North-West Beaches

[Peregal]

Hi all,

I've just emailed Blackpool Council to ask that the deal is with detecting on their beach (as a couldn't see any definitive, official sayso anywhere on the internet). They have said that I am fine to detect on their beaches/do not need explicit permission to do so. Winner! :-)

As far as anyone knows, does the same apply to Lytham beaches and Lytham Saint Annes beaches? Seen as they are in the same council area as Blackpool beach (Fylde)

Also, I have read up on the Southport beaches and it seems to be that one can detect in the area from just the north point of the Ainsdale Sand Dune Nature Reserve to Hesketh Road, Southport (basically, Southport beach) just not on the Sands Dunes. Is this peoples understanding as well?

Cheers,

Matthew

[Pilly]

Yep, that's my understanding of the Southport position.

And as someone pointed out in a previous post, the dunes are classified as SSI and therefore off-limits re: Natterjack Toad.

[Peregal]

Cheers, thanks for that Pilly

[Koala]

The SSI includes the foreshore.

link 1

link 2


Its not immediately obvious but if you read down it goes past Southport and onto Blackpool.


There no mention of metal detecting. But consent needed for bait digging.


Its bad practice to dig in any dunes regardless of SSI. Once the roots are damaged the wind will blow the sand away.


I wouldn't dig any big holes. We don't want to give ammunition for people to ban metal detecting.

[Peregal]

Thanks very much for that Koala, it makes very a very interesting read, especially the one about the SSI.

How do you interpret that information? Does that mean that metal detecting on Southport beach is NOT permitted in reality?

[littlebottleshop]

My understanding is that any work on SSIs (outside of the three cases listed below) which is not given prior consent by Natural England is prohibited -

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/protected-a ... re-consent

From what I can see, Koala is right - the SSI extends to the foreshore and encompasses much of the beaches along the NW coast. Best bet unfortunately is to leave it.

[Koala]

Thanks very much for that Koala, it makes very a very interesting read, especially the one about the SSI.

How do you interpret that information? Does that mean that metal detecting on Southport beach is NOT permitted in reality?

I read through the documents plus a few more. Its very grey. Wording is like this may or that might cause damage.

However "detecting" is not mentioned on any of them. Best not to ask the council for clarification. There is a slight chance of metal detecting getting added.

The SSI covers the whole coast Liverpool to well past the pier at Blackpool. People regularly detect these areas without problems.

I read it as its okay to detect but I wouldn't dig big holes. I wouldn't argue if ask to move on. I would keep a low profile. Fill your holes. Remove broken glass ands so on.


I would not like to damage the environment. There nothing better than being out detecting and hearing a woodpecker and so on. Digging a small hole and backfilling it. Is nothing compared to the tonnes of sand that's shifted every tide.

[Koala]

Also be careful out on the beach.

Large flats areas its easy for the tide to surrounded you an leave you stranded on an island.

Don't just walk in a straight line. Keep an eye on what's either side and behind you.

If you walk into to unstable sand walk back the way you came.

Compass and/or smart phone is handy. Its easy to get disorient if the fog comes down.

[Iced Tiger]

You could try the lesser beaches in the NW, me and SWMBO mainly detect Fleetwood Marine beach, toilets handy and carpark free B-). We also have tried Heysham half moon bay and St Annes with varying results. Loads of NW beaches to go at, have a look at the website http://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by- ... ht=BingHyb to gain an insight into what was there before.

[Peregal]

Thank you for that very useful information Iced Tiger