The Sefton CoastThe Sefton Coast

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Merseyrail’s Northern Line between Liverpool andSouthport links the coastal towns and villages.Frequent trains run just a stone’s throw inland fromthis captivating coastline every day. This booklet hasfive suggestions for excellent day or half-day trips,ideal for all the family and just a few minutes trainride from the City Centre.

Welcome to the Sefton Coast, Merseyside’s stunning face onto the Irish Sea. A string of nationallyrenowned nature reserves dot this area of sandhills, pinewoods and colourful heathland betweenWaterloo and Southport. Red squirrels scurry across carpets of pine needles, rare wildflowers

dapple the sand dunes, a submerged forest appears at low-tide and old lanes wind to Britain’s firstlifeboat station. It’s great, too, for kite-flyers, beachcombers, birdwatchers and those simply in search ofglorious beaches on which to top up that tan!

Alt Estuary (Walk 5)Detailed leaflets about individual Nature Reservesvisited by the walks in this booklet are availablelocally from information or wardens offices on-site.Please refer to the information boxes on theappropriate pages. Some leaflets are also availablefrom the Tourist Information Centre in Southport andlocal libraries.

The full Merseyrail Network is shown on the map onthe back cover. For further information on Merseyrail,Bus and Ferry services telephone Traveline on 0870 608 2 608 or visit your local MerseytravelCentre.

For a longer challenge, the 20 mile Sefton CoastalFootpath links the entire length from Waterloo toSouthport, crossing high sandhills and meanderingthrough shady pinewoods and rich farmland. It iswaymarked throughout by yellow “toad” discs.Linking paths and lanes lead to all the stations on theNorthern Line.

The Path is maintained by rangers employed bySefton Council’s Leisure Services Coast andCountryside Service. The rangers alsolead regular guided walks throughout thearea. For full details of events telephone01704-570173.

Please note that walking times and distances given in thisleaflet are approximate.

This information can be providedin alternative formats on request.

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Dobson’s Ride (Walk 2)

The Sefton Coast

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HillsideStationHillsideStation

- These stations have local information boardswith maps detailing localcountryside, walks andrefreshment opportunities.

RoyalBirkdale

HillsideGolfLinks

Walk 1 Freshfield CircularAn invigorating circular walk through heath, pinewoods,glorious dunes, sandy beaches and the National Trust’sfamous Red Squirrel Reserve. Part of the route followsthe Fisherman’s Path, an ancient route to the seashoreused for centuries past by local boatmen.

See page 4.

Walk 2 The Woodland PathFollow the Woodland Path, a gently undulating walkthrough the pinewoods of Ainsdale National NatureReserve (look out for red squirrels here too) and acrossbutterfly-rich heathland peppered with magnificent gorsebushes.

See page 5.

Walk 3 Birkdale’s Woods &SandhillsTrace the Sefton Coastal Footpath through the greatsandhills of Ainsdale and Birkdale, home to the rare sandlizard. Wildflowers add a splash of colour in the sheltereddune-slacks. Short-cuts lead to stations on the NorthernLine, near to handy pubs, shops and cafes.

See page 6.

Walk 4 Lifeboat Road &RavenmeolsA walk combining coast and countryside, skirting richfarmland, old asparagus fields and wooded copses brightwith wildflowers to reach the sandhills of theRavenmeols Nature Reserve. Views across Liverpool Bayto Snowdonia can be impressive. Lifeboat Road is namedafter the first lifeboat station in Britain, founded atFormby Point in 1776.

See page 8.

Walk 5 Crosby Promenade &Hightown DunesThe Hightown Dunes walk explores the seashore andsandhills between Waterloo and the Alt Estuary nearHightown, an exceptionally varied route passing by fineVictorian sea-captains’ villas and the remains of asubmerged forest.

See page 10.

Q Information about suitability of these walks forwheelchair users is also included.

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Walk 1

Walk 2

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Walk 5

These maps are based uponOrdnance Survey mapping withthe permission of the Controllerof Her Majesty’s StationeryOffice. © Crown Copyright.All rights reserved.Unauthorised reproductioninfringes Crown Copyright andmay lead to prosecution or civilproceedings.Merseytravel OS Licence No. LA08932L.2003.

