Porsche Shows the Electric Way Across Morecambe Bay

Photo Porsche

People have crossed the sand between the tides for centuries, and now Porsche has electrified the experience by driving a Macan over Morecambe Bay.

The near-ten-mile route that links Arnside to Grange-over-Sands in Lancashire is a public right of way, but these days few brave the crossing. Fewer still in electric cars, where salt water and high voltage aren’t exactly an ideal combination.

In preparation, the Porsche team wisely consulted the King’s Guide to the Sands, Michael Wilson. It’s a role that dates back to 1548 and Wilson’s job is to read the sands and pick the safest route across.

“People have always crossed at low tide,” Wilson explained. “It used to cut as much as three days off their journeys, and there was a scheduled stagecoach service before the railway was built. Today, the official right of way is not defined to one particular route. The Monk’s Road, as it’s called, is actually the whole bay – wherever the Guide deems safe.”

“It can be very dangerous out there if you don’t know what you’re doing,” he added. “There have been tragedies on the sands all through recorded history, and they sadly still happen when people venture out on their own.”

Under Wilson’s guidance the Macan set out. “As the journey continues, the sense of scale grows,” reports Porsche. “The shoreline fades and the fells become more distant. It almost starts to feel more like a desert than the seabed. The Macan remains quiet, allowing the sounds of the wind, water and birdlife to come through. Timing remains critical. Areas that are dry will soon be submerged. In order to stop before an impassable bed of sinking sand and to avoid disturbing the wildlife, Wilson sticks to the plan and retraces our wheel tracks before the incoming tide erases them.”

If you fancy taking a trip across the bay yourself then a guided walk is the safest option, but we’ve got also plenty of other choices if you want to go for a beach drive.

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