Country diary: What is this intricate marvel that looks like a bran stick? | Susie White

Alnmouth, Northumberland: They were once the rocky abode of a burrowing worm, and are normally found at sea not on the beachEach time we visit this beach, the landscape of the strand has changed. Giant boulders are exposed or disappear completely. Bladderwrack accumulates in spongy piles - tricky to walk on - then is taken back by the sea to leave smooth clean sand. Sometimes there's sea coal, at other times heaps of periwinkles and limpets. Wind and tides are forever shaping and reshaping the coast.Today, after a turbulent sea, there are crunchy razor clams underfoot. Sharp-edged, they were named after the cut-throat razors used for wet shaves. These are molluscs that drag themselves beneath the sand using strong muscular "feet". To make their downward passage smoother they shoot out a jet of water, which led to the delightful Scottish name of spoots. Their pale shells stand out against the background of sea?moulded nuggets of coal, along with broken crab claws and the spiral skeletons of whelks. Continue reading...