It’s been a couple of years since I visited the Fylde Coast, Bank Holiday Monday seemed the perfect day for a bracing beach walk. My was it cold! Luckily we wrapped up. The wind was determined and even whipped away our Parking Ticket ( probably into the North Sea! ) so another had to be purchased. Despite that, it was a pleasure to be in Lytham once again….
Lancashire’s Fylde Coast is home to Seaside resorts such as Blackpool and St Annes. Lytham is the one with the Windmill on the Green, looking out over the Ribble Estuary. Just in case you weren’t aware. The town has changed a little I think, even since my last visit two Winters ago. There are a wealth of new independent shops and cafes on the tree lined wide pavemented streets, away from the chilly seafront. A Summer trip is much overdue.
The seafront at Lytham is actually an estuary front , with a 800 metre promenade that links the resort to its nearest neighbour St Anne’s. There are views over the River Ribble towards the twinkling lights of Southport and even to Wales. The marshes are home to thousands of migratory birds. I should have brought a pair of binoculars!
Lytham Windmill is undoubtedly the town’s most iconic landmark. Built in 1805 it stands proud on the Green, looking out over the marshes. It was a flour mill but ceased trade in the 1920s. Today it houses a museum, though I have never ventured inside.
Have you been to the coast this Winter?
sunshine and celandines 
We are just back from the Norfolk coast where we spent the new year with friends. We had a lovely walk on the beach on New Years Eve at Wells and also had a good walk along the beach front at Hunstanton. We also did more of a trek than expected or planned to get to see Holkham Beach. I will blog about it all but feel so far behind at the moment it may be the summer before I get to it. Hope you all had a great New Year. Lytham looks lovely and is somewhere we’ve never visited … yet 😃
I love Norfolk and look forward to your posts. Wells and Hunstanton are two of my favourite beaches. Happy New Year Carol. X
thank you … you too. It may be a while before I get to post them as I am sooooooo behind with my holiday blogs … Northumberland to come first 😃
Great start to the New Year! We have still to get to the coast, possibly next week, weather permitting! Meanwhile, we’re doing short walks from home, every day, and putting £1 in the kitty for every mile we walk (Jan-Feb) which we will donate to the USPCA. 🤗💐🙋♂️
That sounds like a fab weekend idea! Hope you post about your seaside visit. xx
Surprised I didn’t see you on our regular stomping ground! Windmill looks weird without its sails. One flew off in a storm a few weeks back – other 3 removed for safety. What on earth is that on your plate? Looks like a toffee apple! Glad you had a nice day. HNY!
Happy New Year!
Yes your right about the Windmill. Hopefully it will gets its beautiful sails back soon.
The toffee apple is actually a brioche bun with haddock goujons in, delicious. 🙂
Would have been good to see you in your stomping ground, though probably wisest we didn’t as OH tested positive the day after. X
It looks like you had a good day out although Wil looks absolutely freezing sitting there. I like those Christmas cards and that wreath looks really pretty 🙂
I loved that wreath. So vibrant!
And I’m very happy with those cards. RNLI always does some very lovely ones. X
Wonderful photos! It’s great to hear of independent shops thriving.
I had hoped to head to the coast between Christmas & New Year, but the weather hear was awful, so we didn’t make it.
Lytham looks to have a good share of independent shops. The cheese one has been there 40 years apparently.
Hopefully you will get to the coast soon. X
Lytham is so pretty at Christmas time, well worth braving the breeze.
It definitely is. Always a treat to go to Lytham. 🙂
Worth the effort for you to get to Lytham.
Never heard of a White Wagtail before, well spotted. I also missed the sculpture in the Mussel Tank when I last cycled past St. Annes. You live and learn.
The windmill is looking even more forlorn, than a few weeks ago. Let’s hope they can repair it.
Was the first time I have seen the Mussel tank too. I think it is fairly new.
And first time for me seeing a White Wagtail. Fingers crossed for the Windmills sails.
I’m sure the good folk of Lytham can afford to have them repaired.
