To help the Bay thrive, we all need to play our part to protect the precious place that is Morecambe Bay.

The Coastal Code is a guide to keeping precious wildlife safe from harm as well as you and your loved ones so everyone can continue enjoying the Bay into the future.

Thanks to Bird Aware Solent for use of their icons and animation

Watch this handy animation from Bird Aware Solent to help you

Look out for birds

Look carefully for any coastal birds who may be sharing the coastline you’re visiting. If you see birds on an area of the beach, avoid that area completely so they can rest or feed undisturbed. Many of our coastal birds, like Dunlin, Turnstone, Ringed Plover and Sanderling, are very well camouflaged, particularly on shingle shores. They can be quite hard to spot unless you look really carefully.

Keep your eyes peeled and alert! You are in nature’s space.

 

Move further away if birds become alert

If birds start looking towards you, it might mean you’ve got too close so just move a bit further away. Signs that birds have become aware of you and are getting ready for flight include: lifting their heads or turning their heads in your direction; crying out; stretching or flapping their wings; walking or swimming away.

If you think birds are becoming alert to your presence, please move further away.

Keep dogs alongside you

Even the best behaved dogs can seem like a threat to a bird. You can help to minimise disturbance by keeping dogs on a lead, well away from where the birds are feeding and resting. If you want to let your dog off the lead , please visit somewhere where birds don’t choose to rest and feed. If birds are disturbed by dogs and fly away, they use up valuable energy and may have missed a limited opportunity for feeding that day.

Follow requests on signs

In particularly sensitive areas, you’ll find signs which give you more information about protecting the wildlife on the shore. If there’s a path on the area of the coast you’re visiting, using it can be a great way to make sure you’re minimising disturbance to birds.

Consider others 

The Bay is shared by farmers, holidaymakers, local residents and businesses. People rely on Morecambe Bay for their livelihood, recreation or simply for enjoyment of the great outdoors. 

• Respect the local community by following instructions on signs, leaving gates and property as you find them and following paths.
• Enjoy the diversity of Morecambe Bay by following established footpaths and routes. The King Charles III Coast Path (when open) will provide a safe route along the entire coast for walkers to enjoy. Whilst most shorelines are open for the public, some areas of foreshore and marsh are privately owned. Please read local information signs for further details. 

Stay safe 

The tide comes in very fast in Morecambe Bay and it’s easy to get cut off or stuck in sinking sand. 

• Respect the dangers of Morecambe Bay by planning ahead. Check tide times before you visit and never try to cross deep channels without expert guidance. It’s easy to get disorientated by the shifting sands, so make sure you know where you are at all times. It’s crucial to be aware of the time and have a plan for where and when you will leave the shore. Always carry a working phone so you can dial the coastguard if you get into trouble.

• It’s best to enjoy the dynamic landscape of the Bay safely from viewpoints or above the high tide line; leave the sands and saltmarsh for the birds.

Watch this safety film to learn more about the Bay's tide and how you can protect yourself. 

Water quality and your safety 

Morecambe Bay Partnership is a charity with no statutory function or enforcement role in water quality. However, we share concerns about water quality in Morecambe Bay and wherever possible we work with those organisations whose responsibility it is, to help.

We don’t have the facilities to advise on the cleanliness of beaches at any given time, but the Surfers Against Sewage interactive map is a fantastic resource which helps people make informed choices about using the Bay’s beaches and swimming in the sea.

Click for the Surfers Against Sewage interactive map

Be environmentally friendly 

Morecambe Bay is a beautiful environment to discover and enjoy, and it’s important that visitors leave no trace.

• Respect the environment by leaving no trace of your visit. Take your litter home, don’t pick flowers or take anything away with you. Fires are not allowed without landowner permission, and we recommend you don’t use disposable barbecues at all. Balloons, fireworks and Chinese lanterns all come down eventually and become litter which is dangerous to people, dogs and wildlife. Please do not release them.

•  If you can, pick up some litter as you’re leaving the beach. Every little helps!

• Enjoy the natural wonders of the Bay. There are many information signs that tell you what is special around you and how to protect it, and there is so much to discover. Enjoy the birds by visiting one of Morecambe Bay’s many nature reserves and using a pair of binoculars to watch from a distance. 

Why not visit wonderful Leighton Moss, Silverdale