You will feel young if you visit here.
Over the past few months I have had the good fortune to work in Crosby, which is a small coastal town just north of Liverpool. It is part of the Sefton coastal area which stretches a few miles further to Southport.
It really is a lovely place. At first when you visit you might think that it is unremarkable. However when you find the beach your opinion changes.
Crosby beach is vast. It is a wonderful place for a walk or just to sit and take in the views. You can look across the Irish Sea or watch vessels coming in and out of Liverpool.
The beach is the permanent home to “Another Place”, the sculptures by Antony Gormley. There are scores of these dotted all over the sand.
The whole area is beautiful. However, a word of warning. The tide can come in very quickly and if you are unaware you could be trapped. Also beware of mud and silt. If you find this you can sink very quickly. If nobody else is about you can be in deep trouble. I can vouch for the capability of the local coastguard who rescued me from this situation.
A few miles further up the coast is Formby. Again the beach is enormous and it is a marvelous place for walking. You can enjoy the environment whilst looking out for wildlife. Apart from a rich variety of birds the area supports communities of Natterjack Toads as well as several types of Lizards and Newts.
It also supports Red Squirrels.
Red Squirrels are sadly a rare sight in England. They can only be seen in a handful of areas. They used to live all over the country until a caravan of North American Grey Squirrels illegally migrated here bringing with them the Squirrel Pox virus which is lethal to the native red. Build that wall! Build that wall!
The local population of Red Squirrels live in a small forest that is managed by the National Trust. They are definitely worth visiting. Take a camera and be patient. You will be rewarded with some fun memories.
Southport is the largest town in the area. The beach here is even bigger. Again be aware of the tide changing and look out for mud. There is a nature reserve along the coast just north of the town. There is also the world famous Royal Birkdale Golf Club which has hosted many Open Championships. Several ex footballers live around here so if you visit the Co-op you might catch sight of Lawro or even Kenny Dalglish.
The town itself is very smart and busy. Much of it was laid out during Victorian times and it has retained much of the charm of a traditional seaside resort with wide boulevards, parks and lakes for you to promenade by.
The whole area is worth a visit.
Book early and you could find a really good value break that you will enjoy.
Gordon's Gubbins. 