The Silverdale Coast.
Start. Silverdale.
Route. Silverdale - Shore - Silverdale Cove - Far Arnside - Holgates - Cove Road - Silverdale Cove - Red Rake - The Lots - Silverdale.
Notes. Today I intended to do a grand circular encompassing Arnside Knott, Heathwaite, Middlebarrow Wood and Eave's Wood plus a fair slice of coastal walking. I'd checked the tide times, it would be safe rambling along the foreshore, the weather man had even promised good weather for this afternoon, what could passibly go wrong. A combination of Morecambe Bay mud and slime coated boulders just before I reached safe ground at Far Arnside, if I hadn't arrested the fall I would have probably escaped with a bruised ego and sore backside, instead I now have one foot pointing out to sea intent on walking to Barrow, the other although painful still obeys orders. In this scenario Carlo's theory is to walk through the pain, if the pain persists you're in trouble, pause for dramatic affect...... I was in trouble. I limped to a bench on the other side of the shingle beach at Far Arnside feeling quite sick, the lead boot I seemed to have acquired was getting heavier, I decided to drag my sorry ankle back to Silverdale, over level ground if possible.
I parked on Shore Road and immediately made my way to the beach, from where I headed north along the shore line, something that accured to me whilst picking my way over slime covered boulders, I'd just wandered from Lancashire into Cumbria, the cliffs behind me are probably the only sea cliffs in Lancashire, aren't we in Cumbria lucky, we pinched all the best hills off Yorkshire and the best stretches of coastline from Lancashire, good old government reorganization. By now I was limping and cursing my luck, I reached a bench just north of Far Arnside where I decided to turn my back on the coast, and the rest of today's walk, I ascended to Far Arnside from where I crossed the fields to reach Holgates, from the caravan site it was a short painful walk down Cove Road, through The Lots and back to the car. You think my troubles are over, how the hell am I supposed to work the peddles?.
Views along the Silverdale Coast....
....and again this time taking in Grange over Sands with sunlight catching the wooded slopes of Arnside Park.
Looking to Know End Point and the Lancashire coastline.
Views to Heathwaite across the limestone cliffs and pebble beaches along the Silverdale coast, about to step over the invisible line that marks the Cumbria/Lancashire border, the corner of the cliff to the right marks the boundary.
The vista along the coast to Red Rake on the edge of Silverdale Cove, with the green mound of Know Hill rising above Silverdale village.
The scene over the Silverdale coast, the sylvan slopes of Arnside Park rise from the shifting sands of Morecambe Bay.
A wonderful panorama taking in Know End Point and the massive ark of the Lancashire coast.
Sea washed cliffs near Far Arnside, a point worth mentioning, when I was a kid we used to come picnicking here, I remember it well, playing football on vast stretches of sea washed turf, take a close look at the OS maps they think the grass is still here, it hasn't been for at least the last twenty years.
Sunburst over Morecambe Bay with Heysham Power Station on the skyline.
Viewing the cliffs near Far Arnside.
Looking to Arnside Park and the shingle beach at Far Arnside.
Morecambe Bay as seen through the trees on the edge of Arnside Park.
I should have been up there but instead I'm down here, limping through Far Arnside viewing Heathwaite.
Arnside Knott seen through envious eyes, yes I also intended making it's acquaintance today.
This is Morecambe Bay, the largest expanse of inter tidal mudflat's and sand in the UK, over 200 square miles of notorious quicksand's and fast moving tides. If you fancy a wander across the bay the "Queens Guide" is Cedric Robinson, he can be contacted on 01539 532165, I can speak from experience when I say a walk across the bay with Cedric is quite unique, what I don't recommend under any circumstances is that you try it without a guide.
A stunning panorama across the bay viewed from Red Rake.
Seen from The Lots the Church of St John, Silverdale.