North West
Take a Look At Our Fantastic Selection of Routes
You will enjoy miles of sandy beaches and glorious views across the Liverpool Bay and Irish Sea. The area is rich in history - the walk passes the Fort Perch Rock near New Brighton, built as a coastal defence during the Napoleonic period and now a Grade II listed building. This walk starts at Thurstaston Country Park, passes through West Kirby and Hoylake (where the Dee estuary meets the Irish Sea), continues through the North Wirral Country Park and New Brighton, along the Egremont Promenade before ending in Seacombe. The North Wirral Country Park is home to many forms of wildlife, and is one of the country’s premier sites for wading bird populations. Hoylake, West Kirby and Seacombe offer a wide range of excellent pubs, restaurants and hotels.
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The Sefton Coastal Footpath starts as you walk onto Crosby Marine Park at the bottom of South Road in Waterloo. The site is ideal for many informal activities such as birdwatching, flying kites, walking, picnics. Facing west, there are fine views of the Gormley’s, the docks, North Wales and excellent sunsets. The path also features Anthony Gormley’s Another Place which is a collection of 100 life size statutes is on the beach at Crosby. The state of the tide will affect how many you can see! The navigable shipping channel for Liverpool docks run parallel to the beach so you may well see large ships just off the shore.
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Features Royal Birkdale Golf Course, the venue for The Open in 2008; Ainsdale Discovery Centre, headquarters of Sefton Council’s Coast & Countryside Service; Sands Lake Nature Trail and several top rated nature reserves with Grass of Parnassus, wild Orchids, rare butterflies, Sand Lizards, Natterjack Toads, plus hordes of shorebirds in winter. Formby Point has four more excellent nature reserves; the National Trust’s famous Red Squirrel Reserve; the site of the UK’s oldest lifeboat station; magnificent sand dunes and pine woodlands; the tidal mudflats of the River Alt, yet more shorebirds and a church with a unique stained glass window featuring the wildlife of the Sefton Coast. Phew! Plenty to keep you busy along this route!
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The route is flanked by the salt marshes of the Ribble which are managed by Natural England and Sefton Council and are suitable for cycling. Attractions include Marshside RSPB Reserve – one of the country’s top reserves for breeding wading birds; Southport’s wonderful pier, Marine Lake, The Promenade, Lord Street shopping and dining; the brand new suspension bridge; the Ocean Plaza complex and the Queen’s Jubilee Nature Trail. Southport’s extensive events programme includes the Southport Flower Show and the Southport Air Show. A combination of trains from Ainsdale to Southport and buses to Crossens allow an easy return to your starting point.
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Fairhaven Lake is one of the borough's most popular attractions. Nestled between Lytham and St Anne's, a salt water lake, positioned directly on the coast next to Granny's Bay and Stanner Bank. This picturesque stretch of coastline is lined with well tended lawns, a boating lake and pretty parks. The rolling sand dunes of St Annes-on-Sea and the Ribble Estuary adjacent to Lytham make a safe haven for more than 250,000 migrating birds that flock here in winter. Blackpool Tower is one of the most famous landmarks in the country standing at 518 feet at the top of the flagstaff. The Tower took nearly 3 years to build and opened on Whit Monday 1894. Many of the original attractions are as popular today as they ever were, such as the ballroom and the lift to the top.
