Lancashire is in the North West of England and takes its name from Lancaster City.
This county ranges from Blackpool - an amazing traditional and very exciting seaside resort - up to the Forest of Bowland and is packed with activities and attractions, heritage and wonderful folk tales. Known as England's golfing coast this area offers four superb courses near Lytham St Anne's. The beaches in the area are varied but mainly sandy and most offer safe swimming and watersports.
Coastal features include Lytham Windmill, the beautiful old town of Heysham and the three lighthouses at Fleetwood but apart from those the area is perfect for nature lovers with RSPB reserves, Ribble Coast and Wetlands that are home to wildlife and made up of mudflats, sand dunes and marshes. There's also a wonderful walk on the 140 mile long coastal path that takes you to Cumbria!
There are many seaside towns here and each has varied accommodation, harbours and great fish and chip shops! Lytham St Annes is an old town dating back to Victorian times with gardens right down to the sea, a Victorian Pier and Promenade, Lytham Green Windmill and A grandiose Hall!
Fleetwood is popular with its maritime heritage and busy harbour. Fleetwood Freeport Villages offers shopping galore on the marina and there's a five mile promenade at Morecambe where you can drink in the breathtaking views across the bay.
Why not check beaches nearby as we have 19 beaches in Lancashire, or have a look at our list of Lancashire dog friendly beaches, or even our United Kingdom Blue Flag beach list.
Lancashire Coast Search Bar
Where would you like to go? Use our search bar to search across all our local listings, ideal for finding that nearest spot to visit:
Want some ideas on where to visit?
Every favourite location must be visited for the first time. Want some ideas, why not check out the below small selection of coastal locations, including beaches, activities, things to see and do, places to stay and eat:
- 10th August 2019, 11:00 am-11th August 2019, 5:00 pmSt Anne’s Kite Festival takes place ob St Anne’s seafront and has kite teams from across the UK and overseas.Running over Saturday and Sunday you will get to see fabulous kite displays although this is weather dependent. Most years regardless of the weather you have been able to see something and have a great family day out.
- Arnside beach and the Arnside area is a designated area of outstanding natural beauty. Arnside is on the estuary where the River Kent enters Morecambe Bay and has sites of scientific interest because of the rare butterflies and alpine plants. There are many lovely wooded walks around the National Trust owned Arnside Knott (520ft high flat rock), up to the “Pepper-Pot” at Silverdale or around the coast with its cliff top walks and sea views. Arnside promenade has some shops, pubs, cafes and you have car parking available.
- The Blackpool Tower is 158m high and was opened in 1891. However, due to incorrect painting, the tower started to corrode and was nearly demolished. Instead, it was replaced (1921-24) and consists of 2,500 tonnes of cast iron and almost 100 tonnes of steel. The tower consists of a number of attractions:The viewing platform with a clear glass section of the floor. The Tower Ballroom. The aquarium. The Tower Circus.
- Hightown beach is mainly sandy backed by sand dunes and is the site of a former wartime military base known as Fort Crosby. The beach is actually split either side of the River Alt.
- Jeffrey Hill, Ribble Valley, spectacular views on a clear day and excellent walks and mountain biking.
- Heysham North beach is within the coastal village of Heysham in Morecambe Bay and only a few miles from Morcambe. The beach is seperated from the beach at Half Moon Bay by Throbshaw Point. The beach has the facilities of Heysham and is backed by a promenade with a children’s playground.
- Pilling Sands beach is located on the southern corner of Morecambe Bay and is really a salt marsh with large areas of sand when the tide goes out. Pilling Sands is not really a traditional beach to visit but is a popular beach for activities including kite sports, horse riding and walking. The Pilling Sea Embankment runs along the coast here and was built to protect the agricultural land from flooding from the sea and is part of the Lancashire Coastal Way, this sea defence is a good location for bird watching, although dogs are NOT allowed on the embankment. Parking is at Lane Ends Amenity Area where you can also find a picnic site, and for other amenities like a pub, you will need to visit Pilling village.
- Half Moon Bay is a sandy beach with grass covered dunes and low cliffs. At low tide you have a great expanse of flat sand. The beach is backed by the small town of Heysham, and to the south a power station and a harbour serving passenger ferries to Douglas (Isle of Man) and Belfast (Northern Ireland). The beach is also known as Heysham sands. Parking, beach cafe, grass area and access to facilities within Heysham itself.
- Designed by Eugenius Birch and commissioned by the Blackpool Pier Company, work commenced on the first of Blackpool’s piers in 1862. The North Pier was opened on 21st May 1863. The Blackpool North Pier is more than just a historic pier, there is so much to do for the whole family; amusement arcade, children’s rides, food and drink and shops. More details: Click here for Blackpool North Pier website.
- The beach at Cleveleys is mostly pebble with some sand backed by a promenade and sits a few miles north of Blackpool. Facilities include parking, promenade and nearby the traditional seaside town with shops and options to eat.
- The North beach at St Anne’s consists of a sandy beach and dunes. Site of Special Scientific Interest which is full of interesting wild plants and animals.
- The south shore is a sandy beach but is more famous for The Blackpool Pleasure Beach on the other side of the road rather than the actual beach. In range of all the facilities of Blackpool.
- St Annes Beach is a few miles down the coast from Blackpool and St Anne’s is a great contrast to the bustling Blackpool Beaches. The beach is very long, and when the tide is out it can take a long walk to get to the sea. It also often seems as though the tide never comes in. Facilities at the beach include parking, toilets, beach hut rental, food options and pier.
