From the trailhead parking area, set out on a rolling trail through ferns, salal and evergreens dripping moss (and likely mist). The dirt (and probably muddy) path winds downhill to a low saddle, where a social trail to the right leads to a beach, ominously named Deadman’s Cove. Though the beach may be tempting, please stay on the true trail—the park has closed these social trails to prevent erosion. Youngsters jumped from the well-known spot on Plymouth Hoe last Friday (June 21), while volunteers conducted a simulation rescue just metres away. I work in outdoor education and I take people coasteering, a lot of these kids don't know about it and don't know about the dangers involved. It is infuriating because we know the consequences but they just say 'you're spoiling our fun'. John Peattie, Station Manager

In October 2016, dad-of-three Vincent Wagstaff, 39, died from multiple injuries after leaping from the ledge while in July 2010, teenager Ben Thompson was left paralysed.Dead Man’s Cove won the 2011 Blue Peter Book of the Year award and was short-listed for Children’s Book of the Year at the Galaxy National Book Awards. From Portland: Take Highway 30 to Astoria, then merge onto Highway 101 north to cross the river and proceed on to Ilwaco. Once you get to Ilwaco head west from the stoplight (only one in town) following the signs to Cape Disappointment State Park. Contributions to WTA are tax deductible, and we are committed to making the best use of every donation to our mission. We tell them the risks and the hazards and if needs be, we explain some of the things that have gone wrong. They do listen, but they carry on and do it anyway. Adam Hawson, Plymouth Coastguard Rescue Team

When orphaned Laura Marlin is sent to live with her uncle in St Ives, Cornwall, she is convinced that a life of adventure is hers at last. But everywhere she turns she is confronted with mysteries. Lauren St John was born and raised in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). From the age of 11 she lived on a game reserve, which provided the inspiration for her memoir Rainbow’s End and her White Giraffe series of children’s books. Dead Man’s Cove is the first in her series of Laura Marlin mysteries.year old Laura Marlin longs for a life of adventure, like those in her favourite books. Orphaned at birth and raised in a children’s home, she finally gets the chance to escape her dull existence when her uncle comes forward to adopt her. Her new life in Cornwall proves more mysterious than she might have wished for, however, and Laura has to use all her powers of deduction to unravel the secrets surrounding Dead Man’s Cove. Breathe in the sea spray on this anything-but-disappointing hike out to the scenic Cape Disappointment Lighthouse, which offers a trail through a coastal forest and glimpses of the powerful Pacific Ocean. He urged the youngsters to consider learning an outdoor activity, like coasteering, to ensure they understand the importance of safety. Using a hooked pole and the steps curved into themselves, bodies ranging from victims of murder, suicide, and accidental drowning, or those that were just tossed into the river were retrieved and left on public display in the alcove for identification from friends and families. It’s believed that many bodies over the years were left unidentified for so long that during decomposition, some would explode under the pressure of bodily gasses. This would explain the easy-to-clean white tiles that compose the walls of Dead Man’s Hole.