Natural wonders

Coastal hike: St Annes to Fleetwood

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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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Manchester: Stunning Spring

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Spring got off to a spectacular start in Manchester and across the UK.

For three weeks we enjoyed dry, sunny and settled weather thanks to a prolonged period of high pressure.

My local high rise buildings gleamed blue under the sun. The cherry blossom season also flourished.

I took a trip to Dunham Massey south of the city to see the gardens sparkle. What a time to take photographs – and be alive!

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Coastal walk: Lytham to Blackpool

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The weather forecast promised a warm September day in northern England.

I hurriedly booked train tickets from Manchester to the genteel Lancashire seaside town of Lytham St Annes, and planned to walk along the coast to colourful, brash Blackpool.

I took this trip on a beautiful autumn day in 2023, but the route was reversed.

Did going from south to north make all the difference? KEEP READING BELOW

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When I arrived at Lytham, I headed straight for the promenade where the tide was far out and sandscape glistening in the sun.

The curve of Granny’s Bay was full of people enjoying the warmth and dog walkers enjoying the sea’s absence.

I did the same at St Annes Beach, wandering far out on the golden sands, beyond the resort’s perfect row of bathing huts. Visiting the stranded pier and its famous old remnants had to be done.

St Annes Pier in Lancashire taken with the tide very far out.

St Annes Pier surrounded by sand not sea

The genteel coast eventually gives way to the bold bulk of Blackpool. Unlike last year, the tide was sloshing against the Brutalist coastal defences so there would be no walk along the beach this time.

I enjoyed peering up at the concrete monuments and huge mirrorball of the New South Promenade with a perfect view of famed rollercoaster The Big One – and the resort’s iconic tower.

So this time I finished my walk among the hum and buildings of Blackpool, unlike the relative calm of Lytham’s coast. As for the photographs, I was blessed with another year of stellar skies and finding relative minimalism by the sea. 

This is a coastal escape from the hustle and bustle of inland Manchester, no matter which way you walk.

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Colours of Spring

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It’s safe to say that winter is over, even here in the north of England.

Spring has burst out with tree blossoms, seasonal flowers and green shoots.

I paid a Spring visit to RHS Bridgewater, a public garden on the outskirts of Salford. The sun was shining and the tulip beds were a riot of colour. Dandelions had taken over the meadows.

What’s not to like?!

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Pink blossoms at Castlefield in Manchester.

In my Manchester neighbourhood of Castlefield, there is one tree which gives a sumptuous show of pink blossoms every year – and 2023 is no exception

White tree blossom catching the sunlight at Angel Meadow in Manchester.

The trees are putting on a show around Manchester city centre, including this one at Angel Meadow catching the full force of some Spring sunshine

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Two seasons on the reservoir

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Entwistle Reservoir in Lancashire is just a 30 minute train journey from Manchester. It’s a beauty spot that changes greatly with the seasons. Enjoy the photographs and read more below

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My first visit to Entwistle was on a chilly February morning. The area was cloaked in a ghostly blanket of fog while the reservoir’s levels were very healthy.

Fast forward to July and a summer heatwave with piercing blue skies. The waterways were noticably depleted and green blooms of algae were taking hold. It looked a very different place to the winter.

A walk to the magnificent Entwistle Viaduct on both visits was a real contrast. In winter it reflected perfectly in plump waters. By summer the scene was drought-ridden and tainted by algae.

No matter what the season is, Entwistle and the adjacent Wayoh reservoir is a popular place for walkers and their dogs, with the calm waterways and surrounding tranquil forests.

Back in the heat of July, I had to stop for a refreshing drink and hearty pub lunch at the Strawbury Duck before heading back to Manchester.

Entwistle Reservoir is a place I’d go back to for a good walk with my camera and to observe the changing seasons.

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