The Gathering Tide: A Journey Around the Edgelands of Morecambe Bay

by Karen Lloyd

"Evocative, muscular." - Kathleen Jamie. Karen Lloyd takes us on a deeply personal journey around the 60 miles of coastline that make up 'nature's amphitheatre'. Embarking on a series of walks that take in beguiling landscapes and ever-changing seascapes, Karen tells the stories of the places, people, wildlife and history of Morecambe Bay. So we meet the Queen's Guide to the Sands, discover forgotten caves and islands that don't exist, and delight in the simple beauty of an oystercatcher winging its way across the ebbing tide. As we walk with Karen, she explores her own memories of the bay, making an unwitting pilgrimage through her own past and present, as well as that of the bay. The result is a singular and moving account of one of Britain's most alluring coastal areas.

Genres: Nonfiction, Nature, History, Natural History

224 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2016

About the author

Karen is a writer of creative non-fiction and poetry based in Kendal, Cumbria. Her first book, ‘The Gathering Tide; A Journey Around the Edgelands of Morecambe Bay’ contains writing on land, landscape and memory. It won Eric Robson’s Striding Edge Productions Prize for Place and was runner up at The Lakeland Book of the Year Awards 2016. ‘The Blackbird Diaries’ is published on 17th November 2017. It is an account of closely observing the wildlife in her South Lakeland garden and further afield, including Scotland’s Solway coast and the islands of Mull and Staffa.

Karen graduated with distinction from the M.Litt at Stirling University. She writes for The Guardian Country Diary, BBC Countryfile Magazine, The Royal Geographic Society website, Discovering Britain and a number of other journals. She is a member of Kendal’s Brewery Poets.

Reviews

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mention of the name Morecambe and most people will think of the late great Eric Morecambe. But it is also a town on the west coast of England, and a huge bay. This 310sq km natural feature shot to fame back in 2004 after a number of Chinese cockle pickers drowned after the tide swept in. It is a treacherous place, full of shifting channels, quicksands and rivers that can change course by six, yes six miles within 24 hours. The quicksands have been known to swallow vans and tractors amongst other things and even today it still claims lives.

However, this deadly bay is also a place of rare beauty and a haven for wildlife and ironically one of the best ways to experience it is on foot around and across the bay. Crossing here by foot could be the last thing that you ever did if it wasn't for locals who know the sands like the back of their hands. The Queen's Guide to the Sands is a role that was created in 1548 and takes years of experience to learn the way that the sands shift every day. At the moment he has no successor and it is a knowledge that could be lost forever if no one steps up.

The Gathering Tide is Karen Lloyd's journey around and across this dynamic sea and landscape. Her evocative writing weaves together the physical journey on and around the sands, across the dunes and out to the islands and one kingdom, that poke their heads above the 10m tides. There are glimpses back into her past, fond memories of growing up in the area and meeting up with people whose livelihood depends on this coastline. A chance meeting with a friend that she hadn't seen for a long while opens the memories once again as they catch up with events that had happened in their lives. This is a thoroughly enjoyable read of a coastline whose beauty belies the deadly effect of the tides.

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great read about an unusual and liminal part of the world. I thought I knew the bay but there is so much more to know and Karen Lloyd tells it in beautiful prose.

[Supanki · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always love reading about home

‘The land, this land, is ultimately the thing that has sustained me. And not to find joy, or myself, in this landscape, is something I couldn’t begin to imagine’

[Ron · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book I wish I'd written. Not only is it about the area in which I live; not only does it give me strong hints about where to visit, but it is so well written, well structured and well balanced.

Basically Karen is taking the reader on a tour of the edges of Morecambe Bay from Sunderland Point near Heysham, round the north Lancashire coast, across the Kent and Levens estuaries into Furness and ending on Walney Island. The tour is fascinating with tales of people she meets, wildlife she encounters and historical events connected to the places she visits. From St Patrick to the King of Piel; from guides to the sands to lighthouse keepers, she tells us tales that enhance the journey. And she also links it all to her family, friends and Harold Wilson!

Superb.

[Katherine Ward · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel guilty for this rating but it just wasn't my cup of tea at all. I'm 100% sure that many other people would and should like this book, I'm glad it exists but it didn't click for me, probably because I'm not from the area and needed some more background knowledge. She writes really nicely but not in a style that I tend to enjoy

[Dora · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 points, really. I'm holidaying in the Morecambe Bay area at the moment and wanted something to read that would tell me more about the place. Karen Lloyd is perfect, because she writes extremely well, speaks from experience and clearly loves every bird, pebble and shrub.
My only criticism is that there is no MAP of the area appended. I think the book makes much less sense, because it is so detailed, to readers who don't know the area at all; but for me, as a tourist, it is difficult to find the places she writes about. I realise this is not sold as a tourist guide, but I feel that such a specific description of a locality needs a map or two, to help the non-natives. (This may be a criticism of the publisher rather than the writer.)

