Wales by the sea

September 3, 2023August 31, 2023 / mikeosbornphoto / 4 Comments

The British summer has been a disappointment, with cool temperatures and a lot of rain.

So when a warm sunny day was forecast, I travelled by train to Colwyn Bay on the north Wales coast – a place I’d never visited.

What did I think? And did the weather hold up? FIND OUT MORE BELOW

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My first sight was this lovely stretch of coast under blue skies and warm sunshine. I wasn’t the only one who had decided to flock to the seaside, but there was room for everyone.

Colwyn Bay has a short but perfectly formed Victorian pier which was remodelled and restored in 2021 with swathes of pink ironwork which looked stunning against the sky.

I wandered north to Colywn’s smaller neighbour Rhos-on-Sea with its stone harbour and stretches of stony coastline less intended for human habitation.

After a hearty lunch the weather had closed in, with swathes of grey cloud masking the sun. But somehow this added atmosphere to the coastal landscape and day trippers carrying on regardless.

This part of north Wales coastline sits between the brash resorts of Rhyl and Prestatyn, with the eternally popular Llandudno further north.

I’m glad I decided to explore the area and make the most of a break in our dank northerly summer. Does it look good to you?

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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End of the Wirral

August 13, 2017August 9, 2017 / mikeosbornphoto / 18 Comments

This memorable day trip started with a train from Manchester to Liverpool and then my first ride on the ‘Scouse Metro’ which takes you beneath the Mersey to Birkenhead and deeper into the Wirral peninsula. At the end of the line is the town of West Kirby.

It sits on the estuary of the River Dee as it flows into the Irish Sea, with the north Wales coast across the water. But for much of the day there’s little water as the tide is out, creating a vast expanse of open sand. This was a day of rain and leaden skies, making the sense of space even greater.

West Kirby also has a marine lake circled by a road – a natural place for walks. It adds to the sense of place in this distant part of a great northern peninsula.