Lancashire and Morecambe Bay

Introduction

Times of high water

River Mersey, Eastham Ferry: High water is 15 minutes after high water at Liverpool

River Mersey, Hale Head: High water is 30 minutes after high water at Liverpool

River Mersey, Fiddlers Ferry: High water is 1 hours and 10 minutes after high water at Liverpool

Formby: High water is 10 minutes before high water at Liverpool

Southport: High water is 10 minutes before high water at Liverpool

Preston: High water is 15 minutes after high water at Liverpool. Low water is around 3 hours and 15 minutes after low water at Liverpool.

Blackpool: High water is 5 minutes before high water at Liverpool

Fleetwood: High water is 5 minutes before high water at Liverpool

Glasson: High water is 30 minutes after high water at Liverpool

Lancaster: At springs: high water is 1 hours and 15 minutes after high water at Liverpool. At neaps, high water is 35 minutes after high water at Liverpool.

Morecambe: High water is 10 minutes after high water at Liverpool

Arnside: High water is 1 hours and 10 minutes after high water at Liverpool A spring tide will provide enough water to paddle 2 hours either side of high water.

Ulverston: High water is 35 minutes after high water at Liverpool If the tide at Liverpool exceeds 9m, there will be enough water for paddling in the estuary around 2 hours either side of high water at Ulverston. A bore sometimes occurs in the estuary.

Barrow in Furness Docks: High water is 20 minutes after high water at Liverpool

Duddon Sands: High water is 7 minutes after high water at Liverpool

Tidal streams

River Mersey by Devils Bank: The south south-east going stream begins at 5 hours before high water at Liverpool. The north north-west going stream begins at 25 minutes after high water at Liverpool. The south south-east going stream reaches a speed of 4.5 knots at springs. The north north-west going stream reaches a speed of 3.7 knots at springs.

River Mersey, by Albert Dock: The south south-east going stream begins at 5 hours before high water at Liverpool. The north north-west going stream begins at 25 minutes after high water at Liverpool. The south south-east going stream reaches a speed of 5 knots at springs. The north north-west going stream reaches a speed of 4 knots at springs.

River Mersey entrance, Bootle: The south-east going stream begins at 5 hours before high water at Liverpool. The north-west going stream begins at 25 minutes after high water at Liverpool. The flow reaches a speed of 4 knots at springs.

River Ribble, Gut Channel: The tide flows east and west. The east going stream reaches a speed of 1.5 knots at springs. The west going stream reaches a speed of 1.8 knots at springs.

Off Blackpool: The north going stream begins at 6 hours before high water at Liverpool. The south going stream begins at at high water at Liverpool. The flow reaches a speed of 2 knots at springs.

Entrance to Morecombe Bay: The east north-east going stream begins at 6 hours and 30 minutes before high water at Liverpool. The west south-west going stream begins at 25 minutes after high water at Liverpool. The east north-east going stream reaches a speed of 2 knots at springs. The west south-west going stream reaches a speed of 2.5 knots at springs.

River Wyre channel at Fleetwood: The north going stream begins at at high water at Liverpool. The south going stream begins at 6 hours before high water at Liverpool. The flow reaches a speed of 4 knots at springs.

River Lune at Glasson: The north-east going stream begins at 3 hours before high water at Liverpool. The south-west going stream begins at 45 minutes after high water at Liverpool. The flow reaches a speed of 4 knots at springs.

Off Heysham: The north north-east going stream begins at 5 hours and 15 minutes before high water at Liverpool. The south south-west going stream begins at 30 minutes after high water at Liverpool. The north north-east going stream reaches a speed of 2.4 knots at springs. The south south-west going stream reaches a speed of 2.2 knots at springs.

Kent Estuary: The north-east going stream begins at 1 hours before high water at Liverpool. The south-west going stream begins at 1 hours after high water at Liverpool. The flow reaches a speed of 5 knots at springs.

Kent Estuary, narrows around the Kent Viaduct: The tide flows north-east and south-west. The north-east going stream reaches a speed of 8 knots at springs. The south-west going stream reaches a speed of 6 knots at springs.

Leven Estuary: The south going stream begins at 30 minutes after high water at Liverpool. The north going stream begins at 2 hours before high water at Liverpool. The flow reaches a speed of 3 knots at springs.

SE Point of Walney Island: The north-east going stream begins at 6 hours before high water at Liverpool. The south-west going stream begins at 20 minutes before high water at Liverpool. The flow reaches a speed of 2 knots at springs.

Along the outside of Walney Island: The south south-east going stream begins at 6 hours after high water at Liverpool. The north north-west going stream begins at at high water at Liverpool. The flow reaches a speed of 1 knots at springs.

