Walking along the bay this week I met a Winklepicker, (no not the shoe) but a collector of Winkles. This led me to ask a few questions and I was soon learning about a world I knew very little. Common Periwinkles (to give them their correct name) are apparently best harvested at a full or new moon when the tides are at their lowest and it is also helpful if the barometric pressure is high. When the tides are low more periwinkles are exposed and they are easier to collect. This week therefore had the perfect conditions for a good haul
Winkles prefer stony ground rather than mud and can also be found under seaweed. They feed on microscopic algae that coat the rocks. Obviously a strong back is a requirement for this employment and I would not last two minutes with my bad back. Most Winkles end up in Spain or France these days as they are more highly prized than here in the United Kingdom. This led me on to consider other mollusc’s that inhabit the bay and a list ensued i.e. Mussels, Cockles, Scallop, Limpet, Barnacle, Whelks, Razor Shell and finally Oyster. A veritable feast one might say, all free to collect and with the right cooking, delicious to eat.
So get out on the shoreline and see how many species you can identify. That includes seaweeds, jelly fish, starfish, crabs, eels and lugworms. There are also beautiful lichens growing on the many rocks that abound the Isle Of Seil. Take a digital camera with you and record everything you find. Then you can sit in the comfort of your own warm home later, and take time over the identification.