I’d planned to go hiking in the hills of the Lake District, but over-enthusiastic celebrations of a friend’s birthday the previous evening left me feeling less than capable of climbing up hills in temperatures approaching 30ºC. I was keen to get out into the countryside though, so I headed to Arnside. Sitting on the edge of Morecambe Bay, I once spent a lot of time in this pretty village which is also the starting point for a great coastal walk.
Arnside is a small place but was a popular and upmarket holiday destination in Victorian times, especially after the railway arrived in 1857. Until the arrival of the railway it was little more than a farming community and small port that was once quite busy with trade. Arnside may be long past its Victorian heyday, but it still attracts plenty of visitors to its coastal location and vast sand flats.
The sands here are treacherous. Quicksand, fast-moving tides, and deep tidal channels are found across the bay. Walking into it at low tide would be foolish. Years ago I did a walk from Arnside to Grange-over-Sands guided by the Queen’s Guide. At one point the guide, Cedric Robinson, stopped our group and jumped in the air. When he landed a big patch of sand in front of him wobbled – quicksand that no one in our group would have noticed.
There has been an official guide to help people cross these sands since the 16th century. Before the coming of the railways in the 19th century when this area was still very remote, this was the fastest and most convenient land route into the Lake District and up the West Coast. Plenty of people, coaches, and horses fell victim to the perils that the sands presented.
It’s not just the sand flats that you need to be cautious of though. The wide sweep of Morecambe Bay narrows significantly at Arnside and that gives rise to a phenomenon known as the Arnside Bore. As the tide rolls into the bay, the shoreline acts like a funnel and the speed and noise of the tide is extraordinary. I’ve only seen it once, but it was alarming. If you were out on the sands as it approached you would be in serious trouble.
The Arnside Bore that day literally smashed into the other notable feature of the estuary here, the railway viaduct. It’s no surprise that the promenade is covered in warning signs, or that a siren sounds to warn people of the rising tide. The tide was out this time so, with those warnings firmly in mind, I set off to walk around the coast to Silverdale before hiking over Arnside Knott back to the village.
I wish I could say that the beautiful coastline and landscapes were the most interesting thing about my walk, but ahead of me further out in the sands following a guide on a tractor was a large group. At one point they stopped, undressed and continued on their walk naked. It was unexpected, but local people were well aware that it was happening – it had been reported in the paper and was a charity fundraiser.
I stuck to the coastal path until I reached Blackstone Point, here a vast sandy area spread out in front of me. It is safe to walk across and gives a pleasant perspective back to the land. At the far end of this low tide beach, a path goes up into woodland and leads you to Silverdale. I made my way past the cricket club and back to Silverdale Cove and headed straight out into the sands.
I could see my next destination from the sands: Arnside Knott. The steep climb to the top of this pleasant nature reserve is worth the effort for the spectacular views of the estuary and the hills of the Lake District in the distance. Back in the village, there was just time to visit The Albion pub, an old haunt from more youthful days.
