England’s Northwest coast – from Liverpool to Blackpool

A much-overlooked part of the UK by foreign visitors, England’s northwest coast boasts dramatic, contrasting scenery and a surprise along every mile.

For this piece, we will discover the stretch of coast between Liverpool in Merseyside and Blackpool, some 45 miles north.

Lancashire’s favourite resort

Brash, bold and bawdy, Blackpool is Northern England’s most famous coastal holiday resort.  Once the playground of wealthy cotton mill owners who, in the Victorian era would take to the coast to bathe in the chilly north sea and enjoy, donkey rides on the golden sand.
For much of the 20^th century, Blackpool was a favourite of holidaymakers from all over Northern England. People would travel from as far afield as Scotland, to enjoy the town’s famous hospitality, cheap accommodation and award-winning shows and amusements.

Attractions galore 

Some of the famous attractions included, Blackpool Pleasure Beach, with its dare-devil rides, cotton candy stalls and Vegas style shows on both ice and stage.  The Pleasure Beach has been in the same family for generations and is just as popular today.

Blackpool’s three piers branch out over the sand and a visit to them is like stepping back in time, with stallholders goading you into trying your hand at winning a prize and the gypsy fortune tellers enticing you in with promises of a glance into the future.

No trip to Blackpool would be complete without a visit to the famous tower, built to loosely resemble the Eiffel tower, with its glitzy ballroom and famous Wurlitzer organ. Take a ride to the very top of the tower from where on a clear day you can see the Pennine hills and the Lake District to the north, to the distant east, the city of Manchester and out to sea the cloud-capped Isle of Man.

At the end of the summer, take a drive, ride a tram or hire a horse-drawn landau and enjoy a trip through the five-mile-long ‘illuminations’ light show along the promenade.

Blackpool’s famous golden beach stretches for miles, ending with the fantastic sand dunes at the southernmost part of the town.

Sadly, in recent years, Blackpool has lost some of its shine, with parts of the town falling into disrepair. Despite this, Blackpudlians are proud and friendly folk and will welcome you to their town with open arms and many a tale to tell.

Heading south on England’s northwest coast

A few miles south on England’s northwest coast, Blackpool’s more serene neighbour, Lytham, St Anne’s, boasts miles of beachfront, lined with elegant Victorian buildings and protected sand dunes.  St Anne’s has its own pier and don’t miss a visit to the delightful promenade gardens and boating lake at Fairhaven.

Famed for its championship, links golf course, Lytham has a quaint town centre and numerous parks and gardens, many of which still have their old Victorian pavilions.

Rugged coastlines and sandy dunes

Parts of England’s northwest coastline is reminiscent of stretches of New England’s Cape Cod, with miles of sand dunes, battered by brisk winds in the winter months.  Southport, just north of Liverpool has one of the largest stretches of sand dunes, home to migrating birds and other wildlife.

Southport also has its own pier and this is the best way to take in the vast expanse of beach where the sea is often barely visible.

A walk on the pier is also the safest way to explore, as parts of the beach is made up of deep mud or quicksand.

Heading south into Merseyside, Formby is the somewhat ‘posh’ cousin of the famous footballing city of Liverpool. Sprawling estates and historical buildings sit along quiet tree-lined streets and the accent of its residents is softer than the sing-song ‘scouse’ spoken by people closer to the city.

The National Trust nature reserve in Formby is home to the ‘red squirrel walk’ where you can explore beautiful woodland and catch a glimpse of the rare native red squirrel.

A cheeky surprise awaits in Crosby

Just before you enter Liverpool proper, the unassuming town of Crosby has a surprise which attracts thousands of visitors each year.

Take a walk along the beach and be amazed by 100 bronze statues, lined up along the beach in frozen contemplation.

‘Another Place’ – the work of famous sculptor, Anthony Gormley, was originally planned to spend a year on Crosby beach, but after an appeal by the town’s residents, the ‘naked’ statues have become a permanent fixture.

The statues are an exact replica of Gormley’s body, complete with all body parts!  Some are partly submerged while others stand tall above the golden sand.  They say just before dusk is a perfect time to see the statues as the fading light enhances the eeriness of the fascinating scene.

There’s more to Liverpool than The Beatles

The city of Liverpool is well-known throughout the world as the birthplace of the ‘Fab Four’ The Beatles.  Visitors can step back in time to the 1960s with visits to museums, walking tours, statues and even the famous Cavern Club where it all began.

It’s not just about John, Paul, George and Ringo.  Liverpool is also famous for its rich sporting history, the home of two big footballing rivals – Liverpool and Everton.  As well as the famous Aintree racecourse, the venue of the annual Grand National event.

Liverpool boasts a long history in the shipping industry and it is well worth visiting the working docks, presided over by the famous ‘Liver Birds’ perched on top of the building with the same name.

Take a ‘Ferry across the Mersey’ and see if you can stop yourself from humming the song made famous by another local 60s group – Gerry and the Pacemakers.

Although she never visited Liverpool, Titanic had strong links with the city.  The White Star Line, owner of the ill-fated vessel had its head office there and more than 90 crew members, including ‘lookout’, Fred Flint, were from Liverpool. At the Liverpool Maritime museum, you can see items from the wreck and discovery more history of that fateful voyage.

See more of Liverpool here:

Liverpool guide

So that’s a whistle stop tour of England’s northwest coast.  Come back soon for more of the UK’s lesser-known places to visit.