Heysham to Morecambe
There is a great seaside walk from Heysham Port Station to Morecambe Station. I did it with my family, and they may sneak into a the odd photo. It is four or so miles.
There is exactly one train a day to Heysham Port, arriving at 1315, so you really need to start here, and head to Morecambe, which has two trains an hours to Lancaster. Trains to Heysham stop first at Morecambe, then reverse to head to Heysham. The driver has to stop and get out to change the points himself!
Heysham Station was a fair size once, but is just a single platform now, moved from its original site, so it is now a bit closer to the ferry terminal.
The station is very much geared to the ferry, and exiting to road is something of a leap-of-faith across a waiting area for vehicles, but does afford great views of the nuclear power station. This is the view looking back at the ferry terminal with the connecting ferry towering over it, behind.
Heading left, the road crosses a level crossing, giving access to the nuclear power station.
Got to be honest the scenery is not great for a while as you head along Princess Alexandra Way, then turn left up Port Way, over the bridge over the railway.
The line on the left is to the power station, on the right to the ferry terminal. You can just see the sea in the distance - my first sighting of the sea! Port Way leads down to the coast, turning right on Shore Road, passing an industrial estate. I am pretty sure this used to be Alfa Aesar, which probably means nothing to you...
This is just a short way to this view.
Heading along the beach, the path rises over a headland, owned by the National Trust (but free to access!). This is the view looking back at the harbour and the power station, with the ferry just leaving the harbour.
From a bit further on, looking the other way, with the Lake District visible in the far distance.
The headland culminates in a ruined chapel, Saint Patrick's. It can be seen in the middle distance here.
The chapel had a reliquary carved into the rock where sacred bones were kept, possibly - and supposedly - of Saint Patrick. The containers are still there, bottom left below.
Just beyond the church is the village of Heysham. I turned left into the road, but this is the view right.
The road turns to the right, and then there is a footpath on the left to the shore, sign-posted "Whinnysty Lane". This is the view from along the footpath, looking back at the village, with the church behind and above.
I am not sure quite where Heysham stops and Morecambe starts, but presumably this is Morecambe...
This is South Bay, which is very much the quieter half of Morecambe. Much of the beach has become mudflats and then grasses - a common feature of beaches from Southport to Grange-over-Sands. The big building in the centre was the Alhambra, a music hall built in 1901, replacing, or on top of, the West End Market, built just 12 years earlier. It became the Astoria cinema in 1930, and suffered a major fire in 1970. An image of it in its heyday can be found here.
Between North Bay and South Bay is the remains of the London Midland and Scottish railway station, now a pub called... The Station.
Looks cool inside too.
Opposite is the Midland Hotel, built by the railway in 1933 in a "Streamline Moderne" style (a form of Art Deco).
The North Bay is a bit more lively than the South, and it did at last feel like I was in a place tourists still go. The Art Deco style was apparent in other buildings.
Looking out to sea, with the Lake District in the background.
Turning right at this point it is a short walk to Morecambe station, and the train home again!
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