Southport: A day of two halves

May 7, 2023May 7, 2023 / mikeosbornphoto / 2 Comments

Here in the UK, if the weather forecast for the next day is good, you make plans.

On this particular occasion I decided to travel from Manchester to the seaside resort of Southport for some sunshine.

It looked like the forecasters had got it wrong. Heavy clouds and the threat of rain made the Mersey coastal town look dramatic rather than calm.

But a fish and chip lunch later, the clouds shifted to make way for beautiful blue skies and had me scurrying back to Southport’s expansive beach and lengthy pier. There’s always hope even in the north of England!

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New Brighton: Back to the Mersey

February 20, 2022February 20, 2022 / mikeosbornphoto / 2 Comments

The resort of New Brighton sits on the edge of the Wirral peninsula, next to the River Mersey estuary and across from the city of Liverpool. It’s a place worth revisiting. CONTINUES BELOW

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It’s nearly five years since my first visit to New Brighton on a cloudy day. My return was marked with a splendidly sunny winter’s day and clear blue skies.

The scenic attractions of this Victorian resort remain: Perch Rock lighthouse which is irresistible to photographers, the tall red cranes of Liverpool’s port across the Mersey and amazing views of the city.

After exploring the rich sands of the beach and enjoying those Liverpool vistas, I left the promenade and wandered to New Brighton’s Victoria Quarter, an area of shops and cafes painted in vibrant colours.

I then clambered up the hill to see the impressive cupola of Saints Peter, Paul and Philomena Catholic church for the first time – well worth the steep incline.

This was a return trip to enjoy the coast and discover a little more about New Brighton. If you ever get the chance, make a stop here.

Formby: A wonderful winter beach

January 9, 2022January 9, 2022 / mikeosbornphoto / 6 Comments

Formby on the Merseyside coast is one of north-west England’s most popular seaside spots.

But there’s no glitzy resort town, built-up promenade or lines of beach huts. Just acres of sand, rolling dunes and pine forests to explore.

More than three years after my first visit, I returned on a chilly winter’s day and in the wake of Storm Arwen, which felled large pine trees on the roads leading to the beach.

My walk along the sand blew all the cobwebs away, while epic clouds began to fill the sky. So long as you’re wrapped up warm, a winter beach is wonderful, don’t you think? Please leave your comments below

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Wide open Wirral

July 11, 2021July 8, 2021 / mikeosbornphoto / Leave a comment

The Wirral is a little peninsula that juts into the Irish Sea between Liverpool and north Wales.

But there’s nothing small about this place in Merseyside, with its open wide skies, vast tidal beaches and army of offshore wind turbines.

I visited the small coastal town of Hoylake, which is quiet, understated and charming – the perfect escape from the urban heft of Manchester. Do you fancy a trip there?

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Return to the seaside

June 6, 2021June 6, 2021 / mikeosbornphoto / 2 Comments

I last visited the coastline of north west England in January 2020 before the coronavirus pandemic took hold and we had to stay close to home.

That trip was to the Lancashire seaside town of Lytham St Anne’s. I finally returned in April 2021 to see the sea again and enjoy sunny blue skies.

I walked along this stretch of the Fylde Coast armed with my wide angle lens. The photos I took express a real sense of space and freedom – exactly what I’d been craving for in Manchester.

The past year makes you appreciate the simple things, doesn’t it?