I’m up early as this will be a long hot day and my aim is to cover as many miles as possible before the midday sun. The initial six miles along a riverside cycle path and the A584 are a little bland until a familiar sweet reek of decomposition hits. I’ve won the jackpot as dual carriageway, landfill site and sewage works odours brew together on a sweltering day.
The Lancashire Coastal Way begins at Freckleton and offers a chance to leave the road behind, although the start is well hidden. A council worker strims the narrow path, so my timing is perfect.
Cutting down to the marsh surrounding Warton Aerodrome, the path is overgrown with nettles and brambles. Not a good time to be wearing shorts. The aerodrome is a major assembly and testing facility for BAE, including the Eurofighter Typhoon.
The air is still and heavy. The horseflies are in their element and attack remorselessly, even settling and biting through my t-shirt. I walk with a constant sweeping motion, brushing down my arms, torso and legs to dislodge any unwelcome guests. A few still get through. They are attracted by “rapidly moving, sweaty objects” — only half of which applies to me.
As if the cleggs were not enough, I have to watch out for bits of test aircraft falling out of the sky!
It’s a long haul round to the seafront and the sea breeze has never been more welcome, driving the little biters away.
The genteel promenade of Lytham St Annes brings back childhood holiday memories.
The Old Lifeboat House Museum has a poignant storyboard of the tragedy on 9 December 1886 when two lifeboats and 27 crew members were lost saving the Mexico’s crew of 12, who had lashed themselves to the ship’s rigging, in what is still regarded as the worst disaster in RNLI history.
Blackpool South Pier and Pleasure Beach are relatively quiet before the school holiday season begins.
The beach is huge, stretching for miles.
The iconic Mirror Ball dominates the promenade, making me squint at the reflected sun. I can’t resist dipping into an amusement arcade and playing for a few minutes on the old Penny Falls coin-pushing games. Who hasn’t tried to shake those machines as a kid to dislodge the heaped wedge of coins hanging over the edge? I’m getting a bit old for such disreputable behaviour. Maybe just a little nudge.
From a distance, it’s not clear whether the giant roller coaster is running, but the screams gradually cut through the cacophony. Standing to watch the train plummet, it’s hard not to smile with the infectious laughter as the riders raise their arms in the air before the shrieking descent.
Stepping out of the hustle-and-bustle of the seafront, I make my way to the Brew Room, a friendly pub with its own brewery on site.
Suitably refreshed, there are several interesting street murals to explore on the way back to the beach.
The quiet North Pier is always my favourite and I wander down to the water’s edge and under the barnacle-crusted supports, dodging an unwelcome liquid discharge from the fading buildings above.
My day ends with a warm view of the town’s most famous attraction. I’m not sure there’s ever a good time to visit Blackpool without young children, but June is a decent month as it’s relatively quiet while still having that holiday vibe.
Walk distance: 21 miles.
Total distance: 3,200 miles.
More excellent photos Tony.
Thanks Peter. Edging closer to filling the gap to Carlisle.
Thanks for posting Tony. Cheers, Mike
I suppose there have to be some bits which just aren’t terribly picturesque – thoigh that shot of the pier at the end is gorgeous.
In general, I find estuary walking to be a little bland, subject to finding unexpected oddities along the way. If I can jump on a ferry I will. I do enjoy wandering round towns and cities though.
That’s a long walk in the heat! Sad to see the path around the airfield remains neglected and what a pain horseflies are. At least you can feel them biting, which gives you a chance to swat them. Yes, they bite through cloth and I haven’t found any insecticide that deters them. Anyway, great progress. I quite liked Blackpool.
I’ve never noticed the horseflies in the previous two years. I don’t know if it is the weather conditions this year. I did not use my Smidge as I kept thinking it was a “one-off” each time and it would be fine the next day. I should know better by now!
Smidge doesn’t deter them, I’m afraid.
Oh dear!
Some you love, some you hate. But a journey of discovery it sure is. Hope you enjoyed the prom walk from Blackpool to Fleetwood. I am fortunate to be able to do parts of that at least twice a week. No two walks are the same.
You certainly experience it all on a walk like this. I certainly don’t hate Blackpool, having been there about six times now, but I think I’ve seen too many amusement arcades. 🙂