North West England
Dog-friendly date ideas in Southport and the Sefton Coast
Updated
Southport and the Sefton Coast make a lovely day out with a dog, because so much of it is sand, dunes and parkland. Walk the beach at sunset or round King’s Gardens and Marine Lake, let the dog run in Hesketh Park or the Botanic Gardens in Churchtown, or take the train down the coast to the dunes at Ainsdale, the squirrel woods and beach at Formby, or Antony Gormley’s iron men on Crosby Beach. Adventure Coast welcomes dogs on leads, though not on the rides, and the Freshfield in Formby is the place for lunch after a walk, with the dog at your feet. Two stretches of beach, at Southport and Ainsdale, are dog-free from May to September, and along the coast it’s kindest to keep dogs away from resting birds and out of the dune pools.
Our picks
King's Gardens and Marine Lake
The Promenade, by the pier
Address: King's Gardens, Promenade, Southport PR8 1QX- Outdoors
- Free
- Dog friendly
- Best in Spring, Summer, Autumn
- Romantic
Walk the restored seafront gardens between the promenade and Marine Lake, across the Venetian-style bridge and round the water.
Why it's a good date: Old-fashioned seaside at its best: flower beds, shelters to sit in, a café, and the lake glittering in the evening. Dogs can come off the lead on most of the lawns, but not in the playground or on the bowling green.
Photo: Jeff Buck, CC BY-SA 2.0 (resized)
Southport beach at sunset
Marine Drive, by the pier
Address: Marine Drive, Southport PR8 1SB- Outdoors
- Free
- Dog friendly
- Romantic
Walk out across the huge flat sands beyond the pier and watch the sun go down over the Irish Sea.
Why it's a good date: The tide goes out a very long way, so you get a whole sky to yourselves. The pier is shut while it's restored, so stick to the sand. Dogs are welcome, apart from 1 May to 30 September, when the stretch from the pier south towards Adventure Coast is dog-free.
Photo: Peter McDermott, CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped and resized)
Hesketh Park
Park Crescent, north of the town centre
Address: Hesketh Park, Park Crescent, Southport PR9 9LF- Outdoors
- Free
- Dog friendly
- Best in Spring, Summer, Autumn
Explore the Victorian park on the north side of town, with its lake, bandstand, rockery and fountains, and an old observatory that volunteers open to visitors.
Why it's a good date: Quieter than the seafront and lovely on a sunny afternoon, with a café for a cuppa. Look out for an open evening at the observatory if you fancy the stars. Dogs can be off the lead in most of the park, on a lead round the lake and play area.
Photo: peter robinson, CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped and resized)
The Botanic Gardens, Churchtown
Bankfield Lane, Churchtown
Address: Botanic Gardens, Bankfield Lane, Churchtown, Southport PR9 7NB- Outdoors
- Free
- Dog friendly
- Best in Spring, Summer, Autumn
Wander the Victorian gardens in the old village of Churchtown, round the lake, the fernery and the bright flower beds.
Why it's a good date: A pretty, peaceful spot a short bus ride from the centre, with a café on site and the village's thatched cottages and old pubs on the doorstep. Dogs can run free over most of the gardens, on a lead by the aviary and fernery.
Photo: Rept0n1x, CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped and resized)
Adventure Coast Southport
Marine Drive, south of the pier
Address: Adventure Coast, Marine Drive, Southport PR8 1RX- Activity
- Outdoors
- Cheap and cheerful
- Dog friendly
- Best in Spring, Summer
- Big night
Spend an evening at the old Pleasureland on the seafront, now Adventure Coast, on the thrill rides and the old-fashioned fairground games.
Why it's a good date: It's free to get in and you only pay for the rides you go on, so it can be as cheap a date as you like. It opens at weekends and in the school holidays from spring to early September. Well-behaved dogs on leads are welcome, though not on the rides.
Photo: Colin Park, CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped and resized)
Red squirrels and the beach at Formby
Victoria Road, Freshfield, Formby
Address: National Trust Formby, Victoria Road, Freshfield, Formby L37 1LJ- Trip
- Outdoors
- Free
- Dog friendly
- Out of town
Follow the Red Squirrel Walk through the National Trust's pinewoods at Formby, then carry on over the dunes to a huge, wild beach.
Why it's a good date: One of the few places in England where you can still see red squirrels, then a walk on one of the best beaches in the North West. It's a short walk from Freshfield station, which beats the busy car parks and the National Trust's parking charge. Dogs are welcome, on a lead along the squirrel walk.
Photo: Peter from Liverpool, UK, CC BY-SA 2.0 (resized)
Ainsdale's dunes and beach
Shore Road, Ainsdale-on-Sea
Address: Shore Road, Ainsdale-on-Sea, Southport PR8 2QB- Outdoors
- Free
- Dog friendly
- Active
Walk through the dunes at Ainsdale, part of the biggest stretch of sand dunes in England, then out onto the beach for the long stretch back towards Southport or on to Formby.
Why it's a good date: Wild, windswept and nearly always quiet once you're a few minutes from the car park. The dunes are home to natterjack toads and sand lizards, so keep dogs out of the pools and the fenced areas, and from 1 May to 30 September the beach is dog-free for 200 metres either side of the main entrance.
Photo: Humphrey Bolton, CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped and resized)
Another Place on Crosby Beach
Crosby Beach, Crosby
Address: Crosby Coastal Park, Mariners Road, Crosby L23 6SX- Trip
- Outdoors
- Free
- Dog friendly
- Out of town
- Culture
Take the train down the coast to Crosby and walk the beach among Antony Gormley's Another Place, a hundred cast-iron figures gazing out to sea.
Why it's a good date: Haunting at sunset and free all year. Dogs love the space, but keep them away from the flocks of birds resting on the shore, and stay off the soft mud near the figures furthest out: the tide comes in fast.
Photo: Neil Theasby, CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped and resized)
The Freshfield
Massams Lane, Freshfield, Formby
Address: 1 Massams Lane, Freshfield, Formby L37 7BD- Bar
- Rain-proof ☔
- Mid-price
- Dog friendly
- Cosy
- Foodie
Warm up after Formby's pinewoods with a pint and a pub lunch at the Freshfield, a short walk from the station.
Why it's a good date: The natural end to a squirrel walk, and the dog's welcome too. Come in out of the wind, find a table and order something hearty.
Photo: Stephen McKay, CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped and resized)
Quick answers
Are dogs allowed on Southport and Ainsdale beaches?
Yes, with two summer exceptions. From 1 May to 30 September, Sefton Council keeps Southport beach dog-free from the pier south towards Adventure Coast, and Ainsdale beach dog-free for 200 metres either side of its main entrance. The rest of the sand is open to dogs all year.
Can we bring our dog to see the red squirrels at Formby?
Yes. The National Trust welcomes well-behaved dogs at Formby and asks for them to be on a lead along the Red Squirrel Walk, and under close control everywhere else.
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