On the highest tides, a most unusual sight occurs in the Mersey Estuary: a tidal bore travelling upstream from Widnes and Runcorn to Warrington. Although on a smaller scale than the better-known Severn Bore, it is still a great example of this natural phenomenon, and one of only about twenty that occur in the UK. What to see The tidal bore forms when water levels rise so quickly that a wave forms as the tide comes in, meeting the river flow. At its best, it reaches heights of 60cm or more, accompanied by the sound of rushing water and waterbirds startled into flight from the sands Continue Reading
The Arnside Bore in Morecambe Bay
On the highest tides, a most unusual sight can be seen in the Kent Estuary in Morecambe Bay, called the Arnside Bore, one of the UK's twenty or so tidal bores. Named after a town in the estuary, it is quite a spectacle and it often draws crowds of onlookers. The source of the Kent is the Kentmere Valley near Ambleside and the river then flows down through Kendal to Morecambe Bay. Arnside is on the south side of the estuary and is a pleasant place to wander, with a good choice of shops, pubs and cafes. Along with scenic views of the distant Lake District fells, there is a much-photographed Continue Reading