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You can use Blackpool’s iconic tram system to return to the start of your walk. This section is suitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs.From Blackpool, follow the coast up to Fleetwood passing Rossall School which was adapted in 1884 from one of the Fylde’s most famous houses, for the education of the. sons of Anglican clergy and gentry. Formerly the home of the Hesketh-Fleetwoods, little of the original house remains. The Victorian town of Fleetwood, in Wyre, is nestled at the meeting point of the majestic River Wyre and the Irish Sea and with its long stretch of sandy beach, it’s a popular seaside destination for families. Fleetwood is believed to be the first planned town of the Victorian Era and Queen Victoria herself passed through it on her way from London to Scotland in 1847. Fleetwood’s Victorian buildings and monuments are still some of its most appealing attractions
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This route follows the edge of the Lune estuary SSSI for most of the way. This is an internationally important area for migrating birds and wildfowl. It is second only to the Wash in England in bird numbers and is the major site for oystercatchers and curlew. You will pass Fluke Hall, to the south of Pilling, which is an attractive small house now used as a nursing home. The name refers to the local name for flatfish. The route from Lane Ends to Cockerham veers inland and not along the embankment, to which access is restricted for conservation reasons. Winmarleigh Moss lies just to the south of the route. This is on of the last remaining areas of uncultivated mossland on the Lancashire coast – most the rest was drained for farming many years ago. Glasson Dock was opened in 1787 as a port for Lancaster. Despite being connected to the Lancaster canal in 1826 it never achieved the trade its sponsors hoped for. It now provides a safe haven for both canal and sea-going boats.
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The path to Morecambe also follows an old railway line and shares space with national cycle route 6. Again it is suitable for for both wheelchairs and pushchairs.. Overlooking the river Lune, and the fabulous Georgian architecture of St. George’s Quay sits Lancaster Maritime Museum. The Museum is housed in the Port of Lancaster Custom House and warehouse buildings which date from the second half of the 18th century. The buildings along the quayside developed around this time as a result of the success of overseas trade. Alongside the Museum are buildings, which belonged to prosperous Quaker slave trader Dodshon Foster. The museum is open every day, from 11 to 5 in the summer months.The art deco Midland Hotel, right on the front at Morecambe, has been painstakingly restored by Urban Splash and afternoon tea here would provide a fitting end to this section of the walk. Just along the front is the statue to one of Morecambe’s most famous sons, Eric Morecambe.
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Stations at Morecambe and Silverdale provide the option of a return to your start by rail, although you will need to change trains at Lancaster. The route north from Morecambe provides excellent views of the wide expanse of Morecambe Bay and the Lakeland Fells beyond. Carnforth has a long association with the railways dating back to 1846, when the first station opened. The town further expanded when it formed the junction of 3 railway lines. Later, Carnforth was also linked to the coalfields of Durham by the South Durham and Lancashire railway. The station was also used in the film Brief Encounter and the waiting room has been restored to replicate the tearooms in the film. Warton Crag is a prominent limestone hill which lies on the southern edge of the Arnside/Silverdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and just off the route. A small but exceptionally beautiful and nationally significant landscape of low limestone hills, crags and pavements, fine deciduous woodlands, sheltered valleys and intimate pastures enclosed by drystone walls and hedgerows. The Lancashire Coastal Way officially ends at Jenny Brown’s Point, where the Cumbria Coastal Way takes over. You can cut inland to end your walk at Silverdale station and this will add about 1.1 miles to your journey.
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On this lovely walk you can take in the stunning views of Morecambe bay and take in a great many beautiful and interesting towns and villages, including the Arnside - Silverdale Area which is designated as an 'Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty'. The first part of the walk, from Jenny Brown’s Point through Silverdale, has splendid panoramic views south across the Bay from Clougha right round to Black Combe in Cumbria, with Morecambe and Heysham prominent in the centre
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The path along the former railway from Arnside provides exceptional views, that includes Coniston fells, the Fairfield horseshoe, the Kentmere Fells, the Howgill Fells and the Langdale Pikes. When you reach Grange-over-sands, you can admire this beautiful small Victorian seaside resort on the west shore of Morecambe bay. Whilst it may look inviting at low tide to walk across the sands from Arnside to Grange, this is extremely dangerous and should not be attempted unless as part of a guided walk with an experienced guide
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This walk takes you through lovely, quiet country lanes where you can really enjoy the beautiful outdoors.
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On can follow the footpath along the beautiful Ulverston Canal, which is said to be the deepest, widestest and straightest canal in the UK
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Walking from Ulverston to Roa Island provides a lovely walk where you can view beautiful flora and birdlife.
