Public Bridleway

Liverpool & Lancashire

Formby NT Bridleway Trial | © NT Formby Chris Hunter

This 1 mile linear route directs visitors from the town of Formby to the edge of Wicks Lake, over old asparagus fields and woodland, and finally over dune grassland and mobile dune habitat on to the beach. Enjoy the variety of habitats present here at Formby, and learn about the history of the site too, including about the world’s first Lifeboat Station here at Formby!

Near to

Formby

Start point

You can either start at the southern end of Larkhill Lane, by the entrance to the bridleway (grid reference: SD 28320 07176) or by the side entrance to the bridleway just off Spruce Way (grid reference: SD 28035 07114). Details about both entrances can be found in our Accessibility Guide.

Trail information

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Difficulty

Accessibility*

Full trail

DistanceMiles: 1 (km: 1.6)

Duration1 hour

Dog friendly**

*The bridleway is largely unsurfaced, being mainly over bare sand and dune grassland, with some sections of compacted stone and tarmac. For further details, see the Terrain section or take a look at our Accessibility Guide.
**Suitable for dogs under close control.

Address
L37 2YF
Directions via Google Maps
By train
Local Merseyrail services run every 15 minutes to Formby train station, which is approximately 1 mile from the entrance to Lifeboat Road car park. National services run to Liverpool Lime Street in Liverpool city centre, which is approximately 14 miles away.
On foot
The start of the trail can be gained by joining the bridleway either at the southern end of Larkhill Lane, or through the entrance on Spruce Way. See our Accessibility Guide for more information about these entrances.
By bus
Local buses in Formby run from Formby train station, and the F3 service passes close by the entrance at Kirklake Corner and Lifeboat Road.
Cycling
Cycle racks can be found next to the portable toilets at Lifeboat Road car park.
By road
Formby town can be accessed from the Formby bypass (A565) easily if coming from either Southport or Switch Island, at the end of the M57 and M58. These motorways connect to the M62 and M6 respectively.
Dogs
Suitable for dogs under close control.
Car park
Lifeboat Road car park has limited parking spaces and can get very busy on sunny days. Please use public transport where possible. See "Getting Here" for more information on public transport options.
Toilet
Unisex portable toilets, and a portable toilet with accessible features can be found at Lifeboat Road car park.
Picnic area
There are two picnic areas in Lifeboat Road car park, by bays 1 and 3. There is also a picnic area by Wicks Lake that can be gained quickly from the bridleway.
Cycle parking
Cycle racks are available at Lifeboat Road car park.
The trail is relatively level for the majority of the route, until you reach the sand dunes that have rolled back onto Lifeboat Road, whereby the gradient is up to 1:6 and on bare sand. Where the path is surfaced it is compacted stone, and the route offers opportunities to explore other parts of the site which are passed nearby, with connections to other good path surfaces.

The elevation of the route takes you from Formby town, through the dune grassland and over the sand dunes to sea level, with the biggest elevation rise and gain being the last sand dune before reaching the beach, which is likely around 10-15m.
Total stages: 9
Total stages: 9
Start point
You can either start at the southern end of Larkhill Lane, by the entrance to the bridleway (grid reference: SD 28320 07176) or by the side entrance to the bridleway just off Spruce Way (grid reference: SD 28035 07114). Details about both entrances can be found in our Accessibility Guide.
Stage 1
Head west along the sandy track, passing the National Trust Omega sign. The vegetation here can mean the track is fairly narrow in the summer, with it sometimes being restricted to only 100cm wide in places.
Stage 2
Continue west until you reach a section of revetment on your left-hand side and some post and rail fencing on your right. Follow the track as it bends to the left, keeping the revetment on your left-hand side.
Stage 3
Follow the blue way markers as the path continues south for around 100m, alongside some mature pine trees, before veering west again and out of the woodland, into the dune grassland. The path is still sandy here, but some large stones protrude in places so watch your step.
Stage 4
Continue west along the sandy track, and head through a narrow gap (up to 150cm) in the trees to bring you out to a bench facing south-west. This is where you can pick up the bridleway if you have detoured around Wicks Lake.
Look out for asparagus fields
The field on your left-hand side (south) used to be used for growing asparagus, a popular activity in Formby until relatively recently. The ridges and furrows are still visible, particularly on the eastern edge of the field. This is why this field, and many others at National Trust Formby, stand out as being so flat amongst the rolling sand dunes – they were levelled in order to grow asparagus.
Stage 5
Veer south from the bench, cutting across the field along the hard surfaced path (up to 20mm stone size) for around 200m, until you re-enter the woodlands. This path has recently been resurfaced for pedestrians and cyclists to use. For horse-riders, please stick to the grassland to avoid damaging the path.
Look out for tiger beetles
Whilst crossing the field, enjoy the fabulous views west of the grasslands in front of you, and the mobile sand dunes in the distance. Due to visitor pressure and the weather conditions on this part of the coastline, large areas of sand have been exposed and blown out, disturbing the once flat field. The presence of bare sand here is important for many rare species which need bare sand to bask in, particularly insects such as the northern dune tiger beetle.
Stage 6
Continue south at the junction with Kirklake Path and the Sefton Coast Path, through the woodlands until you reach Lifeboat Road. A few short wooden posts on the edge of Lifeboat Road restrict access to 130cm wide.
Stage 7
On reaching Lifeboat Road, head west (right) and walk alongside the road for around 300m, until you reach the entrance to Lifeboat Road car park. Take care when walking down the road, as it is used by pedestrians, cyclists, horse-riders, and motorists, and can be very busy in the summer months.
Stage 8
At the wooden barriers, use the gap in between the fence and the large bridleway post on the south side of the road to continue straight (west) for around 150m. This gap is 85cm wide.
Stage 9
At the point where the tarmac ends, continue west towards the beach, over the mobile sand dunes. The path is very undulating, entirely bare sand, and with steep gradients up to 1:6. Continue along this path for 400m to reach the beach.
End point
After making it up and down the last and largest sand dune, you have reached the beach, at which point the bridleway ends. It is here that you can see the remains of the footprints from the world’s first Lifeboat Station, built at Formby in 1776. Grid reference: SD 27037 06267
Trail map
Formby Bridleway Trail Map | © Crown copyright and database rights 2013 Ordnance Survey
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