Name:
Morecambe Bay
Beach description:
Morecambe Bay is a huge Bay at the Seaside Town of Morecambe, situated a few miles South of the beautiful Lake District. The bay is actually the largest expanse of intertidal mudflats and sand in the UK, covering a staggering 310 km²! Morecambe is your archetypal seaside town and has been occasionally described as a mini Blackpool, though it’s location with views of the nearby Lakeland mountains set it apart as a beautiful spot. The bay is notorious for its quicksand and fast moving tides. The tide is reputed to come in ‘as fast as a horse can run’. Expect chop and flat water, perfect for practicing those freestyle moves. Morecambe Bay will work on anything from SW clockwise through to NNE. S is always gusty, SSW is sometimes gusty. SW is the prevailing wind direction.
Beach Access
The car park is right at the Battery breakwater, £1 for 4 hrs, £1.40 for the full day. Free parking after 6pm, parkie patrols are regular. Cafe and toilets are also at the car park.
Code of Conduct
Watch out for and respect the local regulations. They’re posted on a sign at the car park. Launch on the sand inside the breakwater not the sand in front of the cafe. Please make sure you have 3rd party insurance when you ride here.
Wind Direction
North, South-West, West, North-West
Water Type
Expect chop and flat water behind the breakwater, for freestyle / wakestyle riding. And at tides over 8m (sometimes as low as 5m), some clean waves for wave riding, at the end of the breakwater. Tides over 8.5m come up to the seawall and though you have sand to launch behind the breakwater there is no downwind escape route, so it’s definitely not for beginners. For tides over 9m there is nowhere to launch/land. Tides Over 8m are the best height: flat water behind the breakwater and clean waves at end of the breakwater. Often clean waves persist down to 5m. Below 5m is always chop. Under 2.5m and experienced riders can get out to an offshore sandbank for some flat water (offshore winds).
Hazards
Strong tidal currents. Limited escape routes at tides over 8.5m. Mussel beds. Old fishing net stakes.