Walk 1 - Freshfield Circular via Fisherman’s Path

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Start and Finish: Freshfield Merseyrail Station

Walking time: 2 hours

Distance: 3 1/2 miles / 5.5 km

Q Dune Path South and beach section unsuitablefor wheelchair users.

Fisherman’s Path is a long established route to theshore for local people. Fishing was at one time animportant part of the economy of Formby village. Afew of the older thatched cottages can still be seenin the area. Walks 1 and 2 are shown on mapopposite.

From Freshfield Stationwalk along Montagu Road,parallel to the railwaybehind the station carpark. Beyond the houseskeep beside the railway toreach a gated crossingplace.Take care crossing thetracks, trains pass hereevery few minutes. Looklong and carefully bothways before crossingstraight over.

Walk ahead across the golf course - beware golfersplaying through! At the National Nature Reserve boardkeep left, following Fisherman’s Path through thewoods to the dunes. At the Sefton Coastal Pathwaymark you can continue ahead up and over thegreat sand dunes to reach the beach. Alternatively,turn left and follow the Dune Path South, marked bywhite topped posts, through to the beach about 800yards away.

The vast sandhills and dunes are constantly reshapedand moved by wind and storms. In places sheepgraze where dunes once rose whilst in other placespine trees are buried, leaving gaunt trunks sticking

out of dune tops. The sandhills at the end ofFisherman’s Path are amongst the largest on theSefton Coast.

Take time to beachcomb or watch tiny sanderlingsscurrying just ahead of the waves. Continue along thebeach for over half a mile to reach the beach markerpost for Victoria Road South, just past brokenconcrete slabs at the foot of the dunes. Leave thebeach here, walk to and through the car park thenfollow the tarred lane to the Squirrel Reserve.

The highlight of this walk is the National Trust’sSquirrel Reserve, many acres of pinewoods home tothe increasingly rare red squirrel. Entry is free. Pleasekeep dogs on leads.

Follow Victoria Road straight to Freshfield Station.

The National Trust’s Freshfield Reserveis famous for its red squirrels whichare accustomed to being fed and arevery tame. The site is threaded with

paths. Reserve leaflets, nuts for the squirrels andother information is available from the Warden’sOffice on Victoria Road. School groups arewelcome by appointment. For further informationphone 01704-878591.

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Beach Marker Post

Walk 2 - The Woodland Path

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Start: Freshfield Merseyrail Station

Finish: Freshfield or Ainsdale Station

Walking time: 2 1/2 hours

Distance: 3-4 miles / 5-6 km

Q Unsuitable for wheelchair users dueto sandy paths.

Ainsdale Sand Dunes National NatureReserve was established in 1965 toprotect the dune habitat of two ofBritain’s rarest animals, the NatterjackToad and the Sand Lizard.

From Freshfield Station follow the route toFisherman’s Path as described in Walk 1.At the National Nature Reserve board forkright along the gravelly track. This windsalong within the woodland. About 100yards after you pass by a golf coursegreen on your right, go left at the pathjunction, following a Sefton CoastalFootpath waymark. This, the WoodlandPath, is initially very sandy, then a pineneedle covered track through the coolwoodlands, the 1 mile route is markedhere and there by white-topped posts.Red squirrels and wild birds abound.

At the edge of the woods you’ll reach thewide Dobson’s Ride. For a longer walk,turn left here (see next paragraph). For ashorter walk turn right to return to theNature Reserve signboard. Here turn leftto retrace the outward stretch back toFreshfield Station.

SHORE ROADMOSSGIEL AVENUE

WoodvaleAirfield

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Irish Sea

AinsdaleSand Dunes

National NatureReserve

FISHERMAN'S PATH

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For a longer walk…Turn left along Dobson’s Ride. Follow the CoastalFootpath waymarks beside the railway and beneaththe Coastal Road bridge.

Turn right at the next junction of paths and keepalongside the railway (don’t cross the footbridge),pass under a bridge to find Mossgiel Avenue and, atthe far end, Ainsdale Station for trains to Freshfield,Liverpool and Southport.

