Arnside & Silverdale

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Arnside and Silverdale

Area of Outstanding

Natural Beauty arnside silverdaleaonb.org.uk

RSPB Leighton Moss rspb.org.uk Morecambe Bay exploremorecambebay.org.uk Arnside Village arnsidevillage.co.uk For Cross Bay Walk events guideoversands.co.uk

Looking over the rooftops of Arnside and the River Kent

Carol and Anthony were thrilled when it snowed on their latest visit to this quiet corner of the northwest of England

WORDS & PHOTOS: Carol Kubicki

Does everyone have a local go-to campsite? One that is near to home, where you know what to expect when you roll up and there’s no need for time-consuming planning. We are lucky that only 30 minutes’ drive from our home and yet a world away is the Arnside and Silverdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. With distinctive limestone crags, pretty villages and natural woodland, this fantastic area ticks many boxes for a relaxing short break at any time of year.

It was November and I had a birthday to celebrate and, at the last minute, we booked a couple of nights at a favourite Silverdale campsite. I never think one day is enough for a birthday and celebrations began on the eve of the big day, meeting friends for a walk on our way to Silverdale. Parking near Bolton-le-Sands, we picked up a stretch of canal where we often see kingfishers and I had promised our friends awesome panoramic views across Morecambe Bay to the Lake District fells. The canal was frozen and we were soon shrouded in thick soft snowfl akes that landed on my nose before melting. The promised view across the bay was hidden and kingfishers were no doubt keeping warm somewhere but none of us cared as we wandered through this exciting and unexpected snowstorm.

Let it snow!

While this early snowfall was still a novelty and, before numbing cold had reached our extremities, we stumbled into the warmth of the Bay View Garden Centre café. With big windows overlooking Morecambe Bay, this smart café serves fantastic food and is unsurprisingly popular. As we ate our hearty lunch the snow gradually stopped and by the time we were back outside the sun was appearing through gaps in the clouds.

Our coastal route along the stony shore took us to somewhere magical. The light on Morecambe Bay is always remarkable, but for my birthday the ice crystals and blue 

ABOVE CLOCKWISE Walking between the reed beds at Leighton Moss RSPB reserve; The only sound was my boots creaking across the snow; It was a birthday weekend in the ‘van

BELOW A friendly robin at Leighton Moss RSPB reserve sea sparkled in the sunshine. Blankets of snow enhance and define landscape features and here it highlighted the pebbles, tidal patterns of rippling sand and salt marsh hummocks. After an amateur snowball fight I stopped to pay my respects at the poignant praying shell sculpture that was erected to remember the 23 Chinese cockle pickers who tragically drowned here in 2004.

Back at our campervan we waved goodbye to our friends and set off for the Silverdale campsite in the twilight. We are old hands at winter camping, determined to use the Blue Bus all year round, and had no qualms about continuing with our plans but the roads were treacherous. In plummeting temperatures we drove cautiously on the snow-covered country lanes that were becoming icier by the minute and we were relieved to roll up to the bright and welcoming reception building. After booking in, we drove slowly through the gritted, cleared site roads to find a pitch.

One of the many things we like about Holgates campsite is that the pitches are not arranged in serried ranks but, in the dark and with everything covered in a thick layer of snow, this was a huge drawback. Although we know this site fairly well, it was surprisingly difficult to distinguish pitches from grassy spaces! After a couple of circuits we optimistically turned into a gap next to an electric hook-up and threw the switch for the heating. After a cosy night in the ’van, the first thing I did when I woke the next morning was open the blinds. Not only was it my birthday but also the snow was still there, what a perfect day! The icing on the birthday cake was the rising sun turning the sky crimson. Anthony handed me presents and I opened them while I sipped my first mug of tea. The merino wool top Anthony had bought me was perfect for the chilly day of walking I had planned and we both laughed at the card from a friend who knows me well, ‘We cannot live on wine alone / ‘cos that would be a sin / And that is why the lord above / Also gave us gin.’

While eating breakfast crumpets, through the window we watched two red deer emerge from Eaves Wood, which surrounds the campsite, and stop just a few feet away. In the hushed wintry landscape the deer picked their way through the snow browsing on bushes, while we watched from our ’van hardly daring to breathe.

As it was my birthday (did I mention that?) I got to choose the day’s walk and, snug in my new top, I led us into the woodland. The snow had done its amazing thing of smothering all the mud and fallen leaves and gifting us a pristine landscape and I felt as if I was walking into Narnia. Reaching Arnside Tower, a free-standing ruined Cumbrian pele tower, we stopped to take in the wider views of the wooded steep slopes of Arnside Knott that now loomed in front of us. We skirted the hill, picking up a woodland path to Arnside where I knew we would find coffee and cake.

Our 'van

2015 Renault Master mediumwheelbase

CONVERSION TYPE Devon Tempest by by devonconversions.co.uk

OWNED SINCE 2015

LAYOUT Rear kitchen/washroom with twin sofas in the front lounge that convert to single beds TRAVEL SEATS/BERTHS 3/2 WHAT I L♥VE ABOUT IT It’s great just being able to pull over, any place, any time, throw the side door open and enjoy the vistas with a cup of tea in hand. That’s the beauty of touring in a campervan, isn’t it?

Life is too short to say no to cake

Arnside is a handsome village of Victorian villas that is popular with day trippers in summer but the chilly weather meant we almost had it to ourselves and we got a window seat in the Posh Sardine tea room on Arnside’s prom.

