful large white birds with black tipped wings and a yellow head.

•  a flock of Arctic terns (tirricks, in Shetland) who wouldn’t let us go very far out on the rocks without shrieking at us to not come any closer.

•  rock pippits – little brown birds that flit about the shoreline

•  oystercatchers (shalders) – with their distinctive bright orange eye and long orange beaks

•  a whole family of seals – basking on the rocks on the shoreline they looked like giant prehistoric slugs!

Mousa Broch

Across the water from Leebitton is the island of Mousa which hosts the finest surviving Iron Age broch tower standing at 13.3 metres. It is thought this structure was built around 100 BC. I haven’t yet had the pleasure of visiting it, but I do want to go at night and see the elusive storm petrels returning after a day of feeding at sea during the summer months. I hear this experience is quite magical.

COLIN THE CRAB

The reason we were looking for crabs on that fine sunny day was because the kids had been sent a copy of Colin the Crab pop-up book to review. Colin the Crab is the brainchild of Norfolk-based mumpreneur Susie Mason, who began her Gone Crabbing business five years ago at the kitchen table of her small cottage.

Spotting a gap in the market for high-end holiday souvenirs, Susie started producing kids’ t-shirts featuring funky, seaside designs in bright, bold colours. Given crabbing is so popular with young visitors to Norfolk, Susie chose Colin the Crab as her brand identity.

Gone Crabbing has expanded and now includes a Totally Clawsome range of delightful home wares including crisp cotton tea towels, sturdy place mats and coasters, some rather snappy oven gloves, chefs’ aprons, gorgeous mugs and cute paper napkins.

Colin the Crab by Susie Mason

To celebrate World Oceans Day on June 8th of this year, Susie launched a new book about Colin the Crab featuring two of his seaside mates Sally the Starfish and Mike the Mussel. Beautiful illustrations throughout the book are brought to life with delightful pop ups by Robert Crowther.

The story is about Colin and his friends who are happily lounging in their rock pool, but Sally and Mike are taken away by children who are rock pooling and Colin gets very upset. Thankfully, Sally and Mike are returned to where they are found and all ends well. The story has a good message behind it, that we should treat nature with respect.

The story itself is very well written but I think it is aimed at an older audience than what you would expect a pop up book to be aimed at. My five year old refused to sit still as I tried to read it to him, preferring to play with the pop ups and look at the pictures, while my seven year old quietly sat and read the book from start to finish, thoroughly enjoying it. It is a long story for such a small book with quite a large amount of text on each page, but if you have an avid reader it’s perfect.

Retailing at £7-99 you can pick up a copy at any Gone Crabbing shop in Norfolk or Suffolk, from any one of their 50 stockists throughout the UK or from their online shop.

Find them on Twitter and Facebook. 

Gone Crabbing have made this rather awesome video about how to go crabbing properly and I can’t wait to try out their suggestions with my own children!

How to Go Crabbing by Gone Crabbing

Gone Crabbing Big Crab Apron and Oven Glove Set

GIVEAWAY

Gone Crabbing have offered my readers the chance to win one of their Big Crab Apron and Double Oven Glove sets RRP £28. I too was sent one of these sets and they are adorable! They’re made from a good quality cotton and the colours are bold and bright. They’ve become somewhat of a talking point in my kitchen!

How to Enter

For your chance to win one Big Crab Apron and Double Oven Glove set RRP £28 enter using the Rafflecopter form below. Come back and tweet about the giveaway every day for more chances to win!

Terms & Conditions

This giveaway is open to UK entries only. Entrants must be age 18 or over. The winner will need to respond within 48 hours of being contacted; failure to do this may result in another winner being selected.

The prize is offered and provided by Gone Crabbing. The prize is one Big Crab Apron and Double Oven Glove set. There is no cash alternative and the prize is not transferable.

If you need some help using Rafflecopter, here’s a quick clip to show you how. Rafflecopter will pick the winner at random from all the entries received. I will be verifying entries and any automated entries or those who have claimed they have made the mandatory blog post comment and really haven’t will be disqualified. It’s mandatory!

Closing date is midnight on Monday 1 September 2014 and the winner will be announced that day.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Don’t forget to visit  Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary giveaways page for more fantastic prizes!

Elizabeth's Kitchen Diary
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Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary was sent a copy of Colin the Crab for review. We also received a complimentary apron and oven glove set. All opinions expressed are our own. This is not a paid post.

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About Elizabeth Atia

Daydream adventurer. Expat Canadian. Foodie. Calls Shetland home.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sue Lively

    Wow – this little adventure looked amazing! I would have loved this – and my son too of course! We visited the Atlantic ocean this past summer in Prince Edward Island, Canada and it was so beautiful, but we didn’t find any tide pools. Just enjoyed some lobster and the beautiful beaches. You have a gorgeous blog and your recipes look amazing! Thanks for dropping by One Time Through – I’ll be following your adventures! Best, Sue

    Reply

  24. SUSAN L HALL

    At the moment it is Woolacombe beach in north devon but we are off to Mexico in April so that may change 🙂

    Reply

  35. Lorraine Carter

    Crosby Beach, Liverpool…..wonderful wide vista, great for watching seabirds-the herring gull chicks are so cute.The addition of Anthony Gormley’s Another place art installation-wistful iron men looking out to the sea is very thought provoking. Wonderful sunsets. And the perfect waterfront for a Cancerian like me, which is why I
    Love the Crab apron and gloves ( I love to cook!)