Along the Woodland Path

English Nature welcomesvisitors to the Ainsdale SandDunes National NatureReserve. Please keep to thewaymarked paths. A Reserve

leaflet is available from the Site Manager. Forfurther information phone 01704-578774.

Remember to take extra care when crossing therailway tracks at the end of Fisherman’s Path.

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Walk 1

Walk 2

Diagrammatic mapNot to scale

Walk 3 - Birkdale’s Woods and Sandhills

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Start: Ainsdale Merseyrail Station

Finish: Southport Merseyrail Station

Distance: up to 61/2 miles / 10.5 km

Walking Time: 2-4 hours

Q Generally unsuitable for wheelchair users due tosandy paths.

Between the coastal dunes and the golf courselinks lies a secret world of low woodland, marshydune-slacks and wildflower-rich sandhills, alllinked together on this superb stroll in northernMerseyside, ending in the elegant resort ofSouthport.

Turn from Ainsdale Station away from the shops. Forthe longer walk turn left along Mossgiel Avenue(beside the car park). To cut out the first one and ahalf miles, instead go straight along Shore Road tothe roundabout near Pontins. Otherwise, take therailed footpath beyond the end of Mossgiel Avenueand beneath the bridge, go straight across the path(don’t cross the footbridge) and keep alongside therailway to find a signboarded junction of paths about100 yards before the road bridge. Fork right at thelow Sefton Coastal Footpath post, soon passing thefirst of many white-topped posts marking the routethrough to Birkdale. At the next-but-one post keepleft; in 100 yards turn right along a sandy path soonmarked with Trans Pennine Trail discs.

The path parallels the Coastal Road for a stretch, thensnakes through more woodland on a raisedboardwalk to reach an area of gnarled pines. At thefar end join the roadside path to the traffic island nearPontins (n.b. the short cut from Ainsdale Station joinshere). Cross Shore Road inland of the island to find aBirkdale Sandhills Information Board. Go through thegap stile and fork left, picking up the white-toppedposts again. Wind through more low woodland andsandhills to come close again to the Coastal Road forabout a quarter mile to reach a signboard. Here youcan turn inland to Hillside Station (11/2 miles,waymarked with posts) or continue towards distantSouthport, whose Pleasureland complex you can see.Beyond this, the distant horizon is smudged by theline of the high Bowland hills.

The way now winds through an area riddled withreedy ponds. Just inland, the wire fence marks theboundary of the famous Royal Birkdale Golf Links.The undulating path eventually reaches a cornerbeside housing. Turn left here along the narrowfootpath beneath the trees to reach the Coastal Road.Turn right along the footpath and remain with this tothe beachside traffic roundabout at Birkdale Sands(straight inland is Birkdale Station, 800m). Carefullycross Weld Road just inland of this roundabout.

Dune slacks at Birkdale

Note the contrast between the sandy dunes and thewoodland. The dunes are spangled with the brightflowers of trefoil, burnet and vetches amidst thecreeping willow and sea buckthorn. The woodland islargely of birch, willow and in particular white poplar,its tough leaves rustling in the breeze like a localisedsnow flurry. Great drifts of honeysuckle perfume theair whilst virtually everywhere, dog rose and sweetbriar dapple the undergrowth.

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Into the white poplar woods at Ainsdale

The Ainsdale and Birkdale Sandhills Local NatureReserve is managed by the Leisure ServicesCoast and Countryside Service. A site leaflet isavailable from the Rangers on 01704-570173.

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WELD ROAD

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National NatureReserve

SouthportStation

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Pier

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VictoriaPark

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Walk 3

There’s a choice of route here. Either walk to theroundabout and turn right through the bollards,following the quiet Esplanade road. Alternatively,enter the grassed land off Weld Road and walk to thefar-right corner, then bear half-left to enter VictoriaPark, following a tarred path through these gardens,location for the famous Southport Flower Show eachAugust.

Either way you’ll reach a further traffic roundabout atthe edge of Pleasureland. Skirt this to its right toenter Princes Park, with its Marine Lake, small zooand other attractions.

