Postcards from the sea

Since the last blog I've spent a lot of time at the seaside which has left me thinking, somewhat wistfully, about the sea. While we're called the Lanarkshire Green Health Partnership, we know that the benefits of nature connection occurs in both green and blue spaces, so when we talk about green health it is really shorthand for green and blue health. However, in mentioning that I was thinking of writing about blue health, it became immediately obvious that not everyone was aware of the phrase.

In 2014 the University of Exeter announced that people who live close to the coast are more likely to meet physical activity guidelines than people who live inland - although this was more applicable to people in the west than the east, but even visiting the coast leads to people being more active. It's not difficult to see why. I can't track it down in the research but I'm certain that although people are more active at the seaside, they also consume more calories. Again. It's not difficult to see why. A BBC article on the benefits of blue spaces does focus initially on coastal activities and the experiences people have on or by the sea, but also acknowledges the benefits available to people in urban blue sanctuaries through blue prescribing projects and notes that even the sound of water has been found to reduce stress.

I wonder if the fact that we live in a landlocked area means we think about the blue less. Green spaces are pretty obvious; from urban parks to wildflower meadows, woods and forests and even gardens.  Blue space isn't just the sea, but includes bodies of water such as ponds, canals and rivers. In Lanarkshire we are severely lacking in coastline, but there are plenty of other blue spaces available to us, from substantial places such as the loch at Strathclyde Park and the River Clyde, to ponds or even canals. Built to transport coal to Glasgow, the Monkland Canal opened in sections from 1771 and whilst now much of the route lies beneath the M8 motorway there are two remaining sections, including the part that passes through Summerlee Heritage Park and is thus imprinted in many people's memories through childhood trips to the museum. The Forth & Clyde Canal also passes through North Lanarkshire with many walks starting from Auchinstarry Basin. The possibly surprising benefits of living close to a canal were investigated by a team of researchers from Glasgow Caledonian University who discovered that people living within 700m of the newly regenerated Forth and Clyde Canal had a 15% lower risk of suffering from cardiovascular disease, a stroke or hypertension. It also lowered their risk of diabetes by 12% and obesity by 10%. To be clear these weren't people living in the most affluent areas, the research looked at areas of high socioeconomic deprivation. It's worth taking a look at the animation on the Scottish Canals website to find out more.

But the bluespaces we're talking about don't have to be as grand as a loch or as historic as a canal. What about your local burn? You can look after and even improve your own local blue space - you'll get to know more people in your local area, you'll improve biodiversity by making the area more appealing to different species, it's an opportunity to get some fresh air and movement through digging or planting or litter picking, you'll get to see the difference you make and you might find yourself with somewhere new and blue to take a moment to chill out. The group in my mind as I type this is the Burn Road Action Group in Carluke who have cleared an enormous amount of rubbish out of Belstane Burn at the end of their street, to the extent that they are now able to hold an annual Duck Race (you can call it annual once you've done it two years in a row, right?) there to raise money for the Carluke Gala Day. Until you've had a duck in the race, you will never know just how exciting this is! For some inspiring social media (as well as nature) content, check out their facebook page, particularly if you stay in Carluke and would like to get involved.

At Christmas I received a book called "Looking Down at the Stars" by Christina Riley written while she was an underwater artist in residence at the Argyll Coast Hope Spot. I carefully put it to one side to take with me to the seaside in June. Incredibly I remembered my plan and thus I found myself spending evenings by the beach reading about the mysteries of life beneath the waves. Incidentally, the book boasts a stunning cover picture of light and waves and seaweed and is perfectly pocket-sized, if these things matter to you. The book is comprised of short essays about different encounters she has at the Hope Spot, both underwater and on land. The names are poetic and the descriptions vivid. She also includes her own version of Werner's Nomenclature of Colours - a guide to colours in the natural world as used by Charles Darwin, much like the paint charts that I talked about in my last blog. It made me wish the book had been produced in colour.

Hope Spots are an initiative of a worldwide organisation called Mission Blue, lead by oceanographer Dr Syliva Earle. There are over 170 Hope Spots across the world, with only two in the British Isles, and one of them just happens to be in Scotland. Together they form a worldwide network of protected ocean sites which together can help to protect and restore marine biodiversity on a local, regional, national and international scale. The Argyll Coast & Islands Hope Spot is supported by the coastal communities who care about their local marine environment and its designation as a Hope Spot is a celebration and recognition of the world-class natural riches of this part of Scotland’s coast. Read more about it and explore the range of creatures and habitats that exist there on their website. (Although if like me, you're a bit funny about fish, go carefully!) There are pictures in the book too, but these are delicate line drawings echoing Christina's descriptions of what she discovers - and not even I can find sea stars creepy.

Her epilogue takes us briefly into the world of Rachel Carson, author of Silent Spring, the book heralded as the first to alert the general public to the growing environmental crisis. However Carson's first books, written over 70 years ago were based on her background in marine biology and her experiences of diving. She was aware how much marine life was being destroyed even then and wanted to share the wonders of the sea. Christina for her part talks about the damage that destructive fishing methods continue to inflict on the seas around Scotland despite the government promising minimal environmental impact. I was shocked by what I read and it was a reminder that blue health isn't just about humans using oceans, seas and rivers for our wellbeing, it's also about ensuring that we are protecting and conserving these places for the future.

As well as an author, Christina Riley is the creator of The Nature Library which now has a permanent home in Irvine, not far from the beach. It celebrates books which highlight the natural world in all its forms, at a time when it needs our attention the most. You can follow the library on instagram or sign up to the substack newsletter. For more about books and nature, the Scottish Wildlife Trust have just announced their first ever book festival, Words of the Wild running from 29th September - 3rd October 2026. With some events online as well as those taking place in Edinburgh there is an opportunity to get involved even if you're not local, although everyone should visit The Wild Fungarium bookshop in Edinburgh at the first opportunity!

My own favourite blue space activity, if you don't count walking along beaches or lochs or rivers or canals, can be guessed from the photo at the top of the post. I love to collect shells or stones or seaweed, whatever is available really and make some beach art. Whether that's a simple spiral or line or something more complicated, there's something really mindful about gathering up the "right" shells and arranging them in the "right" way. It's also a really good way to stop yourself filling your pockets with treasures to take home, if you're that way inclined. I came home a lot of photographs of our artistic endeavours but only two shells. My art might not be up to an Andy Goldsworthy standard, but I had fun. Of course not everyone can get to the seaside or even down to their local burn, so how can you bring the benefits of bluespace indoors? My favourite sound to fall asleep to, is waves gently lapping at the shore, courtesy of a white noise machine or phone app; there are many TV programmes about the sea - although not so great if you're a little phobic of fish, but as evidenced above, I can recommend reading about it. Perhaps this holiday season you'll have the opportunity to spend some time with water, a loch, a burn or the sea, but if not, maybe you could try and introduce some blue health into your life another way.