Location: Southport
Top Things to do in Southport
Top 9 Outdoor Activities in Southport, England
Southport (/ˈsaʊθpɔːrt/) is a large seaside town in Merseyside, England. At the 2001 census, it had a population of 90,336, making it the eleventh most populous settlement in North West England.
Restaurants in Southport
1. Hillside Golf Club
2. Royal Birkdale Golf Club
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 112 reviews
Reviewed By miffjames - Avalon Beach, Australia
There is always great discussion about which is the best of the three Royal courses on the English golf coast around Liverpool. For me it's a toss up between Birkdale and Hoylake. As an Aussie travelling to the UK late in 2019, I had the opportunity to play all three. Birkdale is a stand out from the unique clubhouse architecture through to the magnificent links course that you don't have to be Tiger Woods to enjoy and score well. Every hole is a gem. Couple this with some wonderful history and memorabilia scattered throughout the club house and a pro shop and house staff that treat you like a member, it is one of the great golfing bucket list experiences.
3. Southport Cycle Hire
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 6 reviews
Southport Cycle Hire has bikes for all the family. Open all year round, our friendly staff will be on hand to help you plan your ride with advice and lots of ideas of routes you can try.
4. Southport & Ainsdale Golf Club
5. Hesketh Golf Club
6. Sefton Coastal Path
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 9 reviews
Reviewed By Snazzycracker - Southport, United Kingdom
I will be honest I was a bit confused looking at the description of the Sefton Coastal Path review here, and the indication at one point that it is at Marshside Southport. It's not Marshside and the bird watching is at the far North end of the Sefton coast. I notice a lot of people have done this path at Crosby too, which is the Southern end of the coastal paths. I have honestly never noticed the signage of an official Sefton Coastal Path but I know there are some splattered around. It's roughly 16 miles from Crosby to Southport beach going through and along the Sefton coast as I have ran it many times and cycled it too. There are many sections, Crosby to Hightown is a coastal path along the promenade and goes past the Gormley statues on the beach, and then passes the Coastguard station. Crosby beach has parking for cars near the Coast guard so is worth a park or stop there for the views. If you are walking or cycling the coastal path next goes along a fairly newly resurfaced cycling path in parts to Hightown and along residential streets which eventually takes you too Hightown train station. To progress towards Formby pinewoods and beach etc from here you have to follow the path alongside the railway to Altcar army training barracks etc and the path continues alongside the M.O.D. property and the railway. Once at the end of the Altcar path which is also a cycling route you come out on the outskirts of Formby and in a residential area. I don't know officially which direction or route any official coastal path points you from here, but I turn left and follow the residential roads and with a one time use of a map or Google maps on your phone, you can find you way to the entrance to the next part of the coastal area Lifeboat Road, Formby. This is the start of the pinewood area and Lifeboat road will take you down to adequate parking again and access to the beach and it's dunes range. You can carry on from here either along the beach or via paths towards the pinewoods at Freshfield and the National Trust squirrel reserve. This in itself is worth a visit to a vast selection of paths around the pinewoods there. You can also access Freshfield railway station from here too as it is a one road route straight to it from the entrance to the reserve. From the squirrel reserve you can take the beach again or follow routes through the pinewoods and dunes to the Fishermans Path which runs from the beach back towards the railway and you can double back to Freshfield station from there too. If carry on beyond the Fishermans path you will end up at the Ainsdale sand dunes reserve, assuming you haven't wandered off toward the rest of the pinewoods and ended up alongside Woodvale airfield. Ainsdale is a vast dunes range and leads to Ainsdale beach you pretty much choose your own path through the dunes from Freshfield to Ainsdale although at some points there are wooden posts with white markers on top. Once at Ainsdale beach it joins the Birldale dunes and again you can follow the beach or go through the dunes, there is a lowland path between the reclaimed salt marsh and the edge of the dunes. If you go through the dunes you will be rewarding with great views of the coastline North or South, and on a good day you can see the mountains of North Wales and also the mountains of the Lake District. This is usually more visible later in the day in the hours before sunset. If you carry on through Birkdale dunes you will come out at their end at the Weld Road roundabout and the Southern tip of Victoria Park and also the Coast Road. You can cross the roundabout and head inland to Birkdale railway station from here if you wish as that is the end of the sand dunes. If you continue on North along the coast from here you will end up at Southport pier within 1 mile or so, and if you continue on even further you will end up at the Marshside RSPB Bird Reserve. There are various viewing stations here for bird watching and I would recommend visiting their website for full details. That is officially the end of the path, unless you walk alongside the coast road to Crossens roundabout and officially the outskirts of Southport, but be aware you will have to turn back or get a bus back to Southport town centre from there.
7. Southport Old Links Golf Club
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 18 reviews
Southport Old Links Golf Club. We are not the biggest but one of the oldest courses in the area, with quality on par with our famous neighbours.Golf was first played here in 1892 & the Course is often referred to as the 'Hidden Gem' along England's Golf Coast.We are a fairly small yet extremely friendly Club & Welcome Guests all year round. Please contact us for a visit you're sure to enjoy.
Reviewed By carolmT8940BS - Southport, United Kingdom
We have held 2 functions at Southport Old Links in the past 5 months. Andy, Jeanette and the staff are friendly, polite, very helpful and the foods superb. I can't recommend this place enough for any function you are holding whatever the occasion. We have also played golf here on a number of times the course is lovely and a credit to Simon the green keeper.
8. Ainsdale Beach
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 448 reviews
Reviewed By 577berylh
Miles and miles of lovely beach, and parking right there. Dunes for secluded picnics or shelter on a breezy day.