Southport Pier is at the far side, to find SouthportStation cross the road from the pier entrance, pass bythe statue of Queen Victoria, then the impressive warmemorial on Lord Street and walk to the station nowvisible in the distance on the right.

The Pier, Southport

Marine Lake, Southport

Diagrammatic mapNot to scale

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Walk 4 - Lifeboat Road and RavenmeolsStart and Finish: Formby Merseyrail Station

Walking time: 3 1/2 hours

Distance: 5 miles / 8 km

Q Middle section between Hoggs Hill Lane andLifeboat Road unsuitable for wheelchair users.

The whole complex of sand-dunes, meadows andwoodland here at Ravenmeols is amongst thelargest in England, now mostly protected as both aLocal and a National Nature Reserve. InformationBoards along the walk detail what is to be seen.

Turn right from Formby Station and walk alongKirklake Road to the end, here turning left along StLuke’s Church Road. As this bends right into LifeboatRoad, go ahead along the unsurfaced road followingthe Sefton Coastal Footpath waymark. This tree-linedlane eventually also bends right. Again, here, gostraight ahead along the rougher track, passingalongside a school playing fields then the isolatedAsparagus Cottage, its name recalling a crop stillgrown locally. Keep ahead at any forks, eventuallyreaching a small wood at Cabin Hill, rich inwildflowers from early spring to mid-summer.

Chiff-chaff and long-tailed tits flit amongst thebranches whilst lapwings and skylarks nest in thesandy meadows. In spring keep a sharp eye out fortoads, they’re frequently seen crossing the path whenmoving between ponds in the dunes.

At the boundary of the Altcar Rifle Range turn rightalong the sandy track, Hoggs Hill Lane, following thisbeside the ranges and through the dunes to thebeach. Turn right along the foreshore and walk thesands for the next mile.

The strand line (high-tide mark) is strewn with riches;mussel and razor shells, starfish, mermaid’s purses(dogfish and skate egg-cases) and whelk shells ofvarious sizes. The smashed remains of countlessother shells colour the sands all shades of the

rainbow. Salt and water-whitened driftwood addsfurther interest. On clear, sunny days the mountainsof North Wales, far across Liverpool Bay, seem closeenough to touch!

Walk along the sands to the beach marker post for“Nature Reserve”. (You can leave the beach earlier atbeach markers for Albert Road or Alexandra Road,cutting through to St Luke’s Church Road).

Walk up through the dunes, the route marked bywhite-topped posts eventually reaching Lifeboat Road(to the left of the tall, dead pines). Turn right alongthis. There’s a pleasant path parallel to the road in thetrees on the left. At the end turn left, pass by StLuke’s Church and walk back along Kirklake Road toFormby Station.

Alternatively, remain on the beach to reach theremains of the old lifeboat station, beyond which risethe huge sandhills of Formby Point. Walk inland alongLifeboat Road (signposted) to join the end of the walkto return to Formby Merseyrail Station.

The massive sandhills at Formby Point.

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The lane through the old asparagus fields

Natterjack toad country

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The Sefton CoastManagement Scheme is apartnership between SeftonCouncil, the National Trustand English Nature. These

three organisations are working together toprotect and conserve the special wildlife andhabitat of the Sefton Coast and welcomingvisitors by providing suitable facilities forrecreation and education.

Taking a breather at Lifeboat Road!

The Ravenmeols dune area, includingLifeboat Road, is managed by the LeisureServices Coast and Countryside Service. Inthe summer there is an informationcaravan at the entrance to the LifeboatRoad car park.

Q The Lifeboat Road area has manypaths suitable for wheelchair users.A site leaflet is available from theRangers on 01704-570173.

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Cabin Hill Wood

Diagrammatic mapNot to scale

Walk 5 - Crosby Promenade & Hightown Dunes

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Start: Waterloo Merseyrail Station.

Finish: Hightown Merseyrail Station.

Walking time: 3 hours.

Distance: up to 5 miles / 8 km.

Q Waterloo to Hall Road is accessible to wheelchairusers; assistance recommended.