    Reply

  42. georgina jacobs

    I always remember going to Torquay when we were young, which was many years ago! We always went looking for crabs with my Uncle Geoff. These days the nearest and best to us is Formby beach in Southport. Thanks

    Reply

  43. Laura Ingham

    Swanage in Dorset – I used to own a small hotel there and we had school parties ‘out of season’ and the children loved it, so I know it is brilliant for kids.

    Reply

  44. Sue McCarthy

    I live in Guernsey so am surrounded by coastine; we have wonderful beaches as well as stunning cliff walks.

    Reply

  75. Alexandra Blue

    we love Bracklesham Bay because the beach is covered in fossils and it’s pretty cool for the children to spend an afternoon finding millions of years old sharks teeth

    Reply

  84. Helen Southam

    The north norfolk coast, have such fond chilhood memories of holidays there, remember searching the rock pools on cromer beach with my dad and collecting all our little treasures in a bucket. My favourite part was letting the crabs go afterwards 🙂

    Reply

  103. rebecca nisbet

    little town called tywyn in north wales, its a lovely beach and the mother in law has a caravan about a 30 second walk away.

    Reply

  112. Vohn McGuinness

    My favourite seaside location is my little hometown of Whitehead in Northern Ireland, as it holds so many happy childhood memories. It was part of our outdoor playground – lots of rock pooling and giant boulders to climb. My father and I spent many sunny afternoons clearing a strip of rocky seaweed so we had a nice sandy strip for easy paddling!

    Reply

  126. Sus Chalmers

    love your story and pics – great to see Shetland in the sunshine – continuing the beach theme, Durness in the north west corner of Scotland is another fine one

    Reply

  133. Robin Parkes

    Lived in Dorset all my life so I’m spilt for choice but still have a soft spot for some of South Devon’s little coves, like Beer. Love that place and it has a great name! Would love to win the Gone Crabbing gear, one of my favourite things to eat!

    Reply

  142. Diane Jackson

    Depends on the weather, but in winter it’s Reighton beach in North Yorkshire. It’s so rugged and interesting.

    Reply

  143. Terrie-Ann Wright

    I love Goodrington Sands in Devon it has a lovely beach, great waves during storms, excellent rock pooling locations, amusements near by and beautiful fairy cove by night.

    Reply

  164. Tracy Newton

    In my pre children days I would have said Aruba. But now I would have to go with Brighton. My toddler loves playing with the pebbles

    Reply

  169. Helen Grayson

    I love Scarborough – Being at university there was amazing – seaside town, but without the ‘brashness’ of other places. It’s lovely in winter too! Lots of dog-friendly parts also. 🙂

    Reply

  180. Catherine Williams

    In this Country definitely Roker, there’s loads of little pools. Abroad – Koh Takiyab in Thailand. It’s truly stunning.

    Reply

  188. Merlinda Little (@pixiedusk)

    Wasnt it just yesterday that we have this same weather. Now its so gloomy and raining cats and dogs! Looks like a fab day by the sea. We dont have that much sea creatures here. I wish we do cuz its so nice to see them esp with my son in tow =) #countrykids

    Reply

  201. Lisa Everaert

    LEYSDOWN – when i was a child i spent alot of time there with my grandparents – loved every single moment of it.

    Reply

  204. Lynne Durkin

    For sunbathing Alcudia, Majorca. For interesting family walks and seeing different rocks and stones then the Pembrokeshire coast is amazing x

    Reply

  209. KIERAN WALSH

    England has some great beaches, Fistal beach in Newquay, if abroad, the white sands of Dominca Republic, unspoilt beauty

    Reply

  225. Dianne Hanson

    We love Whitesands Bay in Pembrokeshire, Wales.

    Perfect surf, rock pools for the kids to play in, and stunning coastal walks! 🙂

    Reply

  227. Coombemill

    I’m glad you have been sharing the lovely summer sunshine too. I bet it is stunning up in Shetland in the warmth. Your pictures always look so inviting and the coastline full of interest. Mousa looks well worth an explore too. Thank you for sharing with me on Country Kids

    Reply

    • Elizabeth

      We were on holiday recently in England (I will be linking up with Country Kids again with those adventures!) and the sun shone the entire time we were there, and then we brought it back to Shetland with us! It’s been a lovely summer so far – we’ve needed it! Thank you for your lovely comment and I agree, Mousa does look like a fab place to explore. One day!

      Reply

  228. samfernley@happyhomebird

    This was lovely, I adore rock pooling and crabbing. So interesting and loved the little video.
    What a gorgeous part of the world you live in.
    I love New Quay in West Wales, I think it is the best beach I have been too.

    Reply

  229. Holly Nelson

    Why can’t I live there! I don’t suppose you have a spare croft house or something I can squat in? I am very good at living in a draughty house in winter! Love the view of Mousa Broch. I wish I had gone there at night to see the storm petrels.

    Reply

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