Visitors urged to plan ahead for eclipse at Ainsdale Beach
A partial solar eclipse will be visible in the UK today (Wednesday 12 August), with more than 91% of the Sun set to be obscured from view by the Moon. It is expected that the eclipse will be at its fullest for people on Merseyside at around 7.10pm.
We're aware that many people will want to see the partial solar eclipse and may be heading to the Sefton Coast to watch this spectacular event.
The below guidance will hopefully help you and other visitors make the most of this rare occurrence.
Getting here
If you can, please consider travelling by train to help reduce congestion.
You can plan your Merseyrail journeys here.
If you are driving, please park responsibly and be considerate of local residents, businesses and emergency access routes.
Ainsdale Beach parking will be open, with last entries at7.30pm.
Anyone wanting to see the partial eclipse should arrivebefore 7.10pm, when it is at its peak.
We will be asking people to leave the beachat 8pm, when the visible eclipse will be over.
Parking fees are £5 per car after 4pm or £10 all day.
Staying safe while you’re here
If you are planning on visiting one of our beaches, please remember to:
Keep children close by
Keep dogs under control
Stay away from soft mud, channels and unstable sand
Be aware of the tide and your surroundings at all times
HM Coastguard will be carrying out patrols.
Please swim between the yellow and red flags if you enter the water at Ainsdale. Crosby is not a bathing beach, so please do not swim there.
In the event of an emergency, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.
Even in the evening, the weather is still expected to be hot, so please take care.
How to view the partial eclipse safely
Do's
Safe, indirect ways of viewing an eclipse include:
Pinhole projector:Punch a small hole in a piece of card or foil, turn your back to the sun, and project the image onto a white sheet of paper below.
Household objects:Use a kitchen colander or let light filter through tree leaves to cast tiny crescent sun shadows on the ground.
Don’ts
Never look at the sun with your naked eye. Even when it is 90% covered, the sun’s light is strong enough to cause permanent, retinal damage.
Using a bucket of water to view the reflection of a partial solar eclipse offersno protectionand can cause permanent eye damage.
Regular sunglassesdo notprovide enough protection. They let in dangerous solar radiation.
Any special viewers used to view the eclipse should be marked with the international safety standardISO 12312-2. Any viewers that are scratched, torn or punctured, should not be used.
And, of course, never look at the sun through a camera, telescope, or binoculars either.
Protecting your surroundings
If you're bringing snacks or drinks, please take your litter home with you or use the bins provided.
Barbecues and fires are NOT allowed on the Sefton Coast. Neither is camping.
And please remember that Sefton’s coast is home to a wide range of wildlife species, some of them rare and protected, so we ask you make sure not to disturb them.
