Cleveleys and Rossall Beach

The Fylde Coast may not be Cornwall but it can offer plenty of fun for dogs and their owners and is, happily, rather easier to get to from Preston. Having said that, on a sunny day, it can seem as if the whole of Lancashire is heading to the Coast, and you'll need plenty of patience approaching the Windy Harbour traffic lights on the A585.

Our walk this afternoon started at the car park on Cleveleys Promenade, near to the Royal Hotel. The Promenade itself has undergone quite a few changes since we were last there. It's a shame to see the open space around Jubilee Gardens given over to a featureless brick built multiplex cinema and pizza outlet. Having said that, I assume the funding the Council received from selling the car park and land is contributing to the ongoing sea defence works, the "Peoples Prom" and the much improved facilities for kids in the adjacent park.

The dog enjoyed a good splash around as we strolled up the beach towards Rossall. The tide was well in so we did have to give some anglers a wide berth as well as watch for kids throwing stones into the sea. The dog, having recently gained his sea legs, is a little over confident in the water and I had visions of him swimming out through the surf in a doggy impression of Bay Watch.

At the far end of the beach towards Rossall, we were forced up on to the prom by the sea, end enjoyed the walk in front of the sea wall to Fairway. It was busy with people, bikes and dogs along here, but that was fine and gave us a chance to practice some heel work with some major distractions! It probably also made me look pretty stupid, constanlty barking "heel" and taking two steps back every time he pulled, but such is life.

We returned the same way, stopping at the ice cream van in the Promenade car park to try to recapture some of the spirit of last week's holiday. I'm sorry to say that the ice cream of Terry's of Cleveleys just doesn't match Roskilly's of Cornwall. The dog enjoyed the remnants of the cone all the same though.

The views ac cross Morecambe Bay, out to the new Wind Farm and beyond, were great. The dog loved the beach and didn't seem to notice the difference between the clear blue seas and golden sands of Cornwall and the brown seas and slightly grubby shingle of the Fylde. My powers of observation were slightly sharper but it didn't spoil a good afternoon out and we'll return there soon.

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Click here for information and pictures relating to the Cleveleys Promenade and Sea Wall Defence Works.

Doggy rating 7/10