Guide to Crosby Beach – nearest beach to Liverpool
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When you search Liverpool on the map, you might notice that it looks like it’s situated by the sea. You would expect a beach in the city centre or anywhere nearby, wouldn’t you? Well, I did. How badly disappointed I was when I moved here and realized that the nearest beach to Liverpool is a few kilometers up north, in Crosby.
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Crosby Beach – nearest beach to Liverpool
Crosby is one of a few seaside towns near Liverpool, situated just beyond the Liverpool Docks. It’s a home to the closest beach to Liverpool, making it a great place for a short city break. Walk around the town can be really calm and relaxing, streets of Crosby are picturesque and often unappreciated.
From the seashore, you can see the Wirral Peninsula and North Wales hills in the distance.
Unfortunately, you can’t bathe in Crosby beach and you should stay close to the promenade because of areas of soft sand and mud and a risk of changing tides. You can go for a walk along the coastline and admire beautiful scenery instead. Crosby beach is very popular with walkers and is dog friendly all year round.
“Another Place” by Antony Gormley – Crosby’s hidden gem
In 2005, 100 iron men appeared on Crosby Beach. They turned out to be part of an art installation called “Another Place”, which was previously displayed in Cuxhaven in Germany, Stavanger in Norway and De Panne in Belgium. Sculptures were supposed to stay in Crosby until November 2007, but local council granted permission for them to remain at Crosby Beach permanently. Despite the controversy that was going around during the time they were being installed, iron men became a popular tourist attraction that boosted local economy.
“Another Place” comprises 100 iron, life-size statues. Each of them weighs an astounding 650 kilograms and is a cast of the artist, Antony Gormley, himself. Sculptures spread out three kilometres along the shore, and can be found about one kilometre out to sea. Each of them faces the sea and has the same expressionless face.
“The seaside is a good place to do this [explore man’s relationship with nature]. Here time is tested by tide, architecture by the elements and the prevalence of sky seems to question the earth’s substance. In this work, human life is tested against planetary time. This sculpture exposes to light and time the nakedness of a particular and peculiar body. It is no hero, no ideal, just the industrially reproduced body of a middle-aged man trying to remain standing and trying to breathe, facing a horizon busy with ships moving materials and manufactured things around the planet.”
Antony Gormley
If sculptures are the main reason you’re going to Crosby, I would highly recommend checking times of high tide beforehand. It usually happens twice a day and you should avoid it if you want to walk on the beach safely. Every time I plan my trip to Crosby, I try to travel at least 1-2 hours after the high tide. It gives plenty of time to walk on the beach safely while the sea recedes, and you can find some pretty seashells too! My favourite source to check tide times is the BBC website and Tide Times app (iOS / Android).
Crosby Marine Park
Crosby Marine Park stretches from Waterloo to the estuary of the River Alt at Hightown. It’s the beginning of the 22 mile Sefton Coastal Path.
It consists of fields and protected natural wildlife near the Marine Lake. You can find a path going through the Park toward the sand dunes of Crosby Beach. It’s the most popular route to get to the beach by foot, and also the most convenient if you’re coming from Waterloo train station.
Crosby Marine also has a cafe on site, as well as the Crosby Lakeside Adventure Centre – water sports and leisure centre. It’s a brilliant spot to have lunch if you want to stay close to the sea.
Waterloo Mural
Once you’re near the Crosby Marine Park, you might notice a gigantic mural painted on a cocoa bean storage shed at Seaforth Docks. It was painted in 2011 by local artist Kathryn Wilson and comprises images reminiscing about life in Waterloo and Crosby in the early 1900s.
Starting from the left, you can see the electric tram, a very popular way of getting around Liverpool back in the day. Next to it is Waterloo & Seaforth’s War Memorial, known as the Five Lamps. It’s located on the corner of Crosby Road North and Great George’s Road in Waterloo.
