Here we are again, finding time to continue our circumnavigation of the UK using our invaluable 'The most amazing places on Britain's coast' as our inspiration.
May 26 - June 3
Crosby to Blackpool
Google Maps
from 'Amazing Places'
Staying at the rather nice Southport CAMC site, we explore the coast from here down to Crosby, just north of Liverpool. Writing this, we're about to move to the CAMC South Blackpool site, so here's a recap...
Southport, with a population of over 94k, is a slightly faded but rather wonderful historic town with many examples of Victorian buildings, a number being restored. The town's pier is the second longest British pier, the surprise being that a large part of it is over the land as a result of the shifting sands in this area causing significant coastal build up since its construction.
The Atkinson, an arts centre in a beautiful restored building absorbs a lot of our time here; a great start.
Heading to Crosby, just north of Liverpool, we walk and gaze at Antony Gormley's art installation Another Place, his many 'Iron Men' gazing out to sea.
A 20 minute walk takes us to Crosby Marine Park and Seaforth with its two large lagoons; the cormorants mentioned in our faithful guide are notable by their absence.
Heading north again, we stop at Formby, a long trek through the dunes leading to a large and busy beach with views of the many ships heading for the Mersey at Liverpool.
The old Formby Church of St Luke houses the gravestone of Richard Formby, the 7 foot tall armour bearer to Henry IV and Henry V known as Richard the Giant.
We drive and walk through the massive dune system of Ainsdale Nature Reserve before heading back to base. Much work has stabilised the previously neglected but shifting dunes and, like much of this coast, difficult flood protection work has been completed. It's a haven for birdlife and Natterjack toads.
A day spent in Blackpool takes us back to times that we visited with the children so many years ago. There are more holiday beds here than the whole of Portugal with crowds flocking to the Tower, Ballroom, Sands and the famous Pleasure Beach with truly terrifying rides. That's over 10 million people. We content ourselves with ascending to the top gallery of the Tower and exploring the well kept seafront with its modern tramway.
For a complete contrast we head to Lytham and St Annes (Lytham St Annes) which are far more sedate towns and resorts with some wonderful Victorian houses. St Annes, in particular, was a resort for the more wealthy in those (and possibly current) times. A memorial to a lifeboat crew lost in 1886 stands here - unfortunately erected in front of the public toilets.
To the west, the sprawling village of Freckleton has a notable brick built church from 1837 which we could only admire from the outside. A major battle of the Civil War took place on the marshes here.
Sunday sees us exploring north of Blackpool....
As we walk along Skippool Creek on the bank of the River Wyre for a km or so, we pass dozens of moorings, some with modern boats but many with expired craft looking a bit dilapidated. A sailing club offers meals for hungry passers-by.
After another riverside walk at the Wyre Estuary Country Park we head north to Fleetwood with its three lighthouses, needed in times gone by because of its position at an exposed point with its thriving fishing industry in those days. The docks have been redeveloped into a marina and shopping complex although the fishing industry described in our 'amazing places' guide has now all but disappeared, as has as the pier. It's a well-kept town though.
The Mount gives a good view of the western side of the promenade and boating lake.
Heading for the Mount from our faithful motor...
We stop at the seaside town of Cleverlys briefly and then set off in search of Marsh Mill, built in 1794, but find that it has been almost totally enclosed by a housing area of dubious architectural merit. In any case, a notice declares it to be closed.
The Mill's in there somewhere...
Taking a pause because of a rainy day we spend it cheering up the 'van interior, which has been slightly neglected since we downsized and don't have a big enough drive to park it on. It's due for a service when we get back. How many thousands of miles have we covered since we bought it twelve years ago?
Slightly better weather is forecast tomorrow so we'll hopefully finish our last couple of explorations of this area before the long slog back in the wind and rain..,
...We finish our stay in the area with a visit to the rather impressive Lytham Hall. Owned by fourteen generations of the Clifton family until the gross expenditure and gambling of latter members resulted in its loss to creditors (Guardian insurance - now GRE), it's now part of the North West Heritage Trust and presented in an exceptional way. So we can't use our English Heritage membership but, for us, it's worth the £11 entrance fee.
The journey back is straightforward but the weather pretty horrendous as we battle the HGVs on the M55, M6, M1 and M25. Still, we make it an reasonable time with a couple of stops, taking the M6 toll to escape from dense traffic and also stop at Norton Canes Services, which is, amazingly, where I went to primary school (well, Norton Canes, not the Services).
Where next?
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