day trip

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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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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A magnificent northern garden

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A warm summer’s day is the perfect time to visit the RHS Bridgewater Garden in Salford, just a 30-minute bus ride from central Manchester. CONTINUES BELOW

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The garden, which opened last year, is on the site of stately pile Worsley New Hall.

Some of the old architecture remains, while there’s a sleek new building which houses visitor amenities.

Bridgewater’s focal point is a large walled garden which was bursting with plants and colourful blooms on my visit. It looks like it’s been established for decades, not just a couple of years.

Woodland and meadow trails are also part of the site, full of grasses and wild foxgloves as I wandered around the site.

RHS Bridgewater is already a huge success, with many visitors which I hadn’t expected. It was a challenge to take photographs giving the impression I had the place to myself!

Have you been to Bridgewater or another RHS garden? Share your thoughts below.

A pair of seats in the walled garden at RHS Bridgewater

There are plenty of spots to rest and enjoy the gardens

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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

Another Place

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This stretch of coast is within easy striking distance of Manchester, here in the north-west of England.

Crosby beach is already a lovely stretch of sand sweeping north of Liverpool, but has had an added attraction since 2005.

Renowned British sculptor Antony Gormley created 100 bronze male figures (cast in the image of his own body) which are dotted along the shoreline and without doubt totally compelling.

I finally went to Crosby in late May, and was thoroughly drawn to the statues and their places on the shore. I nearly lost a pair of shoes to the silt and was surprised by the speed of the incoming tide – so be careful when your desire to photograph takes over!

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