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable read written in a nice style. Although I nearly put it down in the first chapter. After that it was plain sailing until around chapter nine when it seemed to be entering areas of tertiary interest. The last two chapters were good. I was very interested in the Barrow Monument which I'd seen and not taken much interest and we planned a trip to Piel Island last year but didn't go.

The subject, author and her father have several associations with my life which created extra interest. Living not far from Morecambe Bay I know many of these places and have always been intrigued by the Kent tidal boar, the walk across the bay and the railway viaduct over the river. The treachery of the sands has haunted me since I was a child as the father of a girl in my class at primary school was drowned while fishing in the bay.

This book started very badly by describing the bay as stretching north of Sunderland Point when every book and description I've ever seen says the River Wyre at Fleetwood flows into the bay which makes the bay almost twice as large. The fisherman mentioned above died on Pilling Sands which are near Fleetwood. The description depleted the bay in my mind for a while.

I'd recommend this book to anyone wanting more depth into the area and a gentle read about the wildlife and atmosphere of such an area, mainly in winter it seems. Many of the features are what you'd say are worth a detour and not a dedicated journey although Sizergh Castle, Levens Hall and the Lakeland Motor Museum are close and worth a visit.

[Plum-crazy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A well written account of the author's walks around Morecambe Bay. It's full of beautifully descriptive passages about the scenery & wildlife of the area & she also includes information on the history of the area (& without sounding like a text book which is always a plus for me!).

Lloyd meets some interesting....& eccentric... characters on her walks & many have an invaluable local knowledge such as the Queen's Guide to the Sands - it's amazing to me how someone can understand the dangerous shifting sands of the bay (Who could forget the tragedy of the Chinese cockle pickers?)

My only slight criticism is the lack of maps. The small map with the "Introduction" doesn't show a lot of the places mentioned & I found it hard to work out just where Lloyd was walking. Maybe it was a deliberate decision in order to stop the hordes descending on - & no doubt spoiling - this area of raw natural beauty.

[Rosemary Tyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. I have only visited a few of the places here but Karen's writing has brought them to life for me. The descriptions of the weather, the wildlife, the scenery and the sense of place are really beautiful. The history and the personal stories fascinating. I didn't want the book to end. This was a chance find in the Keswick Oxfam shop, excellent and probably unread condition. All I can say is thank you Karen.

[Pam Milburn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting to me because about my home. Anyone else might find it a bit same.

[Miss JC Ascroft]

Fantastic book for anyone interested in the history, wildlife and geography etc. of this area. I have so many 'Want to Go' pins in my Google Maps as a result.

[Mallory Gough]

Didn't finish it

[Pauline · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good premise but felt a bit like trudging across the sands of Morecambe Bay in places. Interesting in places.

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful collection of stories and walks in and around Morecambe Bay.

You can really feel the writer's love for her home patch and sharing many interesting historical stories and legends without becoming dull and dry.

The mysterious and beautiful scenes are evocatively described and really make you want to get out there and explore.

[note to self only: sadly this is the writer who spoke at Richmond .....you remember the one!]

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Started reading this on the train on my way to Leighton Moss. I was expecting it to be mainly about Nature but was pleasantly surprised to find stories of the history of the area. Some I knew a little about and some were new to me. Brought back memories of visits to the area over the years and inspired me to find some of the places I've never visited.

[John Kaye · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very evocative read, and with people I know in it!

[Kevin Sene · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this very personal account, Karen Lloyd takes an in-depth look at the history, environment and wildlife of Morecambe Bay, weaving in childhood recollections with those from more recent walks around its shores. The journey begins at Sunderland Point near Lancaster and ends at Walney Island, on the opposite side of the bay. The book covers a lot of ground, including the slave trade, creek ports, peat cutting, early human settlement and the dangers of the sands, including the cockling disaster. I particularly liked the accounts of crossing the sands to Piel Island with a local expert and the Kent Estuary with Cedric Robinson, former Queen’s Guide to the Sands. Several other experts are met along the way and some eccentric characters too. Common themes throughout include the ever-changing weather and tides along with the spectacular birdlife, including avocets and ospreys. Beautifully written, the book helps to bring the area to life. Highly recommended.

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lloyd's observations of her walks around Morcambe Bay, interspersed with local history, are some of the freshest and most eloquent descriptive writing I've read. Her images are perfect, instantly conjuring up a familiar experience or scene yet never feeling stale or contrived. Birds flying 'with such speed, like specks of paint flung from the end of a painter's brush' are an apt simile from an author who paints so vividly with her words that I actually feel like I have been on these walks myself.

[Nick]

A detailed exploration of an area I'm not familiar with, but well written, and with insights and revelations I found interesting, I know it could be helpful to anyone visiting Morecambe Bay. Real regard and interest shown, and it drew me in. Worth referring back to another day.

[Lucy Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read - really inspiring the go on my own sand-based adventures!