Lovely to be able to get your blog up again on my old laptop & enjoyed your wintry seaside visit. I’ve missed seeing Hugo & where you’ve all been. The Pork shop reminded me of yummy pork pies & The Cheese shop about the lovely Wensleydale cheese that we can’t get here. Happy New Year & hopefully the “wordpress” blogs I follow will keep coming up now on this old laptop. Take care & hugs.
Nice to hear from you Susan. Hope things are improving in your part of the world. xx
We did some coastal walking over Christmas. Certainly blew the cobwebs away! Laughing at your cards in the “safe place”. I hope you remember about them next Christmas! I’d forget.
I hope so too! 🙂
Winter beach walks are perfect for blowing those cobwebs away. X
I love the Fylde Coast. I walked from St Annes to Lytham on New Year’s Day, enjoyed a delicious tomato soup in a cafe which was very dog-friendly, it had several dogs in it (all very well behaved!)
Oh fabulous. Yes Lytham looks to be quite dog friendly , which is always a plus for us. 🙂
Sounds like a lovely New Year’s Day. X
I feel cold just looking at your photographs. It looks lovely there, though. X
It was very chilly, but worth it, love the sea. X
Love the coast but not been to one for a while. As for the RNLI, I follow the Twitter accounts of many of their various stations around the country. The courage their crew members show, routinely heading out into conditions that I would balk at. And yes-I do watch Saving Lives At Sea 🙂
They are amazing aren’t they! 🙂
That looks like such a lovely town and how nice to hear of new independent shops opening! I love visiting the sea in winter. It is so much wilder and exciting.
It is so atmospheric on a Winter’s day. 🙂 X
Once on our way to some holiday we past by Lytham and I remember seeing the windmill. I should go back and visit this little town properly I think.
Looks lovely does Lytham. Can’t get past the food photos though on this post and the choice of cafes and eateries. I’d be the size of a house if I lived there
Haha, me too!
What a delightful looking place. A dear friend of mine lived in Lytham as a teenager, she has never spoken of the place, i don’t think she was very happy about having to move there aged 15 and leave all her friends behind. I would love to visit though it looks lovely.
I think it may have been a rather quiet place for a teenager back then, though might have changed a bit in more recent times.
What a lovely day out. How could you resist going in that windmill. I think you will be back in the Summer
I hope so Cathy. 🙂
Heading to Lytham in a couple of weeks for a nice walk, haven’t been in ages either 🙂
I am sure it will be lovely. Lytham Hall is worth a wander to as well, especially as they do snowdrop walks there usually, from the beginning of February. You should still see some out at the end of this month too. 🙂
Love a snowdrop walk 🙂 Did one at Bank Hall, Bretherton the other year.
Me too! Shall look that one up, thank you. 🙂
Just looked up Bank Hall and there are snowdrops walks this year there , can’t see if Lytham Hall are doing them yet, they definitely used to. .
I also felt cold (and we’re having a heatwave at the moment, mid-30 degs C ) looking at your pics, and as for your pavement lunch !! it looked freeezzzing. Even with your puffa jackets . Rather you than me.
It was a little more sheltered and less cold outside the cafe than the sea front, but we definitely needed those jackets. X
I really ought to get to know your side of the country better – I’m in Yorkshire. Lancashire and Yorkshire might be ancient enemies, but that’s no excuse now!
Haha, yeh I should probably explore more of Yorkshire as I love Yorkshire too. Don’t live that far away from Skipton actually which I do get to now and then. And the Dales are beautiful. Lancashire doesn’t quite get the attention that lovely Yorkshire does, so I’m happy to keep exploring my own county too. 🙂
Lovely cards, and a great cause! I meant to buy some when we were in the UK at Christmas but it really was a flying visit. It looks a nice place too. Have a look in that windmill for me next time?
I will try , I think it might possibly have been closed on my last visit. The cards are fab, so bright and nautical. Did you buy Portuguese Christmas cards? X
Christmas cards aren’t much of a thing here and are really expensive so I tend to bring them from the UK. Birthday and occasion cards I buy here, but they’re expensive too. Postage is cheaper though!
Thanks for the ink up. Now I see your pic of the musselshell I can see it does look like a smiling dolphin 🐬.
The windmill is certainly back to looking it’s best. And the tram parade looks alot of fun.