Warming up with coffee, we looked over the River Kent that fl ows by Arnside into Morecambe Bay. Anthony enjoyed his big slab of coffee cake and I tucked into a slice of almond and orange cake that was deliciously fruity and tasted like southern Spain on a plate. Another customer and his dog came in from the cold, sitting at a nearby table. He was keen to chat and shared dog and life stories. Another customer in paint-splattered work clothes came in for takeaway coffee. “This is the best local plasterer,” our friend with the dog informed us, assuming it was a locals-only day and we would eventually need a plasterer. “I’m time served,” the plasterer proudly told us and the four of us put the world of construction training to rights.

After browsing the gift shops, we popped into The Old Bakehouse for some of its excellent vegetarian pies for later before heading out of the village.

We would normally have returned over Arnside Knott; although only 159m high, this hill is criss-crossed by meandering footpaths and is a great viewpoint. However, with the ground still covered in icy snow, we opted to stay low and walk around the coast.

Sky above, snowy snow below

In the winter there might be few visitors but in summer Arnside bustles, particularly when there is a Cross Bay Walk event. Morecambe Bay is renowned for its quick sands and fast-fl owing tides and there has been a royal guide to the sands appointed for centuries to ensure travellers safely cross the bay. Today, Cross Bay Walks that ford the River Kent channel are fundraising events and we have made the unforgettable crossing of around 10 miles a couple of times. If you’ve never done this, add it to your list; you will finish wet and tired but chuffed at your achievement.

On this Arctic-like day, the tide was low but, respecting the sands, we hugged the coast, enjoying having the Kent estuary to ourselves. The only sounds were the snow squeaking under our boots, the honking of geese as a skein passed overhead and the occasional train rattling across the viaduct. I felt as if we had stepped out of the real world as I looked back along the sinuous River Kent to see mounds of white hills glistening on the horizon. Above was a vast grey sky that merged into the snow-covered sand that stretched to the skyline. Across Kent the houses of Grange-overSands were only just visible through the mist.

At White Creek Bay we picked up a path above the limestone cliffs into the woodland. The permanently bent trees are witness to the strong winds you can encounter here and garlands of red berries looked festive dusted with

MAIN The sun sparkled off the snow and the blue sea at Bolton-le-Sands

ABOVE TOP TO BOTTOM You are never too old for a snowball fight!; A chimney from a former copper smelting works still stands at Jenny Brown’s Point; The Blue Bus in the white snow 

We stayed at

HOLGATES SILVERDALE Middlebarrow Plain, Cove Road, Silverdale, Lancashire LA5 0SH holgates.co.uk ALTERNATIVE CAMPSITE HAWES VILLA FARM AND CAMPERVAN SITE Hawes Villa, Moss Lane, Silverdale, Carnforth, Lancashire LA5 0SS hawesvilla.com

snow. I stopped to take photos as we followed the path around craggy bays back to the lanes near our campsite. Twilight comes early at this time of year and the sky was turning purple as we headed across the fields to our ’van.

ABOVE Sunset over Morecambe Bay

BELOW LEFT TO RIGHT Enjoying the view from Arnside Knott on another winter trip; The salt marshes and sands of Morecambe Bay on an icy day

A little pampering

After a warming brew, we were ready to make the most of the campsite’s facilities and walked to the reception for a birthday spa experience. Anthony relaxed in the bubbling pool while I swam some lengths. Later we both sweated in the steam room, enjoying feeling the warmth in every cell of our bodies. As we walked back through the foggy night glow, the snow was melting but I’d had a blissful birthday.

The next morning all trace of the snow had disappeared and was replaced with sunshine! From the campsite we took a short walk to The Cove, a pretty bay enclosed by cliffs topped with wind-bent trees. A favourite walk from here is to Jenny Brown’s Point, an attractive coastal viewpoint surrounded by fascinating stories. Various legends relate why the point is named after Jenny Brown and visitors continue to be curious about the lone tall chimney that is all that remains of an eighteenth century iron and copper furnace. Today, we returned to our ’van via Eaves Wood, climbing up to the highest point for the panoramic views at The Pepperpot, a stone pillar built to commemorate the Jubilee of Queen Victoria.

Feathered friends

Leaving the site, we drove the short distance to the RSPB’s Leighton Moss reserve. Here, we spotted an impressive marsh harrier hunting over the water and watched small birds enjoying the feeders before we retired to the excellent café for lunch. On winter afternoons you might be lucky enough to see the swirling patterns of a starling murmuration; a sight you’ll never forget.

I suggested we climb Warton Crag and packed a fl ask of hot chocolate and post-birthday cake in the rucksack. Warton Crag’s woodland is beautiful at any time of year, but in winter the ancient evergreen yews come into their own, adding splashes of colour among the bare trees.

Near the top the woodland gives way to grass and exposed scars of limestone, and a ledge with well-worn knobbles of rock just below the summit beacon is our favourite picnic spot. We sat with our gloved mitts around steaming mugs of chocolate, happily looking over Leighton Moss’ patchwork of pools and reed beds and the rocks at Jenny Brown’s Point.

I didn’t want my birthday holiday to end so, as twilight neared, we stopped in Carnforth for some leisurely bookshop browsing. Spread over three fl oors, this labyrinthine shop packed with secondhand and new books is always a treat to explore. We drove the Blue Bus along Morecambe’s long promenade on our way home as another stunning sunset filled the sky. We hadn’t gone very far and had used just a few litres of diesel but distance isn’t everything and we returned with a campervan full of new unforgettable and happy memories.