Lytham - Coast Guard Station
Lytham St. Anne's Coastguard Station Land Kiting Well if you're after a great spot to practice with you're land kite this is one of the best beaches in the North West if not the whole of the U.K. HOWEVER before you get too excited about the miles of virgin sand you might like to know that there is currently a ban on all wheeled vehicles. This was imposed by the council following a horrific accident involving a sand yacht in 2002 which tragically killed a woman on the beach. The council are the legal landowners for the beach following Duchy of Lancaster bequesting the land to the council. Following a ban on kites in 2006 we, in conjunction with the BKSA, BPKA & BFKA negotiated access for kites and successfully overturned the ban. We also had a great deal of support from the wider community of kiters and the public for which we are eternally gratefull. As a result of the kite ban in 2006 we are in negotiation with the council to attempt to bring wheel based windsports back to the beach, this is however a long process and in the meantime please don't use landboards, speedsails, sandyachts or kite buggy's on the beach, there is a Beach Patrol Officer who enforces the wheel ban, please don't give him a hard time as that can effect our negotiations. Kitesurfing Kitesurfing is no problem at Lytham & St. Anne's there is however a code of practice in effect which has been designed to limit the risk to the public click here for the code of practice. This area of the beach is perfect for kitesurfing as it's such a vast beach with very little to hit! The only downside is the treck to the sea if the tide is out. On the other hand this makes it very safe place for learning to kitesurf. The beach is shallow for ages and although the waves can be big you can find channels and lagoon's on a retreating tide. Just be careful not to leave you're kite bag on the beach as the tide comes in 'cos you'll lose it with the tide. There is currently free car parking at the Coastguard station just be aware that it's all too easy to miss the turn off for the car park. This beach is also the only Westerly facing beach on the Fylde Coast that can work on high tides and the area in front of the Coast Guard Station is still safe at High Tides until you hit a 9.8mtr spring tide. The beach faces South South West and works in South, West, and Northerly winds. For a map link click here