Huge bridge that goes through the most of the mural is the Liverpool Overhead Railway, also known as the Dockers’ Umbrella or Ovee. The railway was opened in 1893 and operated along the Liverpool Docks, with the route stretching from Dingle to Seaforth & Litherland. According to Wikipedia, it was the first electric elevated railway, the first to use automatic signalling, electric colour light signals and electric multiple units, and was home to one of the first passenger escalators at a railway station. It was the second oldest electric metro in the world, being preceded by the 1890 City and South London Railway.
Can you see a huge ship above Liverpool Overhead Railway? It came as a tremendous surprise to me, but that’s Titanic. I wasn’t aware of its connection to Waterloo and that its captain, Edward John Smith, lived there in the early 1900s.
Next to Titanic you can see a bathing machine that could be found on many beaches back in the day. Women, who are also portrayed on the mural, could’ve used it to change into their swimming costumes. On the right is a Crosby Mill, currently serving as a family home. You can find it on Moor Lane in Crosby. And of course last but not least – the cormorant that represents a mythical creature known as the liver bird, the symbol of Liverpool.
The artist said that the Waterloo mural is open at the side so next time period can be added in the future. I must admit, I’ve seen it a few times, and it hasn’t impressed me at all. After having done extensive research about it, I feel bad that I haven’t taken some time to really appreciate it.
How to get from Liverpool to Crosby Beach?
Liverpool to Crosby Beach by train
You can get to Crosby either by the Merseyrail (train), by car or by bus. The fastest and more convenient way of getting there is definitely by train – travel from Liverpool Central to Waterloo takes just about 17 minutes. You can also get off the train further away, on Blundellsands and Crosby or Hall Road train station. Crosby Iron Men are just around the corner from all the mentioned stations.
Liverpool to Crosby Beach by car
If you decide to travel from Liverpool to Crosby by car, prepare for a 30 minute journey. There are four car parks close to the beach. The ones by Mariners Road and Hall Road West are free, while you need to pay a small fee if you want to park off Cambridge Road and Blucher Street.
Liverpool to Crosby Beach by bus
You also get from Liverpool to Crosby Beach by bus in 30 – 40 minutes. It’s the slowest way of travelling there, apart from going by foot, obviously. Bus number 47 will take you just to Waterloo, while bus number 53 goes as far as Mariners Road. Both start their journeys at Queen Square Bus Station in Liverpool.
Walk from Liverpool to Crosby Beach
Feeling crazy? Love walking? Why not go to Crosby on foot? It’s a 5.3 miles (8.5 km) long route that starts in the Museum of Liverpool and ends in the Waterloo area. It should take you less than 2 hours to get there, but it’s definitely doable. You can have a picnic at the beach and go back by train or by bus. It’s a great idea for spending quality time with your loved ones, or by yourself.
FAQ
Is Crosby Beach dangerous?
Yes, Crosby Beach is considered dangerous, especially for children. The biggest danger comes from banks of mud, where you can get stuck easily and might not get out on your own. When you add a tide that comes in quickly and ranges up to ten metres, you might find yourself in a very dangerous situation.
Be mindful of that when visiting Crosby Beach and wandering around the statues.
Are dogs allowed on Crosby Beach?
Yes, dogs are allowed on the beach all year round. It’s advised to keep them on a leash though, because of areas of sinking sand.
Can you swim in the sea at Crosby Beach?
No, according to Sefton Council, Crosby beach is not a bathing beach, and it doesn’t have a patrolled bathing area.
Is Crosby Beach better than Formby Beach?
Yes and no. It all comes down to your personal preferences. Both of them are sandy, open all year round, dog friendly, with car parks nearby.
Crosby Beach is a home to “Another Place” art installation. It’s a perfect place for a relaxing walk along the coastal path with views of Wirral Peninsula and North Wales hills. It’s the nearest beach to Liverpool, which is another reason why it’s more popular than Formby Beach.
Formby Beach is quieter than Crosby, with plenty of space so it feels less touristy. It’s located by the National Trust Formby, home to the red squirrels with sand dunes and pine woodland.
Have you ever been to either of them? If yes, which one is better? Let me know in the comments!
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