Our coasts offer unique, rewarding and exhilarating experiences, whether that’s walking coast paths, rock pooling with the kids, taking a dip at a secluded bay or taking to the waters on a stand-up paddleboard (SUP) or kayak. However, our coasts also bring with them some challenges that need to be met with a bit of planning.

Strong winds affect the sea swell along the coast and shoreline and coupled with the rise and fall of the tide they could make your activity and/or progress along your chosen route a bit tricky and possibly risky.  Making good decisions based on some simple steps can keep your day on track.

Tides

Tide times and heights vary throughout the month and can easily catch you out if you haven’t checked them.  A beach that was clear yesterday at 5 pm might be completely covered in water at the same time today.  Tide times can also differ dramatically for sections of coast that are geographically quite close.

Although tides have a reputation for being unpredictable, they actually follow a timetable more reliable than most trains!  You can check the tide times for the location you are planning to visit by consulting the excellent https://www.tidetimes.org.uk

Are you planning a day out at the beach? 

A beach can seem like a vast playground but the tide can come in surprisingly quickly.

As the tide moves up and down the beach, the depth of the water changes throughout the day, sometimes by as much as 10 metres.  As the tide comes in, simply walking further up the beach and away to safety might not be an option.

If you’ve walked round to another cove at low tide, or walked around an outcrop of rocks, the water can soon block your way back as the tide turns. If the cove you’re in doesn’t have steps or access of its own, you could be in trouble.

So be AdventureSmart: Don’t get cut off by the tide, check the tide times