Fleetwood

Coastal hike: St Annes to Fleetwood

/ mikeosbornphoto / 6 Comments

My Manchester home is a great base for visiting the sights of North-West England.

After countless day trips to the seaside and hills, I stayed a few nights at St Annes on Lancashire’s Fylde Coast.

There was no rush to catch the train home, I saw sunsets turn into summer nights and I had time for a long coastal photo hike after some shorter efforts on day visits.

From my base in St Anne’s I walked the 20km (12 miles) north to Fleetwood. It was a very warm day with a blue sky etched with some white candyfloss clouds.

Was there a lot to see and photograph? See for yourself – the gallery follows my route. Continue reading below for some hike highlights.

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ST ANNES: With its vast beach and far distant tide, this was a tranquil (if warm) start to the trek. Just a few dog walkers to share the sand with, not far from the might of Britain’s best-known seaside resort.

BLACKPOOL: Walking towards a large glitterball on the town’s South Shore means you have arrived. With three piers, a vast tower and plenty of visitors on a sunny day, it can be an assault on the senses but sparkles under the blue sky.

CLEVELEYS: Calmer compared to the razzmatazz of Blackpool, this beachfront has the elaborate architecture of sea defences and a giant seashell sculpture which is losing its lustre to the sea.

ROSSALL: More of a long stretch of coastal footpath with beach and open sea attached, this is a peaceful place to walk. At the end you’ll see the curious and unexpected Rossall Point watchtower.

FLEETWOOD: I tracked inland to see this town’s boating lake, which hides the sea and shimmers in the hot sunshine. A brief look at the impressive Mount Church before finding the tram stop to take me back south.

Staying for the sunset

I rode the entire Blackpool tram line from Fleetwood to Starr Gate, then faced a considerable walk back to my base on St Annes Promenade. After some refreshing drinks and refuelling, dusk and then sunset arrived.

The beach was busy with other sunset watchers, but not crowded. The pier created a focal point while silhouettes darted here and there.

This was the reason for staying over and not rushing back to Manchester. A little staycation with no flights, passports or other travel worries.

A summer sunset on St Anne's beach on the Lancashire coast.

The sinking sun over St Anne's Beach in Lancashire, featuring the pier's old jetty.

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Beyond Blackpool

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The glitzy, brash UK seaside resort of Blackpool is a huge tourist attraction. But keep going and there’s more Lancashire seaside to visit. CONTINUES BELOW

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I arrived by train from Manchester at Blackpool North station, and jumped on the sleek, modern tram service at North Pier heading north out of the town.

My stop was Little Bispham and the start of my Wyre Coast-hugging walk. First stop was Cleveleys and its elaborate concrete promenade and sea defences, which have Brutalist and Communist era vibes.

The sea front is also peppered with art works, the most prominent being Mary’s Shell which was being lapped by the high tide.

It’s easy to stay at Cleveleys but I pressed on along the wide seaside path, an invigorating trudge around this nub of land. At the top is Rossall Point, hard to miss with its striking observation tower made for bird watchers.

Stark and minimalist

The path leads you to Fleetwood, a small seaside town with two lighthouses (one little, one large), the elegantly domed Marine Hall and a smattering of beach huts and a few dunes.

Fleetwood marks the northern end of the Blackpool tramway, so a convenient way to return – unless you’re feeling energetic and fancy walking back. 

This stretch of coast was a welcome getaway from city life and a contrast the bright lights of Blackpool. Photographically it was quite stark and minimalist with eye-catching architecture.

So head to the Wyre Coast if you get the chance, you’ll enjoy the ride.

The small beachside lighthouse at Fleetwood

The ‘baby brother’ lighthouse at Fleetwood