I’ve had a few sleepless nights and one very wet kitbag when I misjudged the exit line on a ledge fish. Since then I’ve made spotting the exact cliff edge exit my pre-cast ritual. On Wales’ ledges the tide can run faster than you expect and the safe route back isn’t always the obvious one. Below I’ll walk you through the visual cues, tech tools and simple habits I use to make sure I leave the ledge by the right line — every time.
Start before you step onto the rock
My first rule is: know the tide and work backwards. I check the local tide time on at least two sources — Magicseaweed or Tide Times for the broad picture, and then the local harbour or council tide tables for finer detail. I aim to arrive at a ledge with plenty of margin before high tide: not racing the clock is half the safety equation.
Before I pull on my boots I take a moment to scout from the cliff top. From above you can often see the main exit line where the rock meets a gentle shelf or a path of flatter stones. If that line is submerged or will be before you plan to leave, I’ll mark an alternate exit higher up the shore.
Read the water — currents, foam and colour
When I’m down on the ledge I spend at least five minutes watching the water. A few key visual signs tell you where water is pushing towards the cliff edge:
Use fixed landmarks and compass bearings
I always pick two fixed landmarks on the cliff or headland — a telco mast, a distinctive gully, a whitewashed cottage — and take a bearing between them. I’ll then match that bearing with my planned exit. When the tide starts to cover features, your remembered bearing will guide you to the same spot even if splashes obscure smaller cues.
If you have a smartphone, use the map app in offline mode or a compass app to note the bearing for the exit. I take a quick photo from the ledge of the exact cliff joint where I’ll step up. When the light or mist makes judgement hard later on, that photo is like a breadcrumb back to higher ground.
Look for natural ‘runoff’ lines and algae bands
Algae lines and staining on rock are excellent natural markers. On many Welsh ledges you’ll see a darker algae band — that marks a regular cover at high tide. The edge of that band often lines up with the high water mark or the stretch where exit becomes tricky.
Also observe how water runs off the ledge during the falling tide. There are often neat channels cut into the rock that direct water back to the sea. Those channels become deeper and faster as the tide changes; if an exit sits inside or below one of those channels you’ll be cutting it fine.
Plan multiple exit lines and rehearse them
My go-to habit is to identify at least two exit lines: a primary easy run and a secondary higher, safer route. If either of those looks compromised when I’m ready to leave, I won’t hesitate to use the higher option. Practise stepping the route at low tide or even from the cliff top so the movement is familiar when you need it.
What gear helps you spot and remember exits
These items are in my bag on every ledge trip:
Case study: a tricky ledge near Cardiganshire
Once I was fishing a ledge with a narrow exit squeezed between two tumbled boulders. From the cliff top the route looked easy. I watched for the foam streaks and noticed the current was bending unexpectedly towards the exit as the tide rose. I photographed the exit, then chose my higher secondary line: a steep but safe scramble over a grassy band. Ten minutes later the primary exit was submerged. Because I’d taken the photo and noted my compass bearing, I found the secondary without hesitation. That one photo and two bearings probably saved me a night out with a rescue on the way.
What to do if you get cut off
If you think you’re about to be cut off, stop — don’t panic. Calmly assess whether you can reach a higher, dry ledge or whether you need to wait for the water to fall. If you have phone reception call the coastguard in Wales (999 and ask for the Coastguard) — give clear location info using landmarks, a grid reference if you can, or share your phone’s location via messaging. Use the coastguard’s instructions rather than improvising risky moves.
Quick checklist to spot and secure your exit line
| Before stepping on the ledge | Check tide tables; scout from cliff top; pick at least two exits |
| On the ledge | Watch foam, current, colour; photograph exits; mark bearings |
| Gear to carry | Headtorch, compass/phone, chalk/soap, throwbag |
| If cut off | Stay calm, call coastguard, use photos/bearings to describe location |
Finding the exact cliff edge exit is a mix of observation, tech and habit. Nothing replaces experience, but the techniques above — watching foam and water, using landmarks, photographing bearings and always planning backups — have kept me off cliff-edge Instagram headlines. Tight lines, and leave the ledge with boots dry and a story worth telling.