Date spot in Southport and the Sefton Coast
Red squirrels and the beach at Formby
Follow the Red Squirrel Walk through the National Trust's pinewoods at Formby, then carry on over the dunes to a huge, wild beach.
Victoria Road, Freshfield, Formby
Address: National Trust Formby, Victoria Road, Freshfield, Formby L37 1LJ- Trip
- Outdoors
- Free
- Dog friendly
- Out of town
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)
More from our Southport and the Sefton Coast guide
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)
From our guide to date ideas in Southport and the Sefton Coast