Sunderland Point. An historic UK west coast mainland village which is cut off by the tide twice a day.

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From Wikipedia

“Sunderland is unique in the United Kingdom as being the only community to be on the mainland and yet dependent upon tidal access. The only vehicular access to the village is via a single-track road from Overton 1.5 miles (2.4 km) away crossing a tidal marsh. The road is covered by water at every high tide. Among other effects, this results in the children of Sunderland sometimes being required to arrive late at school in Overton or to leave early to avoid being cut off by the tide.”

See here for source and more.

A BBC television programme about this village is here (but may not remain accessible)

Villages By The Sea: Sunderland Point.

A view of the tidal road is here

Here is a picture from Friends of Sunderland Point website

Sunderland Point - Friends of Sunderland Point Official Website

From their website

 

“Sunderland Point is a unique location. It is a village of 30 or so houses and farms at the end of a tidal causeway. The village is within 7 miles of both Lancaster and Morecambe, but has the attractions of more isolated locations and a landscape which intermingles salt marsh, beach, mud flats, farmland, residential dwellings, footpaths and roads, all at the side of an active waterway.

The Point is an attraction to those who wish to spend time rambling, bird watching, cycling, sketching, painting, photographing, observing wild flowers or simply admiring the hauntingly beautiful landscape of the estuary and salt marshes backed by the moors of North Lancashire to the East and the South Lakeland Fells to the North.”

Also this warning:
“Tide tables should be consulted before visiting. Both the Causeway and car park are likely to be under several feet of water for 1 to 2 hours before and after high tide.
DO NOT RISK IT!”
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About Owain Jones

I am an emeritus professor of Environmental Humanities, Bath Spa University, UK. I trained as a cultural geographer and have published many academic articles and books on various aspects of place, landscape, memory, nature-society relations, and, specifically, on tides and tidal landscpes. I also am involved in other creative enterprises!

4 thoughts on “Sunderland Point. An historic UK west coast mainland village which is cut off by the tide twice a day.”

  2. I don’t understand how/why Sunderland Point is cut off by the tide- Indeed is it actually cut off ( as is, say, St Michael Mount, Holy Island or Burgh Island) or is just that it isn’t possible to drive or walk along the access road ?

    Reply ↓

    • Sorry I never replied. As far as i know it is sometimes cut off as the approach road is a causeway which gets submerged at higher tide

      Reply ↓

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