Day Trips from Manchester

In Brief. Lytham St Annes is a town immediately to the south of Blackpool, and the coast faces the Irish Sea over substantial beaches in St Annes. Thus St Annes is essentially a somewhat sleepy seaside resort that most likely is not especially envious of its glitzier neighbour. Following the coast round to the Ribble estuary, Lytham has costal defences, but feels more like a market town, with a refined shopping and restaurant area and an annual music festival . Statue of a shrimper in Lowther Gardens, Lytham. What's Here? In visiting a town that occupies a substantial stretch of shoreline, I decided to park at St Annes, walk to Lytham along the coastal path, and to walk back along the slightly more direct cost road (perhaps 4 miles each way).  This turned out to be a reasonable plan, with changing costal scenery, a variety of attractions, and periodic eateries. In my visit in September, it was warm, occasionally sunny, and calm, though during a previous visit in October the coast w...

In Brief. Southport is a substantial seaside resort on the Irish Sea, though on my visit the tide was out, and it was hard to see the sea over the expanse of sand, even from the end of the Pier! Is it a tired throw-back to another era (think Every Day is Like Sunday )? Well, it's a British seaside resort, so not everything on show was invented in the last 20 years, but near the front there is a modern cinema with associated restaurants alongside artefacts from Victorian times. So, if you are open to the British seaside experience, the beach is vast, the pier is long, the entertainments are numerous, and a modest amount of effort may also uncover some lower profile things to like, such as the distinctive eateries, independent shops, a modern cultural centre ... and perhaps even the shiny new crazy golf course that was being completed in time for the school holidays. As well as reaching out to sea, the Pier goes some way inland! What's Here? With a population of over 90,000, Sout...