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Taking you along beautiful sandy beaches, to grassy dunes. Expect to see lots of birdlife, You may even be lucky enough to see a whale, seal or dolphin!!
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This is a wonderful coastal walk, where you can see the small River Irt, and take in the beautiful sights of a wide range of flora and fauns at the Drigg local nature reserve. And you can finish this exciting walk at the popular holiday resort St Bees, which some say is 'the finest in the country'.
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If you like history you'll love this path. On this walk you will pass the sight of Haig Pit, which mined coal from up to 7km under the Irish Sea. The site is now a working museum with access from the coast path. You can also read up on Whitehavens port history at The Beacon Visitor Centre.
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There is rich variety of wildlife and unusual flower species that you can spot on this walk. Which highlights the beautiful sight of the River Derwent.
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This coastal path takes you to Siddick Pond, here there are extensive reed beds and over 150 bird species have been spotted here, along with a large collection of wild flowers, this makes for a stunning walk.
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This walk will take you through Allonby which a lovely and popular point where you can stop for refreshments. From Dubmill Point the dunes stretch out almost continuously for 8km and form the beautiful Silloth Dunes and Mawbray Bank (but the habitats are fragile here so please stick to the path or use the beach).
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This is a long walk, but its worth it for the lovely sights you'll see along the way, as it follows the boundary of Gibbs Meadow a herb rich meadowland just 10m above sea level.
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The route from Kirkbride will take you past remote lands with fine views across Moricambe Bay and the Solway.
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On this path you will walk through Beaumont, it means beautiful hill. It is on a wooded bluff above the River Eden on the site of a Roman milecastle, which makes for quite a view!
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This route follows the north bank of the Eden, here you can take in incredible sights of small red sandstone cliffs and spot excellent views of the Solway estuary, the northern Lake District Fells and the Northern Pennines along this stretch.
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Douglas has been the island's capital since 1863 and holds most of the island action. Its beautiful sea front is lined with picturesque hotels and restaurants. The Marine Drive, leading for three miles south from Douglas Harbour is not what you might imagine and provides an excellent route half way up the cliffs all the way to Port Soderick. The Viking fortified farm of Cronk-ny-Merrieu at Port Grenaugh (Scandinavian for “sunny harbour”) dates from the late 11th century but excavations have revealed iron age occupation. Across the shallow bay of Derby Haven the 16th century St Michael’s Chapel can be seen on St Michael’s Island, connected to the mainland by a causeway. Derby Haven is a bird watcher’s paradise particularly at the run of tides.
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The Isle of Man steam railway can be used to return to your starting point for all stages from Douglas to Port Erin. Castletown is the Island’s ancient capital and home to Castle Rushen which is one of Europe’s most finely preserved medieval castles and fortress of the Kings and Lords of Mann. Its origins can be found in the Norse period when Norse Kings fortified a strategic site guarding the entrance to the Silverburn River. Following the coast, there will be plenty of bird life to look out for, including heron and goldeneye so bring a pair of binoculars and a camera! Port St. Mary is a busy harbour for yachts, though other boats also make their home here. Thatched cottages and local shops fill narrow streets near the sea coast making it a beautiful place to finish a fine coastal walk
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One of the finest of all cliff walks leads southwards from Port St. Mary to the Calf of Man, passing the Chasms, impressive deep fissures in the cliffs. The Calf of Man is accessible from 'The Port' and magnificent views of the spectacular cliffs, with myriads of sea birds, can be gained from the sea. A small diversion can be made inland to Cregneash village, which houses a folk museum with many traditional Manx houses. Cregneash overlooks the Sound which is a treacherous stretch of water separating the Isle of Man and the Calf of Man. The name of the little isle comes from the Scandinavian kalfr meaning 'little island next to a larger island'. The Calf of Man is a 616 acre islet lying across the Sound off the Island's south west tip, below the hillside village of Cregneash. It is a bird sanctuary and nature reserve managed by Manx National Heritage and has a resident warden and a bird observatory.
