Matt and I have just returned from a spontaneous short break in Arnside – a place most people have probably never heard of.  Arnside is situated on the south side of the Kent Estuary in Cumbria, almost opposite to Grange over Sands and close to Morecambe Bay.

Of course most people visiting Cumbria head straight for the Lake District.  But if you prefer something a little quieter, and are interested in estuarine landscapes, fantastic sunsets, gentle walks and abundant wildlife, Arnside has a great deal to offer.

The Kent Estuary

Arnside is situated directly on the beautiful Kent Estuary.  This fascinating area has a large tidal range, so the landscape is constantly changing.  From Arnside you can walk along the promenade and then follow paths along the estuary all the way to Morecambe Bay.  Depending on the tide you can either walk along the foreshore or use paths through the trees at the edge of the estuary and bay.

There are lovely views across the estuary to Grange over Sands on the other side,  and the estuary is great for spotting wildlife.  We saw herons, a little egret, gulls, ducks, oystercatchers, cormorants and many fish jumping out of the water to catch insects.

Morecambe Bay

Matt and I were lucky – we visited in summer during a period of unusually hot, dry weather.  Because of this we were able to walk safely onto the parched sands of Morcambe bay at low tide.  The bay is vast and impressive, and not as featureless as the photos may suggest.  When we visited the shimmering heat haze made it feel like a desert.

But beware – it is not always safe to walk here, even at low tide.  Morecambe Bay is notorious for its quicksand, so it is important to be particularly careful of any damp areas and water channels.

You also have to be really careful with the tides.  In this area the tides come in very quickly indeed, and can easily fill channels behind you before you realise what is happening.  Always check the tide times before you walk, and heed the numerous boards warning about the dangers in the area.  When the tide is coming in a siren sounds several times at the Arnside Coastguard station.  It is then essential to return to safe paths.

In fact the tide comes in so quickly here that it sometimes forms a bore wave – the Arnside Bore.  We didn’t see this fascinating phenomenon, but apparently it is a fast-moving wave which can be anything from a few centimeters to a half a meter or more high.  We would love to return during the spring or autumn high tides to see this!

Wonderful Sunsets

We particularly enjoyed strolling beside the estuary in the late evenings.  The sun sinks below the Cumbrian hills across the estuary, and we were lucky to have fantastic sunsets.  With just the sound of the lapping tide and seabirds, it was absolutely magical.  Of course it would have been a completely different story if it had been blowing a gale or pouring with rain…..

The Arnside and Silverdale AONB

Arnside is situated within the Arnside and Silverdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (see map).  This is a fantastic area for walking, known for its woodland, wild flowers, abundant wildlife, and of course the magnificent views over the estuary and Morecambe Bay.

There are many paths within the AONB.  You can follow short walks or link paths together to form longer routes as you wish.  For suggested walks with routes and maps which can be downloaded see here.

We did the walk up Arnside Knott.  The climb was not too steep, the paths were great and the views really were fantastic.  We did get a little lost after passing Arnside Tower because the route had been diverted, but we just adapted the walk to take us down to the edge of Morecambe Bay and return along the estuary – wonderful!

Exploring by Train

Arnside is directly on the Barrow-in-Furness to Lancaster train route.  The regular trains cross the scenic Kent Estuary viaduct, and stop at several stations including Grange over Sands, Arnside, Silverdale and Carnforth.

This makes it really easy to explore the area and reach the starting points for various walks without using your car.  Follow this link for timetables (look for Standard Timetable).

Leighton Moss

The Arnside and Silverdale AONB is also the home of the RSPB’s wonderful Leighton Moss Reserve.

The reserve consists of a series of lakes and extensive reedbeds.  It is home to a very wide variety of wildlife, including all manner of wildfowl, marsh harriers, ospreys, bitterns, bearded tits, otters and many more.

I was hoping to see a bittern, because I have seen bitterns here before when I visited many years ago.  Unfortunately we didn’t see one this time.  But we did get great views of a marsh harrier, a water rail with a chick, lots of snipe and a beautiful fox.  There were many impressive dragonflies and some remarkably tame garden birds.

Of course there are lots of waterfowl on the lakes and amongst the reeds.  There are five spacious hides on the main reserve and a further two on the edge of Morecambe Bay.  These make it comfortable to sit and watch the activity, and in mid-week were not too busy.  In fact we had hides to ourselves a couple of times.  In one we were lucky enough to see a cormorant catch, tussle with and swallow a large eel.

The lakes are linked by excellent paths, many suitable for wheelchair users, and there are frequent benches and picnic areas.  There is also a visitor centre with a good cafe, sales of gifts, books and binoculars, educational displays, and a great wooden sky tower from which you can appreciate the extent of the reed beds.

If you have any interest at all in birds and wildlife in general you will definitely enjoy your visit.

Note – There is an entry fee for non-RSPB members.  Gates are opened early to allow access to the reserve when the visitor centre is closed.  If you wish to arrive early just use the honesty box to pay or return to the visitor centre when it opens – see this RSPB page for more information.

Where to Stay

Here is the only downside – Arnside is crying out for a really nice little hotel and decent restaurant.

We stayed in Ye Olde Fighting Cocks – a pub on the edge of the village.  We had a room in a separate building to the main pub which was fine, with a view to the estuary and viaduct.  The location is ideal – very close to the station and just across the road from the estuary.  But the food is just typical pub food, and the advertised restaurant was closed so the only option was the bar (with a screen showing sport – not what we wanted).

There are also several B&Bs in Arnside and another pub serving food.  There is a good Asian fusion restaurant which was fine for a visit, and an apparently excellent fish shop (which closed quite early and all day on Mondays).

We would have really appreciated a better choice of places to stay and eat.  There are other options in and around the AONB, but we particularly liked Arnside for the evening strolls by the estuary.  So if anyone reading this is thinking of opening a hotel, we think the area has huge potential…….

To see other accommodation options try the booking.com pages for Arnside and Silverdale.

For a wider choice of walks see the Cicerone Guide Walks in Silverdale and Arnside.

This lovely area has so much to offer – we will definitely return to do more walks in the AONB and visit Leighton Moss again.  Perhaps next time we visit we will get to see the intriguing Arnside Bore and the elusive bittern!

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