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Best Beaches 2018

Keep Britain Tidy named 10 beaches in the North West as some of the best beaches in the country as part of their Blue Flag and Seaside Award announcements in May.

Water quality is one of the key factors in the award criteria therefore it’s great news that the Turning Tides partnership and LOVEmyBEACH campaign have helped the region to improve water quality tremendously over the last thirty years.

There are four classifications of bathing water quality; Excellent, Good, Sufficient or Poor.

For the second year in a row all thirty bathing water locations in the North-West have passed the EU water quality standards with 11 beaches being classified as ‘excellent’ including Blackpool South, Formby & St Bees.

Ten beaches were awarded the Seaside Award – Keep Britain Tidy’s own award for beaches that meet the very highest standards for cleanliness and facilities. These are:

Morecambe North

Morecambe South

St Annes Pier

Ferry Beach

Marine Beach

Jubilee Beach, Cleveleys

Rossall Beach

Bispham

Blackpool North

Blackpool Central

Putting the North-West on the map, Blackpool South beach is awarded the region’s only Blue Flag award for the third year in a row; the international standard for the best beaches in the world.

The 15^th May marks the start of the UK’s bathing water season which runs until the 30^th September every year; the period when the Environment Agency monitors the water quality every week.

Signs are displayed at each designated bathing water highlighting the current classification as well as other useful information. The current classifications and results of the samples taken throughout the bathing season are also available on the LOVEmyBEACH website alongside a list of beach facilities, and time tides.

Dog Walk!

This summer the LOVEmyBEACH team will be setting out on our first ever dog roadshow!

We’ll be highlighting some of the best spots to walk your dog along the coast, pointing out the areas where restrictions are in place from May to September and explaining why these are in place.

The roadshow will take place on the following dates and locations:

Monday June 4th – Morecambe

Tuesday 5th June – Haverigg

Tuesday 19th June – Fleetwood

Wednesday 20th June – Blackpool South Beach

Monday 25th June – St Annes

Monday 2nd July – Formby

Wednesday 11th July – St Bees

Tuesday 24th July – Blackpool North

Each event will start at 11am and finish at 3pm – booking is not necessary, simply drop in at a time that suits you.

During the day, we’ll be running 2 dog walks; one at 12pm and one at 2pm, lasting approximately 1 hour and covering about 2 miles of the coastline.

Additionally, at all of our events, the Dogs Trust will be attendance to offer free advice to dog owners as well as health checks, micropchipping and nail clipping. No appointments are required.

Please join us with your furry friend! No booking necessary but it would be great to know how many people will be attending so, if possible, please email us on enquiries@lovemybeach.org.

NOTE: Dogs should be under control at all times and kept on leads in locations where stated.

More information from the Dogs Trust:

Veterinary nurses will be attending to carry out basic health checks including nail clipping, and they will check eyes, ears, teeth and weight, to make sure your dog is happy, fit and healthy. Alongside the health check, our team will provide advice on diet, training and neutering. Each owner will be provided with a responsible dog ownership pack, including handy tips and useful resources for you to continue to use at home. Free goodie packs also available for puppy owners and those who are thinking of getting a puppy. Extra goodie packs available for those wanting to learn how to stay healthy with their dog.

The Dogs Trust team also offer free on-the-spot microchipping for dogs that aren’t yet chipped (microchipping is a legal requirement as of April 2016). We can also advise you about changing your microchip details should it be needed.

The Dogs Trust team welcome all breeds of dogs, whether a pup or an adult, however Dogs Trust will not chip active hunting hounds or litters of puppies. We ask that puppies under 6 months old are fully vaccinated and proof of vaccinations are brought along to the event. If your puppy has recently been vaccinated, they must be carried for the 10 days following their final vaccination. Dogs over 6 months old do not require proof of vaccination.

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Water quality

The Environment Agency monitors bathing waters – stretches of sea or lake where many people swim and paddle – to assess whether they meet the strict standards of the European Bathing Water Directive. The standards are set to protect public health and the environment from pollution.

The Environment Agency takes 20 water samples at each bathing water between May and September each year and post the information online: http://environment.data.gov.uk/bwq/profiles/

The samples are tested for certain types of bacteria: escherichia coli (E.coli) and intestinal enterococci, which are not directly harmful but indicate the presence of pollution. The bacteria are found in the intestines of animals and humans and pass through the body in poo. High levels of bacteria = poor water quality.

However, the water may be cleaner on the actual day you visit the beach, as the quality can change, particularly after heavy rain washes pollution into rivers and the sea. Look out for daily forecasts at some beaches.

Each beach is also given an annual classification. From 2015 this is based on sample results over the previous four years, e.g. 2015 results use data from 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015. 2016 results use data from 2013 to 2016 and so on. The classifications are:

Excellent

The standard is the highest, cleanest class

Good

Generally good water quality

Sufficient

The water meets the minimum standards

Poor

Bathing is not advised at this beach as water quality has not met sufficient standards

If a bathing water is classed as Poor, you are advised not to bathe because samples taken over the previous four years have been affected by pollution. This does not mean the beach is closed – you can still enjoy everything the beach has to offer.

If a water sample has high levels of bacteria, analysis is done to estimate* the sources of pollution and work is planned in the area to improve water quality. When this work is significant and is expected to help improve bathing water quality, the four years of data for the annual classification starts from the time the work is completed and sample data from before the work are not included. This is called step change.

*Estimates are based on computer modelling, DNA analysis, and knowledge of the local area. The estimates can never be perfect because pollution to bathing waters changes from day to day depending on the season, the tides and the weather.