Jutting out betwixt the Ribble Estuary and the Irish Sea, just south to the more gaudy Blackpool is…read moreLytham/St. Anne's ... is the very underrated Lytham/St. Anne's Beach. Located on the North and South Promenade of the St Anne's-on-the-Sea, the best place to start with the beach is actually on a pier ... St. Anne's Pier, to be exact. More than 130 years old, the Victorian-era "Pleasure Pier" juts out 180 meters to the tip of the water. You'll get an expansive (and on cloudy days dramatic) view of both the north and south beaches, the Irish Sea, the towns of Lytham/St. Anne's, and, in the distance, Blackpool Tower and that town's less chill offerings. The pier is a great way to see both ends of the beach ... or keep the kids entertained with game-after-game while you sunbathe on the beach. At Lytham-St. Anne's beach, you have the exact same weather as down the road in Blackpool; the exact same miles of soft, castle-maker-friendly sand; the same local ice cream vendors with their yummy concoctions; the same famed Lancashire donkey rides; the same paddler's paradise (the water is a little cold, even in the summer, for all but the hardiest of swimmers). The difference? Lytham-St. Anne's Beach isn't as crowded. Oh sure, the whole western seaboard of England is crowded on a sunny summer day, but your odds of finding a good spot here are much higher. I've stayed in both areas and spent many a days on both Blackpool and LSA beaches; I much prefer this little slice of beachgoer's heaven.

A fantastic clean and swish British Seaside beach before you hit Blackpool. Gardens, a pier and a…read moremass of sand, quiet and sedate just how I remember it from the70's. Good to see somethings have not changed. Would love to live here.

Ainsdale-on-Sea beach is a mile from the village of Ainsdale and is Southport's main bathing beach…read morewith lifeguards on duty during the summer season. The beach is one of the most popular on the coast and achieves the Seaside Award annually. The shoreline is now recognised as one of the premier beaches in the UK for extreme kite activities with permitted zones set aside on the beach for kite buggy and landboard use, with kitesurfing taking place on the sea. If you're a bit of an adrenaline junkie, then the freedom of the beach is yours. If not, it makes a great spectacle to view the professionals in action. Overall, Ainsdale-on-Sea is a relaxing destination for all ages and there is some fabulous scenery to be photographed.

What a gorgeous beach this is! Long stretches of flat sand, grassy dunes and a coastal pinewood…read moreforest (inhabited by a local population of red squirrels). A large group of us came here to participate in a beach clean-up day which they arrange most months. We were lucky that it turned out to be a gloriously sunny and warm day, but obviously the downside was that we were having to pick up all manner of litter that the lazy public neglected to take home with them. At least we were helping to keep this location as stunning as possible. It's looked after by the National Trust, so if you're not a member you'll have to pay a car park entry fee. There's a path from the first car park through the forest towards the dunes, or you can drive all the way down towards the dunes and walk to the beach from there (though this area gets full of cars very early). It was still the summer holidays so it was rather busy on the beach, with folks setting down blankets and camping chairs whilst their families messed about in the sand. A really lovely part of the coastline; how we'd never visited before whilst growing up is beyond me. Just remember to 'leave no trace' and take everything home with you!

This place has a nice combination of trails in the woods and beach. The beach is very beautiful a…read morefb is worth visiting alone. There's toilets and a ice cream van as well as a coffee/tea van but that's all in the way of amenities. It's always ram jam packed in the summer and that's if you can get into the car park to get a parking space but in the winter it's a great place to come and explore. There are quite a few dogs not on the leash but where isn't there in the uk! If you have national trust membership it's free to park and visit.

The sand at Crosby beach isn't quite as soft and luxurious as that of Formby, which is slightly…read morefurther north. In parts you actually get the distinct feeling you may sink if you stand in one place too long and a sign actually warns beach goers not to stray too far from the promenade, and of "wet sand" - a slower version, I presume, of quick sand. That said it's still a great location. One hundred metal Antony Gormley's stare out over the water, his 'Another Place' exhibit, great for amateur photographers. Look to the left and you see cranes, ships and the odd pile of scrap metal. To the right a wind farm and on a clear day, the Blackpool Tower. Don't stare at the stunning vistas too long mind, make sure you beware of the jellyfish that sporadically pop up from time to time. On my last visit to Crosby's sands (31 August) the sun was beaming and warm, and a walk along this under-used beach was a real treat.

Crosby Beach is one of my favorite places in the Merseyside area. My boyfriend's family lives not…read moretoo far away, so whenever we're visiting, I ask to go and we always bring along the their dogs. The main attraction here is to see Antony Gormley's Another Place, a permanent installation of 100 cast iron men that spans the entire beach and into the sea as well. The sculptures are all made in the form of the artist's figure, and all face out looking at the sea. They're ever-evolving as nature erodes them away. They're all identical, but they've been placed as various heights. Some are buried into the sea or into the water. The beach itself is quite deserted; there's never very many people here, but when you arrive you think there's more people until you realized it's the statues masquerading as people in the distance. It's a great beach to take your dog too. However, it's quite windy here, so a nice stroll along the beach in the sand, or up on the boardwalk, that's all that's very nice. It's not the beach to sit out at. Come at sunset for a stunning sky and see the iron men in perfect light! This is a great spot for photographers! The iron men look beautiful in various lights, but especially at sunset. There is easy, free parking in the parking lot above the boardwalk too.

Kids always love it here. We avoid peak season time otherwise you would look like a tin or…read moresardines! There is a spectator area is tables and chairs with a cafe for food or drinks. The slides and wave pool are one of a kind!

Great slides lots of fun. Tons of variety of slides and an amazing lazy river me and my family had…read morea lots of fun would definitely recommend.