Walney Channel by Piel Island: The south-east going stream begins at 50 minutes after high water at Liverpool. The north-west going stream begins at 6 hours before high water at Liverpool. The flow reaches a speed of 2 knots at springs.

Walney channel by Long Rein Point: The tide flows south-east and north-west. The flow reaches a speed of 2.5 knots at springs.

Walney Channel by the docks: The south-east going stream begins at 1 hours and 50 minutes after high water at Liverpool. The north-west going stream begins at 5 hours and 30 minutes before high water at Liverpool. The flow reaches a speed of 2 knots at springs. The tide turns south around 2 hours and 20 minutes after high water Liverpool in the area to the north of the road bridge to Walney. The flow has been reported as being much faster than the figure given here.

Walney Meetings: The tide flows into Walney Channel from both ends, meeting at Walney Meetings. Streams continue to flow north for a while after high water.

Scarth Channel, north of Walney Island: The east north-east going stream begins at 6 hours after high water at Liverpool. The west south-west going stream begins at at high water at Liverpool. The flow reaches a speed of 2 knots at springs. A tide race can form in the channel on the west-going flow, especially when the wind is blowing in the opposite direction.

Duddon Estuary: The north-east going stream begins at 6 hours and 10 minutes before high water at Liverpool. The south-west going stream begins at 15 minutes before high water at Liverpool. The flow reaches a speed of 3 knots at springs. The in-going tide does not start to cover the sands near Askham until 2 hours and 30 minutes before high water at Liverpool.

Notes

Port of Liverpool: If paddling within the Mersey, it is essential to contact 'Mersey Radio' on VHF channel 12. Telephone: 0151 949 6134.

Duddon Estuary: Paddling up the Duddon Estuary needs at least a 9m tide at Liverpool.

Access/Egress

Wallasey Mockbeggar Wharf: (SJ 276 927) g Slipways onto the beach, parking nearby.

Wallasey Perch Rock: (SJ 310 945) g Large car park, from which beaches either side of the breakwaters may be accessed.

Crosby Beach: (SD 299 004) g Car park by the beach. Long walk to sea at low tide.

Blackpool Squres Gate: (SD 306 317) g Slipway at end of Squires Gate Lane, by the boating club. May be a long walk to the sea at low water. Possible to leave a car in the residential streets nearby or along the side of the road to the south.

Anchorsholme: (SD 312 421) g Parking along the seafront, ramps down to the beach.

Fleetwood Larkholme: (SD 312 454) g Small parking area near the beach.

Fleetwood Esplanade: (SD 338 485) g Parking along the road by the beach, ramps down to the beach. The east end is closest to the channel and hence likely to provide a shorter walk when the tide is lower. However, there may be more options for parking to the west.

Knott End Slipway: (SD 346 485) g Slipway, launching charge payable to the ferry operator. Parking along the seafront to the east.

Wyre Estuary Country Park: (SD 355 432) g Car park with slipway leading to a channel off the estuary. Not usable at low tide.

Glasson: (SD 446 562) g Large car park along the side of the dock. A footpath along the side of the Victoria Inn leads to gravel beach, usable 1 hour and 45 minutes either side of local high water.

Arnside promenade: (SD 454 787) g Slipway with parking along the road nearby.

Bardsea, Wadhead Scar: (SD 308 746) g Small car park by the foreshore. Usable about 2 hours either side of high water on a spring tide.

Roa Island: (SD 233 648) g Road ends at beach and narrow ferry slipway. Limited parking on surrounding streets.

Walney Low Bank: (SD 200 638) g Small parking area by the beach. There may be an alternative car park a few hundred metres to the north west. Long walk to sea at low tide.

Walney Bent Haw: (SD 183 662) g Parking near the beach, height restriction. Long walk to sea at low tide.

Walney Sandy Gap: (SD 175 681) g Road runs down to the beach, with parking area close to the end. Long carry to the sea at low tide.

Walney near the bridge: (SD 187 689) g Slipway with roadside parking nearby.

North Walney, Earnse Point: (SD 170 700) g Parking area near ramp onto beach, with huge car park close by. Long walk to sea at low water.

Asksam Pier: (SD 203 775) g It is possible to drive right to the end of the pier to drop kayaks close to the channel up the estuary. Usable 2 hours either side of high water.

Haverigg: (SD 161 785) g Car park by the beach and near a stream which will likely dry out later than the surrounding sands. The tide does not reach here until 1 hour and 40 minutes before high water at Liverpool.

Silecroft: (SD 120 812) g Car park, with cafe, by the beach.

Suggested trips

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