A love letter to Morecambe Bay

Maybe you're a local of this amazing landscape too, maybe you're here because you're a coastal lover from elsewhere curious to learn more. 

Morecambe Bay, known for it's phenomenal sunsets and shifting sands, sometimes for it's danger, always for it's stunning views and the thousands of birds you can spot across the sands. The place I call home. 

The Bay is the biggest intertidal area in the whole country, miles of open expanse of mudflats and tides, one of the most important sites in the UK for wading birds, some of which are endangered and rely on this place each year as they migrate. Have you ever seen hundreds of oystercatchers dancing across the retreating waves? Have you ever watched seals hauled up on the beach at Walney Island? You probably haven't seen the sea grass that's being restored in the Walney Channel, sea grass that stores 35 times more carbon than rainforests do, that can help in the fight against climate change right here on our doorstep. Speaking of fighting climate change, mudflats are also fantastic at storing carbon, and we have the biggest area of mudflats in the country, so that's a lot of carbon!

If you haven't yet watched the sun setting down behind the Lake District fells, the blazing sky reflected in the sea, then that alone is reason to visit. Bill Bryson even described Morecambe Bay as "the most beautiful bay in Britain". And of course, you must take part in the famous cross bay walk to really appreciate the expanse of the bay, and fully immerse yourself in it. On a sunny day, it is a fabulous way to spend the day, finished off with an ice cream on the prom.

I am from the Lancashire side of the Bay, so forgive me for being biased to talking mainly about Morecambe itself. I could go on and on; about the glorious art deco architecture of iconic buildings like the Midland Hotel; the gorgeous Winter Gardens; the Eric Morecambe statue that still brings people to pose next to it; the vibrant festivals that draw crowds at all times of year; the wonderful local shops and cafes (maybe I will do a separate blog about the best places to go!). And that's not even skimming the surface of the rich history of Morecambe either, from it's heyday as a major seaside resort to it's interesting maritime history, the entertainers who played here and the proud locals who have so many stories to tell.

I'll leave it there for now, if you enjoyed reading this blog then please do subscribe to mer-mails to read the monthly blog, as well as to receive updates about new coastal treasures for sale.