|
The Kent Estuary
Location – Arnside, via Milnthorpe, south of Kendal.
Access – Beach at Arnside promenade. Parking in street, or car park by viaduct. Limited parking near Jenny Brown’s.
Local features – Busy village with shops and pubs by the water. Mud and sand shore drying to river channel.
Journeys – potential for short journey from/to Jenny Brown’s Point (Silverdale).
Special factors – Known for its tidal bore on spring tides, typically several centimetres to 30cm or more. Can be surfed for a mile back to Arnside having departed at least 2 1/2 hours before high water. Weather and water levels will affect its size. The upper estuary is largely silted-up so fills and empties very rapidly.
Playspots – Railway Viaduct produces powerful rough water up to 1 metre high standing waves as the tide passes.
The Leven Estuary
Location – Paddle-able from Aldingham to tidal limit near Fish House, Haverthwaite, near Backbarrow.
Access – Shoreside Car Parks exist in Aldingham village and at Bardsea, on the main road, and at the sea wall road (industrial estate) GR SD303742. Greenodd provides excellent access and egress from the filling station next to the River Crake (ask permission to leave cars, or leave at closed toilets further down road towards village).
Local features – Huge expanse of Morecambe Bay. Chapel Island to visit. Narrowing to river confluences.
Journeys – the journey north on the flood tide to Greenodd plus tidal limit and finish at Greenodd is an excellent outing, with a real sense of spacious open water; but see ‘Special Factors’. Up to 19km journey.
Special factors – The Bay now has a national reputation as being a dangerous place to be on foot! It has shifting quicksands and impressively fast tides due to its shallowness. Doing the journey on a high spring tide allows for plenty of water to cover the sandbanks upstream, but needs strong, competent paddlers to reach Chapel Island across the river channel. There may be overfalls or large standing waves beneath the railway viaduct under combined conditions of rain and tide. Limited access to road once begun, particularly beyond the viaduct until Greenodd (escape routes can be had at Canal Foot and Plumpton Hall).
Playspots – Possibly at the viaduct and at the small weir on the Crake, just upstream of the road bridge.
|
|
Click
to find a provider
for this activity
|
