Morecambe: Stay on the bay

October 5, 2025October 5, 2025 / mikeosbornphoto / 4 Comments

Why settle for a day out when you can stay over?

After my successful break on the Fylde Coast, I decided to repeat the feat for Morecambe Bay, a familiar seaside spot in north Lancashire.

I spent a couple of nights in the town’s landmark Art Deco hotel and witnessed some jaw-dropping dawns and sunsets for the first time.

So I didn’t rush back home to Manchester for once. Was it worth the extra effort? CONTINUE READING BELOW.

Tap/click first image to see gallery

Morecambe’s Midland Hotel, a stylish slab of Art Deco concrete close to the beach, had long been on my list of places to spend a night or two.

The building won my heart with its elegant circular staircase, while I was given Room 101 – a large double room on a curve of the property.

It wasn’t a cheap stay, but I was in the perfect place to witness Morecambe Bay’s legendary sunsets. Ample skies, a scattering of cloud and the still waters providing a perfect mirror – I struck gold.

I also rose around 6am to see the sun rise with scarlet ribbons of colour layering the sky and Cumbria’s fells lining the horizon. The sea front was very quiet, settling my inner peace.

The last of the sunlight reflecting on the water of Morecambe Bay in Lancashire.

Dusk beauty awaits Morecambe visitors

There was plenty of time during my extended stay to take a walk to Heysham, a little seaside village I’ve visited on a previous occasion.

I wandered through Morecambe’s West End on the way, through streets full of historical markers but waiting for a good dose of TLC.

As a regular solo traveller, it was lovely to speak to local people on my walks. They admitted the town needs a boost and whispered that the Midland Hotel has lost a little of its sheen in recent years.

This was a little staycation that proved a success – you can experience so much more if you decide to stay for a night or two. So where’s next?…

Dalmatian blue

June 4, 2017June 24, 2017 / mikeosbornphoto / 19 Comments

Finally, after many years of good intention, I have visited Croatia. This Adriatic country, blessed with a rugged coastline and peppered with islands, is best travelled on a small cruise ship. That’s exactly how I took in southern Dalmatia, from the spectacular city of Dubrovnik to its sleepy little ports.

Croatia is truly photogenic, and with its calm seas and early summer skies, blue is abundant. For the first delve into my photo album, I’ve picked out my favourite notes of blue from a memorable trip. It’s a place you should add to your wish list if you haven’t already done so.

Click first image to view the collection

Click to enlarge

Gulf sunrise

April 13, 2017January 11, 2020 / mikeosbornphoto / 6 Comments

Getting up early to witness the sunrise takes a lot of effort, but it’s ultimately worth it. This particular morning I was in Doha, the capital of Qatar. I walked through the empty, grand corridors of the St Regis Hotel to the jetty next to the waters of the Arabian Gulf.

The tall buildings of this showcase city – which pulsate with colour at night – looked steely in the early light, but it soon gradually turned lustrous and golden, shared by the occasional bird and little else. The sunrise belonged to me and I was privileged to capture a little of its essence. Well worth the early alarm call…

Click first image to view the gallery

Dazzling dawn

December 12, 2012 / mikeosbornphoto / 2 Comments

It’s early morning in west London. Winter shrouds Brook Green and the cars are covered in frost.

The advantage of crisp, early starts in December is that the sunrises are piercing, if not warm. Here, the sun dominates the frame from its position low in the sky, bursting through the darkness of the trees. Even the lofty spire of Holy Trinity church is pushed to one side.

I love shooting into the sun and catching its light and fiery flares. It’s even worth chilled fingertips.

Dawn and dusk

September 29, 2012September 22, 2016 / mikeosbornphoto / 7 Comments

Two different times of the day in two countries. Sun-up on Dubai’s Jumeirah Beach, with a smattering of people enjoying the welcoming cool before the roasting heat of the day. And again when the sun was sinking slowly below the horizon beyond Gulf waters.

Dawn in Mauritius, on a deserted patch of beach in Le Touessrok, was relatively chilly. The promise of a blazing sunrise slowly faded and offered a muted show instead. In any event, sunrise and sundown are special times of the day and always enticing to the photographer.