Foulney Island

Foulney Island is a low-lying grass and shingle area 1 mile (1.6 km) to the south-east of Roa Island, off the southern tip of the Furness Peninsula in Cumbria, though was formerly in the historic county of Lancashire (north of the sands). It is located at 54°4′N 3°9′W (OS grid ref. SD 246 640). Foulney Island is one of the Islands of Furness in Morecambe Bay, northern England. For local government purposes the island is in the borough of Barrow-in-Furness. It has an area of about 40 acres (16 ha). In earlier times it was known as Fowle Island.

The island is connected to the mainland via a shingle and rock causeway which was built in Victorian times as a tidal protection measure. The Foulney causeway leaves the Roa Island causeway half way along its length on the eastern side. The maximum elevation on the island is no more than 10 feet (3 metres) above the high tide level. At the time of highest tides much of the island can be inundated. There are no permanent inhabitants on the island.

Foulney bird sanctuary

Foulney is a major bird sanctuary and a site of special scientific interest (SSSI). During the summer months the island is wardened and visitors are discouraged from walking in the nesting areas. Bird species observed at Foulney include:

• Sandwich Tern; occasional.
• Little Tern
• Arctic Tern; Foulney is the only breeding location in north-west England.
• Common Tern
• Roseate Tern; rare.
• Oystercatcher
• Ringed Plover
• Golden Plover
• Grey Plover
• Brent Goose
• Red-breasted Merganser
• Great Crested Grebe
• Common Scoter
• Redshank
• Meadow Pipit
• Eider Duck
• Dunlin
• Knot
• Sanderling
• Curlew
• Whimbrel
• Godwit

Getting to Foulney

Access to Foulney Island involves a walk of about a mile along the causeway. Visitors should not take dogs and should avoid the nesting grounds during the breeding season. In recent times (2004/2005) the area has become popular with cockle and mussel pickers. There is some concern locally that damage might be done to the nesting sites if these activities continue to expand. Also, worry for the safety of the cocklers has increased since the Morecambe Bay cockling disaster of 2004, in which 21 Chinese cocklers drowned. Foulney and its immediate surrounds are popular with fishermen and windsurfers.

Reference

Lost Lancashire by A.L.Evans (ISBN 1-8528-4052-8).