Bay Lines - Beach of Dreams
During the summer of 2023, with the local community, we creatively explored 120 miles of coastline piecing together a picture of our collective hopes and dreams for Morecambe Bay.
Join us on this heart-warming journey by watching the documentary film about the project, or read on to find links for podcasts and picture stories reflecting each mile explored.
Bay Lines - Beach of Dreams
Bay Lines - Beach of Dreams was a programme of community participation events celebrating the natural environment, the walking routes and the cycle ways.
Working with international arts organisation, Kinetika in collaboration with Rosa Productions, we encouraged people to explore Morecambe Bay on foot (or wheels where suitable) and join in a collective and creative community experience.
Over the summer, we met local residents, artists, walkers, cyclists and nature lovers and each walked their own special section of coastline spanning 120 miles of Morecambe Bay between Walney Island, Barrow and Fleetwood.
We gathered photos, drawings and stories about the Morecambe Bay coast to inspire the creation of 120 silk pennants - one per mile. These pennants were then displayed at 4 special events across the Bay over the August Bank Holiday weekend.
Enjoy exploring 120 miles of Morecambe Bay through the eyes of the people who live and work here.
The contributions and stories used for the design of the pennants illustrate the beautiful Bay coastal landscape and its environmental challenges. All these stories, words and pictures submitted by the community have been gathered into 5 digital stories of the coastline which reflect the narrative of Morecambe Bay. Read them all below.
Looking back over the summer
Story Gathering walks from 3 -8 June
Our Gathering Walks brought together writers, environmentalists, historians and residents of the communities around the coastline to share stories with Artist, Ali Pretty. As Ali walked 120 miles of the Bay in just 6 days, we could not have wished for better weather and the sun shone for an entire week. We celebrated these walks and looked ahead to the next stage of the project at special Natural Dye taster workshops.
Listen to this delightful documentary podcast about the week here.
Morecambe Bay Gets Walking June 2023
Throughout June, local people signed up to walk a mile of their choice around the Bay, from the 120 miles mapped. By walking or cycling the mile, they all explored a special part of the coastline, took photographs and shared thoughts, feelings and experiences. These stories are reflected on the final silk pennants and make-up the digital stories.
Designing and making the silk pennants 29 July - 6 August
Many of the locals who submitted stories and drawings then attended a series of natural dye and batik waxing workshops in Grange-over-Sands alongside other members of the community. Using local plants such as bracken, willow and green weed (picked with land-owner permissions or from peoples' gardens), they worked under the guidance of Kinetika artists Ali Pretty and Lesley Robinson.
Installation events from Friday 25 - Monday 28 August
Thank you to everyone who supported the events at Walney, Grange-over-Sands, Arnside and Morecambe over the bank holiday weekend.
Video Production Credits
Commentary: Nigel Thompson
Music: Boum Bike Bourrée, Mbira Jam, Dan Fox and Sound Intervention, More Music, Ethan Sloan
(and at live events) Mizzen Crew
Gathering Walks filming: John Offord, Rosemary Richards, Nigel Thompson with additional material from Tessa Bunney and Amber
Event camera and sequence edits: Bella Richards
Principal camera and edit: John-Martin White
Producer: Rosemary Richards
With thanks to all interviews and participants in the Bay Lines – Beach of Dreams project produced by Kinetika with Rosa Productions.
Video Production: Rosa Productions
Enjoy the project in pictures
Read about the project in full and enjoy the beautiful imagery of the Bay
Find out more
Beach of Dreams 2025
Get involved in a UK-wide collective moment of reflection and action in the month of May 2025 by participating in the national Beach of Dreams project - an opportunity to act locally and be part of a spectacular international movement, that re-imagines our future inspiring positive climate action.
Visit the Beach of Dreams website