North West England
Free date ideas in Southport and the Sefton Coast
Updated
You could spend a whole weekend in Southport without paying for anything but the train. Walk Lord Street under its glass canopies and look round the free museum and galleries at the Atkinson, then head for the seafront, through King’s Gardens and round Marine Lake, and out onto the beach for the sunset. Hesketh Park and the Botanic Gardens in Churchtown are both Victorian, both lovely and both free. Down the coast, the dunes at Ainsdale, the pinewoods and red squirrels at Formby and Antony Gormley’s figures on Crosby Beach cost nothing either, and they’re all near a station on the line from Southport.
Our picks
Lord Street and Wayfarers Arcade
Lord Street, town centre
Address: Wayfarers Arcade, Lord Street, Southport PR8 1NT- Culture
- Free
- Rainy day
Stroll Southport's grand Victorian boulevard under its long glass-and-iron verandas, then duck into Wayfarers Arcade, a glass-roofed shopping arcade from the 1890s.
Why it's a good date: The canopies were built to keep shoppers dry, so it's a walk that works in any weather. Look up as you go: the buildings above the shops are the best part, and the gardens across the road are made for a sit-down.
Photo: Steven Haslington, CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped and resized)
The Atkinson
Lord Street, town centre
Address: The Atkinson, Lord Street, Southport PR8 1DB- Culture
- Rain-proof ☔
- Free
Wander the free museum and art gallery in the Atkinson, from Southport's own history to its Ancient Egypt collection, and check what's on in its theatre.
Why it's a good date: The town's arts centre packs a lot under one clock tower, and the galleries cost nothing. Make a day of it with a show in the evening. It's closed on Sundays, so go on a weekday or a Saturday.
Photo: Jeff Buck, CC BY-SA 2.0 (resized)
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)
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)
Quick answers
Is it free to visit the red squirrels at Formby?
Walking in is free. The National Trust charges non-members to park at Formby, so take the train to Freshfield, a short walk from the pinewoods.
What's a free date in Southport when it rains?
The Atkinson's museum and art gallery on Lord Street are free, and you can walk the length of Lord Street under its glass canopies, calling in at Wayfarers Arcade.
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