Formby is the National Trust’s northern coastal haven, home to sweeping beaches and deep pine woods. The latter is one of the last strongholds of the red squirrel, and the reason I decided to venture down with my boyfriend. We walked and walked through the forest with our eyes peeled, but weren’t rewarded this time. The early spring sunshine and blue skies were too rare a treat to waste, however, so we braced ourselves against the growing wind and made our way down to Formby beach.

Vast, hazy and rugged, the beach feels like a true wilderness. Shattered razor clams and scattered crab shells emptied by busy wading birds crunch underfoot. The sea, foamy and cool, is the perfect place to stand and peer out over the horizon, the soft sssssh of the waves calming your soul.

We followed winding paw prints left by excitable dogs until we found the perfect incline to clamber up onto the surrounding sand dunes: an area we’ve never fully explored. With the wind picking up, my hair whipped my face and my coat pockets filled with flying grains of sand. Our laughter grew and grew. And as we reached the top, straightened up and brushed ourselves off, we were greeted with the most breathtaking panorama – a glittering ocean, shifting sand and sweeping stretch of secretive forest.

Images by Charlotte Varela