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A ria – an ancient river valley, flooded at the end of the Ice Age when meltwater raised the sea level and ocean rushed inland.
The Fal Estuary is the third largest natural harbour in the world, and the largest in Britain. Ancient woodland flanks its shores, oak and beech, alder and willow. From the footpaths, boughs frame views of water and boat, mudflat and shingle shore, shallow bays, rockpools, salt marshes. Vessels of all shapes and sizes, from little sailing skiffs to yachts to big ocean-going ships anchored in the deep channels.
At low tide, a silky expanse of mud glistens from shore to shore, a narrow water channel scrawling through it like a signature. Waders stalk across its surface, adding the tiny ciphers of their footprints.
Walk a few paces on and it vanishes again behind winter-bare branches but the two-note fluting of golden plovers still cuts across the scratchy chatter of woodland birds.
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