We're aware that many people will want to see Wednesday’s partial solar eclipse and may be heading to the Sefton Coast to watch this spectacular event.

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 at 7.30pm.

Anyone wanting to see the partial eclipse should arrive before 7.10pm when it is at its peak.

We will be asking people to start leaving at 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 Crosby will be carrying out patrols.

In the event of an emergency, call 999 and ask for 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 offers no protection and can cause permanent eye damage.

Regular sunglasses do not provide enough protection. They let in dangerous solar radiation.

Any special viewers used to view the eclipse should be marked with the international safety standard ISO 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.

Let's enjoy what should be an amazing evening on the Sefton Coast, while helping to keep our beaches safe, clean and welcoming for everyone.