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This is a mountain section over the Carnanes, with three summits and some sheer cliffs with magnificent sea views. If visibility is poor you should seriously consider taking the alternative route slightly inland. Fleshwick Bay, derived from the Scandinavian ‘flesvick’ or ‘green’ bay, is a popular spot for scuba diving. There is also the delightful cove of Niarbyl with its 'tail of rocks' resisting the waves. The cove contains an old fisherman's cottage, known as 'Old Tom's', now preserved as a private dwelling. The path up Cronk ny Arrey Laa (Hill of the Morning Watch) is steep up to a huge summit cairn at 1,434’. The cairn is actually a prehistoric burial mound, dating from c1,500 BC.
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Peel Castle sits on an islet near the harbour of Peel. Built by William le Scrope in 1392, the castle holds within its walls a wealth of history. It is situated on St Patrick's Isle and is believed to be the first place Christianity was brought to the Isle of Man by St Patrick around 1226. The islet site is covered in ruins starting from around 1000 AD. Much of the route , from St Germaine’s Halt to Glen Mooar, follows the route of a railway line closed in 1968. At the old viaduct at Glen Mooar, you can make a short diversion to Spooyt Vane, a pretty three tiered waterfall.
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The map suggests a long and boring straight beach walk but the reality is far more varied. Take care when on the beach at high tide, particularly around Jurby Head. The Ayres Visitor Centre lies within an important stretch of lowlying sand dune coastline, stretching for 8 km from Cronk-y-Bing to the Point of Ayre. The area is of major ecological significance, parts having been designated as an Area of Special Scientific Interest and as National Nature Reserve. Sea-watching from the shore can be very rewarding, with diving gannets and terns offshore in summer and the possibility of basking sharks, seals and other marine mammals; an impressive list of seabirds and waders can be seen at any season.
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The route follows the beach for most of the way. Take care at high tide as there will be little room to walk between the waves and the base of the cliffs. On a clear day you should be able to see the Galloway Hills of south west Scotland from Point of Ayre, about 18 miles away. Ramsey is the only town to boast an iron pier which was built in 1886 reaching into Ramsey Bay. It helped Ramsey develop into a favourite resort, but like many of its Victorian contemporaries, the pier is rapidly succumbing to the ravages of time and the sea.
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The Isle of Man electric railway can be used to return to your starting point for all stages from Ramsey to Douglas. Ramsey is the Isle of Man’s second town after Douglas and has a thriving working harbour. The route at Port e Vullen is impassable at high tide, necessitating a short diversion via the road. Now a place for coastal walks and high sea views, Maughold Head is rich in history with an Iron Age fortification crowning its summit. In the 6th and 7th centuries iron ore was taken from here for smelting, and a monastery was once established on the windy cliff top. Nearby are the early Christian monuments preserved in the ‘cross shelter’ in Maughold churchyard. The precipitous cliffs are home to significant colonies of seabirds such as Razorbills, Guillemots, Kittiwakes, Fulmars and Shags. Gob ny Rona, a small peninsula of mostly maritime heath and low cliffs, offers impressive views of Ramsey from the coastal footpath. Dhoon Glen, is the deepest and probably most beautiful glen on the Island. It has one of the highest and most spectacular of waterfalls in all of the glens. Known as "Big Girl", it totals over 40 metres (130 ft) in two drops
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The Isle of Man electric railway can be used to return to your starting point for all stages from Ramsey to Douglas.Named from the Norse word for Salmon river 'laxa', due to the tales of great catches, today Laxey is mainly a residential and tourist area, though in the past it was a thriving mining and fishing village. The Laxey Mines were the deepest mines in the world during the 1800's. The Great Laxey Wheel, 'Lady Isabella', was used to pump water out of the mines.The Ballannette Conservation and Wetlands Area inland of Clay Head preserves a wide selection of flora, fauna and birdlife. The last part, from Onchan, is on the road but is by no means an unpleasant walk down on to the promenade at Douglas
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