Beautiful new apartments facing the sea in Lytham St Annes. The styling and functionality are of…read morethe highest quality and our family of four just had a fabulous 4 night stay including a beach hut for a couple of days. Magnificent coming back next year!

Dunes at their best, elusive red squirrels and wide sprawling flat brown sandy beaches. There are…read moretwo car parks, one at the Squirrel Trail and one by the beach. Bring coins for the machines unless you have the Parking App. 50 years ago there were tons of red squirrels, the dunes felt massive as we rang hither and thither and slid down the sand, and then ran to the water for a paddle. It's still quite lovely but I fear you would be lucky to see half a squirrel or just a tail.

Formby's Freshfield Nature Reserve has been a long time favourite of mine due to the beauty of its…read morelandscape; I always find this place relaxing on a summer's stroll through its enchanting woodlands, as I keep my eyes peeled for elusive and rare red squirrels that roam. To make the most of your day, you should not miss the stunning stretch of unspoilt coastline that features long sandy beaches and attractive pine woods. As you walk along the beaches, it makes a discovery to search for the 5000-year old red deer footprints that still remain. My favourite part of Freshfield has to be the miles of sand dunes (one of the largest in the UK) and now home to many endangered species such as the Natterjack Toad and the Northern Dune Tiger Beetle. Formby by far is one of the best nature reserves in the North West. A word of warning though, do not circumnavigate before it gets dark, as it's so easy to lose track and find yourself in the middle of nowhere. Make sure you visit with your friends and/or family because it makes an excellent day out!

Okay, so as much as we like to see squirrels darting about, we need to know the truth. Grey…read moresquirrels are evil. Red squirrels are nice. Now, I for one am as anthropomorphic as you can get - well, maybe not so much as some people (http://news.nationalpost.com/2010/05/04/german-man-marries-his-dying-cat-cecilia/) but I do love nature's creatures (selectively... let's not go mad and include large house spiders and divebombing city pigeons in this list) and when I lived opposite Sainsbury's in Salford, I saved a grey squirrel whose back legs had become paralysed, from a harsh 'piteously indifferent' (as my zoologist father says of nature) slow death in the wild by taking him to an RSPCC hospital. He was put to sleep, but as I said the vet assured me I'd done the right thing by bringing him in as Salford's streets wouldn't have been kind to a lame squirrel. He was grey. I knew then that they're evil, but they all deserve the same treatment. They can't help their politics. They were brought over here, so it's our stupid fault for messing with their ecology. Greys colonise, they plunder and pillage. Thus our beautiful little fluffy ginger friend, the red, native to this country, has largely depleted since we introduced these naughty, neo-fascistic greys. Thank frick then for Formby's National Trust. Among the beautiful, peaceful sand dunes of Formby on the Sefton coast, north of Liverpool, you'll find a gorgeous sunlight-dappled forest full of picnic benches and walking paths. This is a reserve for red squirrels. They're safe here, well protected, and unlike in the wild, you can actually get a view of them here. But you can get much, much more than that. These animals have been living here so long, and have become so used to humans, that they are almost tame. It's not unusual for them to come right up to you and even take a peanut from the palm of your hand with their tiny little paws. Now, you have to understand how incredible that is. Rare and endangered animals are usually skittish and antisocial, but these little reds are just the opposite. I urge you to go. My father's been bringing me here for years and I've always enjoyed it, the novelty of socialising with a red squirrel doesn't wear off. As well as the little fellas, you can explore Formby's spectacular dunes and the picturesque beach which offers water so clear and pretty, I've even bathed in it as a child. Now where else could you get all that?

Squirrels rock - red squirrels rock even more! It would just be helpful if on the last 2 visits…read morehere I saw more than 1 (i.e we didn't see a single one on this occasion!) - in fact the 'squirrel walk' would be better labelled 'no squirrel walk' - but hey I understand it's difficult to coax these little guys out - but if it worked for the T-rex in Jurassic park then I'm sure they could get something like a giant nut that could be wheeled out when visitors are in town! As well as lovely woods, there's Formby beach which you get access to from here - lovely sand dunes, lovely views and lovely vibes. You need to be a National trust member to get access to all this (or pay on the day) and it gets super busy - we were lucky and got here about 11am but when we left at 230pm you're talking queues down the road for miles just to get in - so get there early!

"Another Place" is Antony Gormley's spectacular modern art piece at Crosby beach. It features 100…read morecast iron men, in replica of the artist's figure, set over 2 miles at the beach looking out into the sea. Some are cast far out into the water, and some of the sculptures are very close to the boardwalk. The sculptures are buried at various depths in the sand (or water), creating a vivid landscape. They were supposed to move to other cities like New York after their stint in Crosby, but it was decided that the iron men would remain in Crosby. As time has passed, nature has taken over and the men have become one with the sea and their environment as they have been engrossed with moss, algae and corrosion, making them ever more poignant in their location. Come at sunset for a stunning sky and see the iron men in perfect light! This is a great spot for photographers! The iron men look beautiful in various lights, but especially at sunset. It's a great spot to take your dogs for a run on the beach too. There is easy, free parking in the parking lot above the boardwalk too.

I have to say that I have always admired Antony's work, but he has really come into fashion in the…read morelast few years - since the Angel of the North in fact. This particular piece was installed on various beaches before being brought home to the NorthWest. As others have pointed out, there was initially local opposition to the figures, but these same people have now fully adopted them and fought to keep them on Formby beach. Representing the hundreds of thousands of emigrants who travelled from the port of Liverpool, they have a poignancy as well as a feeling of expectancy. See them as the tide comes in or goes out - both are equally rewarding. Don't forget your camera!