We provide high quality healthcare services primarily to the residents of East Lancashire and Blackburn with Darwen, which have a combined population in the region of 530,000.
Join us on Saturday 27 May 2023 as we embark on this unique sponsored walk across the tidal sands and mudflats of Morecambe Bay! An opportunity to experience the beautiful Morecambe Bay Sands through a guided walk provided by the Grange Over Sands Trust.
Experience the thrill of tackling one of the UK's most stunning strolls, offering unbeatable views of Morecambe Bay. Starting in the picturesque village of Arnside, we will walk across the famous sands for approximately seven miles to reach our final destination of Grange.
We guarantee it will be a day you won’t forget! Places are limited and we encourage people to secure their place as soon as possible. We're looking forward to seeing some new and familiar faces.
The walk will start promptly at 11 am. Walkers will meet on the lower promenade near the monument (postcode is LA5 0HD) from 10:15 am and look out for the blue ELHT&Me flag to sign in. All walkers must sign in before 10:50 am before the walk commences.
The walk will take 3-4 hours, depending on the route taken on the day, covering a distance of 6.5 - 7.5 miles from Arnside to Grange. Parts of the walk may be challenging with cold fast flowing water. Changeable weather and a varying terrain will be encountered. Underfoot, Arnside to the shore includes sand, footpaths, lanes and marshland. The bulk of the crossing is flat sand often rippled and sometimes covered in water. The walk involves crossing two river channels and the height of the river is usually between knee and thigh deep. The final leg of the walk is over marsh; this is a clear pathway but may sometimes be slippery so walkers need to be agile enough to get across. Please ensure that all those under 18 taking part in the walk after supervised by an adult at all times.
There are no toilet facilities during the walk or at the end of the walk when we finish at Grange.
Please be aware that there is limited parking at Arnside and at Grange. If you park on the residential roads in either Arnside or Grange then it is only polite to the residents of those locations to park considerately. There have been problems in the past with local residents being blocked in or access being blocked for emergency vehicles.
The most popular way to arrive at Arnside is by train, if you are driving we recommend driving to Grange or Grange and then catch the train round to Arnside, then your car is at the end. All walks end at Grange on the Promenade just down from the Lido where there are toilets which are available for use for a fee of 30p contactless payment.
Trains to Grange from Arnside sometimes have insufficient capacity to take large numbers of people to the start of the walk - please be sure to book your tickets in advance.
Be prepared for rain or sunshine, so protect yourself against the elements. The bay is very exposed with no shelter or shade so sunscreen, a sun hat or waterproofs, depending on conditions, are a must. Don’t forget to bring your lunch and a bottle of water or juice.
The final part of the walk involves crossing gullies on the salt marsh at Flookburgh which can be very wide and slippery so walkers need to be agile enough to get across. Comfortable footwear such as old trainers are recommended (with socks) as well as shorts or trousers as you can get very wet. You may want to bring a towel and a change of clothing and footwear for when you finish.
It’s important to bring along any necessary medication, such as hayfever tablets and asthma inhalers.
