Blackpool

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.

Tap/click first image to see gallery

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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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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2023: Eight memorable photos

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It’s time to bid farewell to another year. 2023 was very memorable after I resumed overseas travel after a three-year break caused by the pandemic.

As usual it’s photography that marks the moments that count, and here are just eight of them.

How was it for you?

1. THE COLOURS OF MINDELO

My first trip abroad in three years was an island-hopping tour of Cape Verde. The colourful, vibrant and sun-kissed city of Mindelo was a favourite place and reignited my zest to see the world. It was a joy to explore and photograph.

Explore the Cape Verde islands here

A panoramic view of the Cape Verdean city of Mindelo

2. BEAUTIFULLY GILDED

In August I had a weekend away in Birmingham to explore and capture the city’s impressive and varied architecture, including its showcase library. I’d studied in Birmingham many moons ago, so the visit evoked a whole host of memories.

Tour of Birmingham’s buildings here

A view of Birmingham's ornate and modern public library

3. SERIFOS BLUE AND WHITE

In May I visited three of the lesser known Cyclades islands of Greece, namely Tinos, Syros and Serifos. Bold colours, beautiful old clifftop towns and the azure of the Aegean Sea all made photography a joy. Who doesn’t love the famed architecture of these islands?

Visit a stunning trio of Greek isles here

A blue and white church on the Greek island of Serifos

4. MOODY LINES

There was great excitement just a stone’s throw away from my Manchester home with the opening of Aviva Studios, a new arts centre with huge ambitions and a distinctive and aesthetically pleasing building. It’s a place I love to visit often.

Find out more about Aviva Studios here

A detail of the Aviva Studios in Manchester

5. PINK OF THE PIER

In all honesty the UK’s summer in 2023 wasn’t a scorcher. So on a rare fine day I visited Colwyn Bay on the north Wales coast for the first time. A beautiful beach and harbour made this a great place to enjoy with my camera in tow.

Take a trip to the Welsh seaside here

The pier's end at Colwyn Bay in Wales against a pure blue sky.

6. CHEEK BY JOWL

My home city of Manchester continued its upward growth in 2023 and was the backbone of my local photography. Two nearby residential skyscrapers became accessible and looked stunning against blue skies.

See more of Manchester’s new skyscrapers here

An upward view of new Manchester residential skyscrapers The Blade and Three60.

7. SAMUEL

Travel is about the people you meet. On my Cape Verde trip, my guide on the lush, rugged island of Santo Antão was Sam. Enthusiastic, cheerful and proud of his home, he enriched my stay.

Visit beautiful Santo Antão here

A portrait of Cape Verdean tour guide Samuel Rocha.

8. TOWER ON BLUE

I’ve had mixed feelings about the brash seaside resort of Blackpool, but an October day that was unusually warm with sunshine and stunning blue skies changed my perspective. It was a day at the coast to remember.

Visit this coast on a sun-kissed day here

A view of Blackpool Beach and Tower on a bright autumn day.

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Blackpool blues

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It’s a glorious October day. I’m straight on the train and heading for seaside icon Blackpool to enjoy a long walk in the sunshine. CONTINUE READING BELOW

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My train from Manchester took me to Blackpool North station. The walk to the promenade takes you past the resort’s garish, seedier side – but the first view of the sea makes it all worthwhile.

For my long photo walk in sublime light I stayed close to the beach, kicking off with a first wander along the North Pier, which offered great views of Blackpool’s iconic tower.

Under piercing blue skies and sun that still radiated some warmth, I edged along the resort’s strikingly Brutalist sea defences and strolled along the sand.

The last time I came to Blackpool a winter storm was raging and the water was a very murky caramel colour, but this time it was like another place altogether.

A visit to a coastal town isn’t complete without going underneath the hulky struts of its pier – a box that was satisfyingly was ticked on this occasion.

After an obligatory fish and chip lunch at a place called Cod Father (yes really) I kept tracking south and moved away from Blackpool, catching famous rollercoaster The Big One in full throttle (from a safe distance!)

The broadening of the beach and deepening of the sand was a sign I was closing in on St Annes-on-the-Sea, near Blackpool but a real shift in style and substance. I really shrugged off city life and felt peaceful along this little stretch of the Fylde Coast.

As I made my way to the train station, the sun was still blazing away in an untroubled sky – the last time before moody Atlantic lows and Arctic freezes would dominate this island…

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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