Southport

 

May 11 – 14 2021

 Seaside Shuffle

 Post from John

The Covid regulations having eased enough to allow us to visit Scotland, we headed off to see Louise and family. The van (now formally named Esme) would be our base; however, so as to make a bit of a holiday of the trip, we had booked a few nights at Southport on the way up.

After a straightforward run up the M6 and M58, we arrived at the Southport Caravan and Motorhome Club site in the early afternoon. The site is well situated, being only a short walk from the town, with Victoria Park on one side, and a small nature reserve on the other. Later in the afternoon we walked across the nature reserve, onto Marine Drive and headed for the pier.

We soon passed the marker for the Trans Pennine Trail, showing the start (or end!) of a 207-mile trail ending in the East Riding of Yorkshire at Hornsea.

The impressive pier (the second longest in Britain) drew closer; unfortunately, behind us some ominous looking clouds were also coming nearer. Walking up onto the Grade 2 listed pier, we hesitated a moment – should we risk a walk to the end? Let’s go for it, we said. By the time we reached the small café at the end of the pier, the thunder and lightning were crashing and flashing to the south of us, whilst to the north we could see Blackpool Tower still bathed in sunshine. Then the rain hit us, and we scurried back down the length of the pier, only just getting off before the gates were locked. We arrived back at the van somewhat damp!

The pier

The storm approaches...

The next morning, we walked into Southport and onto Lord Street, the main shopping street. Wide, lined with trees, full of Victorian buildings with grand frontages and wrought iron canopies, this was the elegant heart of the town. However, with its’ (possibly Covid-induced) empty shops and blank windows, it now had a sad air of faded splendour. After a coffee on one of the wooded squares, we headed to the Wayfarers Arcade, to find it had become an almost empty shell. With many vacant premises, and no-one else there, it had a slightly eerie feeling.

Wayfarers Arcade

After lunch we drove down to Crosby beach; my main reason for wanting to come to Southport had been to visit Another Place, Antony Gormley’s famous artwork. Parking in the small car park close to the installation (longer vans might have a problem here) we grabbed our cameras and walked down to the sunlit beach.  The 100 figures along the beach are fascinating; now heavily weathered, some covered in barnacles (and the occasional traffic cone) the “iron men” stare enigmatically out to sea.

Thursday morning we set off again, this time to the National Trust site at Formby Dunes. Parking just behind the Dunes, we walked back through the woods to the start of the Red Squirrel walk. The boardwalk led round a small enclosed area of the woods; we peered all around, not expecting to see any of the elusive creatures. Much to our surprise, we saw three of them scuttling around. Photographing the little fellas, however, was a different matter….

Gotcha!

After lunch in the van, we walked up over the dunes to the beach. By now the clouds had closed in and rain arrived, so we didn’t linger.

Friday saw us back on the M6, heading for the family members we hadn’t seen for 8 months.