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

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My fiancé Jay and I recently set ourselves a challenge: a thrifty day out without spending any money. So we went somewhere without shops, cafes or restaurants.

Hilbre Island is a nature reserve in the Dee Estuary. We checked the tidal times then set out across the beach from the town of West Kirby. Having quickly explored the first island, Little Eye (it’s tiny) and the next, Little Hilbre, we reached Hilbre proper. It’s a wild and windy place – perfect for de-stressing and looking out to sea. On a good day you might even spot some grey seals.

We were lucky with the weather. On reaching the island, the clouds parted, the sun came out and it seemed the only thing to do was to simply lie in the grass watching the sky and listening to the waves crashing below. We’d have stayed all day if it wasn’t for those pesky tides…

Be sure to take a bag with waterproofs, a picnic and make sure you wear sturdy shoes or wellies. And don’t forget your camera. Even the most amateur of photographers can’t fail to get some beautiful pictures. And I guarantee that after all that fresh sea air you’ll have a great night’s sleep!

Images by Sarah Hardman

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