Spring tides combined with nesting shorebirds set to restrict access to Beadnell beach

Restrictions are in place at the mouth of the Long Nanny Burn to protect the shorebirds that are nesting and roosting on the beach.

This is particularly important this coming weekend as the high-tides fall in the middle of the day and because they are big ‘spring tides’, there will be no access along the beach around the high-tide.

People who want to walk between Beadnell and Newton-by-the-Sea at these times should use the Northumberland Coast Path, a signposted route behind the dunes.

National Trust rangers will be on hand at busy times to advise people whether they can proceed and they will ask people to turn-back if the tide is too high to prevent access along the shore without causing a disturbance to the birds.

When the rangers are not present, walkers should follow the information on the signs. If people are asked to turn back, they will have to return to the car park as there is strictly no access via the dunes or caravan parks to reach the coast path at this point.

It is recommended that if people want to walk south from Beadnell to Newton-by-the-Sea that they use the Northumberland Coast Path through the caravan sites, behind the dunes and crossing the Long Nanny Burn at the bridge as even at low tide, walkers will have to cross the Long Nanny Burn.

People heading north from Newton-by-the-Sea will be directed through the dunes towards the Coast Path and the Long Nanny Bridge where they can continue north to Beadnell.

Each summer, Arctic and Little Terns return to Beadnell Bay to raise their chicks. Along with Ringed Plovers, these birds nest on the beach in a shallow scrape in the sand. Nesting on the beach makes them very vulnerable to disturbance by beach goers and their dogs.

Disturbance is seldom deliberate but it does happen and can have fatal consequences for the birds and their chicks.

The protection measures were deemed ‘heavy-handed’ by a parish councillor last month.

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspaper.

Thank you.