If you’re crabbing on the Quay, you’ll easily spot The Larn, a unique space designed for visitors seeking relaxation and connection with nature.
Nestled on the quayside between the Beach Bank Walk and Harbour Office, this bygone timber shanty, fondly known as the Tide Gauge, has been transformed to provide a harbour haven where individuals can escape the hustle & bustle of daily life and find a moment of solace.
Set against a beautiful backdrop of the creeks, marsh & harbour, The Larn is available to hire for a unique 30 minute experience, and for pop-ups, workshops & podcasts.
Find out more about The Larn.
‘The Shanty in the Sky’
Crabbing (or gillying) is a very popular activity in Wells. It’s easy, fun and kids love it. Fishing for shore crabs (or gillies) with a baited line is a traditional pursuit on the Norfolk coast, and Wells Harbour is one of the top crabbing spots.
In summer, people of all ages gather along the edge of the Quay, lower their lines, and fill their buckets with freshly caught crabs. Crabbing is good old-fashioned family fun, and keeps children (and adults) entertained for hours.
If you’re unfamiliar with crabbing, don’t be alarmed – all the crabs are returned unharmed to the sea after being caught.
If you’re a seasoned crabber, you may already have the necessary equipment (clear bucket, crabbing lines). If not, nearby shops will supply everything you need, including ready-made crabbing kits.
There are four basic pieces of equipment that you need to go crabbing for gillies (or gillying for crabs):
Clear plastic buckets are best – they’re affordable, available everywhere, and give you a great view of all the crabs you’ve caught. Half-fill your bucket with seawater (not tap water as that will harm the crabs). Create a crab habitat by adding stones & seaweed.
Back in the day this would have been garden string or twine. Today, crabbing lines are made of strong & sturdy nylon, usually bright orange, sometimes black wrapped around a colourful H-shaped frame.
You need to ensure your bait will sink. Crabbing kits usually come with a circular metal fishing weight, but traditionally you’d use a “lucky” stone with a hole through it. Tie your weight to the line leaving enough free line at the end to attach the bait.
The stinkier the better – crabs are not fussy eaters. Fish heads, uncooked bacon, butcher’s off-cuts & spoiled shellfish are all tasty morsels for a hungry crab. Tie the bait to the end of the line (don’t use hooks). If using bait bags, clip or tie them to the line.
With your bucket of seawater ready, lower the baited end of your line over the edge of the quay, into the water and down until it reaches the bottom. If you’ve chosen a good crabbing spot, you won’t have to wait very long before you feel a tug on the string.
Wait just long enough for the crab to get a firm hold, then carefully start to bring the line up, trying not to knock the crab off against the harbour wall.
The joy of using a traditional crab line is the sense of excitement as the crab clings to the bait and you gently reel it in. With luck, and a steady hand, you should successfully raise your prize crab all the way up, over the harbour wall and into your bucket.
No-one is really sure how to win at crabbing. Some say it’s catching the biggest crab, others say it’s the largest number. It doesn’t matter, because no-one keeps score and there aren’t any prizes!
Crabs can be safely held from the back between your finger and thumb. The crab won’t mind and you won’t get pinched.
Crabs can be kept in a bucket of seawater for a while, but don’t keep more than 10 at a time as they need room to move and breath. Crabs are solitary creatures and don’t like crowded spaces.
The more crabs in your bucket, the more oxygen is used up (crabs can suffocate) so don’t keep crabs longer than necessary and change the water regularly. Also, try to keep your bucket in the shade
Keep a close eye on the crabs – aggressive males don’t make good bucket-mates, so be prepared to remove the odd trouble-maker.
Finally, when you’ve finished crabbing, don’t throw your catch straight over the quay – return the crabs to the water gently, ideally at the water’s edge. That way, someone else can catch them again tomorrow!
The use of drop nets is discouraged as they can get caught on underwater obstacles and potentially harm crabs and other marine life that get trapped in them.
You can use crabbing kits made from 100% natural materials like wood and jute. Crabbing lines made from hessian cord that wrap around an H-shaped wooden frame and biodegradable hessian bait bags. You can also use metal buckets instead of plastic.
Please take all your crabbing equipment home with you, ready to re-use on your next crabbing adventure. Remember, if you leave it on the quay, it ends up in the sea!
Happy Crabbing!