Explore the Sefton Coast

Sand dunes 🌊 Beaches🩴 Pinewoods 🌳Red squirrels 🐿️

Southport serves as a perfect starting point for a weekend of discovery along the Sefton Coast.

The strip of coastline nestled between the Mersey and Ribble estuaries is world-famous for its stunning landscapes and rich biodiversity.

It’s a place for endless exploration and family adventures.  A haven for birdwatching, walking, and cycling.  Home to natterjack toads, wading birds, and sand lizards.

The marshlands to the north of Southport town centre give way to golden, windswept sand dunes that stretch south from Birkdale.  The dense Pinewoods at Formby are the setting for long walks, picnics, and red squirrel-spotting.  Further south, Crosby beach provides the backdrop for Anthony Gormley’s Another Place.

Join us to explore some of the best areas of our amazing Sefton Coast, starting in Southport and moving south along the shore.

Salt marshes and birdwatching

We start our journey along the coast at RSPB Marshside, a popular twitching spot located to the north of Southport town centre.

The wetlands and salt marshes are home to a subvariety of birdlife including Lapwings, Pink-footed Geese, Avocets, and countless others that come and go throughout the year.

Accessible hides and viewing platforms offer blanket views of the reserve and the Ribble Estuary. Short trails along the embankments are perfect for a leisurely afternoon of birdwatching.

This is also an ideal starting point for the The Sefton Coastal Path; a scenic 21-mile hiking and cycling route that weaves through the dunes and woodlands between Southport and Crosby.

Southport beach

Southport beach continues to charm visitors seeking a traditional seaside experience. Each summer buckets and spades build countless sandcastles. And no trip to the coast is complete without fish and chips and ice cream in the sea air.

The beach offers breath-taking views along the Sefton Coast and beyond.  The mountains of Snowdonia (to the south) and the Lake District (to the north) can be seen in the distance on clear days.

For those looking for a fun family day out, the beach is a five-minute walk from Adventure Coast, Ocean Plaza, and Kings Gardens.

Breath-taking sand dunes

We’re heading past the shrimping carts (still in use today as they have been since Southport was a tiny fishing village 200 years ago), venturing into the ridges and valleys of a spectacular range of sand dunes that stretch for over twenty miles.

The rolling dunes of the Sefton Coast are a natural marvel; home to great crested newts, sand lizards, rare butterflies and moths, as well as hundreds of species of flowering plants.

As the environment changes from season to season, changing landscapes and new discoveries await.  Dune slacks fill with water in the colder months creating pools between the sandy banks.  In summertime, hundreds of species of flowering plants add swathes of colour to the scenery.

Head to the beach car park at Weld Road and walk The Velvet Trail, a short circular route that takes in the beauty and drama of our unique dunes system.

Amazing Ainsdale

Twilight walks along the sprawling, golden sands of Ainsdale beach are a perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of daily life.

Families flock here for sunny adventures, kitesurfing, and picnics amongst the dunes. The beach is just a short walk from Ainsdale station and trains run frequently from Southport town centre.

Stand atop the dunes and see if you can spot the huge Sand Lizard mural at Toad Hall!

More information on car parking and kite surfing at Ainsdale. 

Sand and squirrels

Nature and history intertwine at National Trust Formby, where the beaches and dunes meet lush coastal woodland.

Explore beneath the trees via various well-signposted walking trails.  The pinewoods are one of the UK's only habitats for the elusive Red Squirrel, though spotting one of the bushy-tailed bandits might not be so straight forward!

Formby beach, a popular place for picnics and treasure hunts, is also home to remarkable secrets of the past.  Prehistoric footprints and shipwrecks offer a glimpse into the history of coastal life.

Formby National Trust is a popular attraction year-round.  If visiting by car, check the @NTFormby Facebook or website before you plan your journey.

Another Place

Our journey comes to a evocative end at Crosby Beach, where one hundred iron men stare silently out to sea.

These mysterious figures make up Anthony Gormley's Another Place, a world-famous art installation stretching for over 3km.  The sculptures bring to mind images of thousands of people centuries ago who stood imagining their destiny shortly before emigrating to America.

Ever-changing tides make every visit here unique; some sculptures may be waist deep in water, some succumb to the sea completely.

Do as the iron men do and take some time for quiet contemplation, gazing out at the panoramic coastal vistas of North Wales and distant offshore wind farms.  A fitting finale to our journey along the Sefton Coast.

Travel by train

Feeling inspired to explore the Sefton Coast?  Make Southport town centre your base for a few days of exploration.

Merseyrail runs a frequent and reliable service from Southport, with short journeys that stop nearby to key attractions along the coast.

Plan your journey with Merseyrail