It is a beautiful and sunny December day and feels more like springtime than the depths of winter. Perfect for a walk on the beach.
We drive west towards Southport, stopping at Formby, a coastal wildlife haven with sweeping beaches and rolling sand dunes backed by pine forests which are home to red squirrels as well as a wide range of other species of animals and birds. We are keen to get out of the house, after a week of storms, and have researched a route of about 8 miles, taking us through the forest, along the beach and then weaving through the residential lanes and pathways of Formby town. Our walk starts and ends at Freshfields station where we park the car and wrap up warm - it is December after all, despite the sunshine.
The first stretch of the walk takes us along the railway line for a few hundred metres before crossing the track and following a sandy trail into the pine forest and towards the coast. We are immediately struck by the damage caused by the recent storms with many trees uprooted and strewn across the forest floor, including the paths. The storm hit from the west, landing brutally on this coastline, and these pine forests would have been particularly vulnerable being rooted largely in sand. In fact, throughout our walk , the sound of chainsaws can be heard as the forest floor is cleared of dangerous debris and the routes through are made safe again.
As we emerge from the forest and onto the beach we are struck by the enormity of the sky, a beautiful blue expanse rippled with light clouds and seemingly endless. The sand stretches out in front of us in both directions and the sea is calm and also blue in reflection of the sky. Here, without the shelter of the trees, the wind is biting and we are glad that we have wrapped up warmly. With hats pulled down securely over our ears, we make our way down the beach, keeping our eyes peeled for pretty shells and stones that have washed up on the tide.
After a bracing half hour, we turn back inland to trek over the dunes. Formby is home to some of Europe’s best sand dune habitats, where many rare species thrive, including natterjack toads, mountain hares, redwings and red squirrels, and conservation experts are working hard to preserve and increase the biodiversity in the area, overseen and supported by the National Trust. We make our way slowly through the dunes: it is hard going as the sand is soft making it difficult to ascend the higher dunes and there is no clear path. It is a wonderful sight though, and at some points feels like walking through an undulating desert as neither the sea nor the trees can be seen. We eventually reach a clear path on the edge of the pine forest and follow it deeper, past boggy wetland and scrubby undergrowth, finally emerging at the road again to begin our urban stretch.
The route now takes us in a loop, cleverly following paths past some lovely period property then around the back of housing estates and through parks so that it doesn’t feel too built up. We do see more evidence of the storm, with many fence panels blown down, trees lain across paths and streams swollen almost to bursting. We cross the busy A-road and then cross a stile into a field leaving the traffic noise behind us. The field is extremely boggy and we try to pick our way across without getting stuck in the mud, boots caked to the ankle. Two friendly horses are reluctant to let us past and a fallen sign at the gate means that we get told off by a farmer for crossing his land. Back on track, the path takes us past a golf course and polytunnels full of early tomato and strawberry plants, before recrossing the busy road and picking our way through the back paths of the town back towards the station. By the time we arrive back at the car it is dark and our feet are beginning to ache. Time to find a pub for a well-earned drink and a hot meal.
Comments