From Leeds and Liverpool Canal to see the sea

Thursday, 21 May 2009 19:53

We travelled from Rufford on the Rufford Branch of the Leeds and Liverpool, to see the sea!

Southport styles itself as England's Classic Sea Resort. It boasts 22 miles of coastline and Britain's second longest Pier. We supposed that whilst in the area it was a "must see"!

We started off in the rain - well, you would if you were going to the sea-side, wouldn't you? There is a bus that goes from Rufford every 2 hours.

Entering Southport via Churchtown we arrived at Lord Street. The street is a tree lined boulevard, with shops under canopies and little arcades leading off it. Miraculously it had stopped raining and the sun was peeping out - just!

Lord Street

We wandered down to the Pier. One presumes she approved

Now where was the sea? It was just visible with the naked eye! We could not see the Isle of Man across the Irish Sea but we could make out Lytham St. Annes across the River Ribble Estuary.

Can you spot the "white horses", nearly on the horizon?

It was not quite the Atlantic Ocean, but I guess we are spoilt coming from the North Coast of Cornwall! However it was as windy as Cornwall can be, by the sea!

Everything was only just opening, but probably this weekend will see things a bit busier. We walked back into the shopping area and took in the atmosphere. It was pretty busy - I think there was a lot of the "grey pound" around thanks to free bus passes!

Chapel Street is the modern face of Southport shopping with the ubiquitous M & S, BHS, Primark etc. Over a "picnic lunch" we sat and listened to two "Old Rockers" who were brilliant on their electric guitars, playing 60's music to all the lunchers' delight.

The view down Chapel Street

We decided to call it a day, rather than catch a bus to The Botanic Gardens, as I had some of my own gardening to do back home! So we sat in the sun and waited for the bus back to Rufford.

We called in on Dave and Heather to say goodbye, until we return again at the end of June! It has been really great to get to know them  - and another blogger, a bit!

The sun was blazing down and so it was definitely time to plant out my planters (my attempt at a garden) on the roof. An hour or so later all the bulbs were saved and put out to dry, and I had planted Geraniums and trailing Lobelia in all of them. Now we have to wait for them to flower!

We move off to Tarleton tomorrow to moor to await our turn for the Ribble Link.

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