At the height of Empire, Liverpool was one of theworld’s busiest ports; local sea captains and shipowners became wealthy. Many liked to keep an eyeon the comings and goings of their ships and sobuilt fine houses away from the docks but withinsight of the shipping lanes. Such are to be found inWaterloo and Crosby, the elegant colour-washedand balconied villas near this walk en-route to theestuary of Merseyside’s “other” river, the River Alt.

inland to Blundellsands & Crosby Merseyrail stationabout 800 yards away. Otherwise, follow thepromenade to the car park beside the CoastguardStation at Hall Road.

This helps monitor shipping movements and marinesafety throughout the Irish Sea, one of the busiestshipping areas in Europe. The end of the promenadehere is a favourite place for fishermen, hoping tocatch flatfish, bass or dogfish around high-tide whenthe waves break on the stone wall just below therailings. You can also cut the walk short here andwalk inland along Hall Road West to Hall RoadStation, about 500 yards away.

Take the rough road beyond the car park intoHightown Dunes and Meadows, the dunes protectedby infill-tipping to prevent erosion.

The dunes and sandbanks are rich in birdlife. Theriver Alt reaches the sea here just past thebreakwater, an excellent place to watch for wadingbirds such as redshank, sandpipers, dunlin and knot;shellduck and wild geese also thrive. Across LiverpoolBay the distant mountains of Snowdonia may beseen.

Sea Captains’ villas at Waterloo

Turn left from Waterloo Station and follow South Roadto the end. Cross straight over Marine Crescent intothe park (not the walled Marine Gardens) and forkright just past the conveniences, walking between thetwo lakes to reach the promenade.

You may well see cormorants fishing in the largerlake. To your left the dock skyline of Bootle andSeaforth has a new feature, the tall wind turbines,harnessing the fresh breezes of Liverpool Bay togenerate enough electricity to supply a moderatelysized town. On your right beyond the park are someof the fine Victorian houses built for the merchantsand sea captains.

Turn right up the promenade. You can either followthis or the beach. Either way, at high tide the shippinglane to and from Liverpool’s docks will be busy withtankers, freighters and ferries.

For a shorter walk, take the tarred footpath, right,about 250 yards past the imposing new WaterfrontLeisure Centre, and follow Blundellsands Road West

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View across to Waterloo

Remains of the submerged forest

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Crosby Marine Park and the Hightown Dunes aremanaged by the Leisure Services Coast andCountryside Service. The rangers look after othersites on the coast and can provide leaflets onrequest. Leaflets are available for Hightown,Lifeboat Road (Formby) and the Ainsdale andBirkdale dunes.

For further information phone 01704-570173.

Awaiting the tide at Hightown

Hightown Dunes and the Alt estuary

Diagrammatic mapNot to scale

Photographs in thisbooklet are by: LaurieCampbell, Neil Coates,Stuart Rayner and theSefton CoastManagement Scheme.

Every care has been taken in ensuringthe accuracy of the details given in thispublication, but neither Merseytravelnor their agents can be heldresponsible for any inconveniencearising from errors or omissions.

Pass the pumping station and carry on past anisolated gate on your left. In a further 200 yards keepright at the fork, soon reaching a Sefton CoastalFootpath waymark post. Turn left here along thedistinct path through the dunes, held together by seabuckthorn, creeping willow and tough grasses.

Follow the white-topped posts to reach BlundellsandsSailing Club. A board indicates a path to the beachand submerged forest - the shrunken trunks andstumps of a 4,000-year-old woodland are exposedhere at low tide.

Rejoin the Coastal Footpath through the dunes,eventually reaching the river Alt and a boatyard. Jointhe road, cross the roundabout and keep ahead alongLower Alt Road to find Hightown Station, shops and ahotel.

If you’re after a longer walk (a further 31/2 miles) thenremain beside the River Alt at the boatyard, followingthe Sefton Coastal Path (waymarked with the yellow‘Toad’ discs) to reach Hoggs Hill Lane (see Walk 4)and paths to Formby Station.

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When walking through the countryside, you are remindedto follow the countryside code which can be viewed onwww.countrysideaccess.gov.uk/countryside_code

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