A Coast for All … to get outdoors!

Known for resorts like Blackpool and Morecambe, this coast also boasts peaceful country parks and reserves teeming with wildlife.  So, after the city lights, hike, cycle or stroll breathing nothing but fresh coastal air. 

Bike the Bay 
Get on your bike and take in the beauty of Morecambe Bay! The Ways Around the Bay website lists a range of routes for walkers, cyclists and outdoor enthusiasts to get out in nature and see its beauty low-carbon style.  With easy and more challenging routes for both push and e-bikes, there is plenty of inspiration on this stretch of the Lancashire coastline. Better still, the routes showcase cafes, pubs and attractions to refuel, the flagship Bay Cycle Way is also featured, with segmented options if you don’t feel like undertaking the entire 81-mile route! 

Mythic Coast Artwork Trail, Cleveleys  
Follow a series of huge sculptures based on the children’s book The Sea Swallow. The Mythic Coast Artwork Trail takes the folklore, myth and legends described in the book and stands them right in front of you. Designed by local artist Stephen Broadbent, you’ll find an array of captivating sculptures, from swallows to giant sea shells and even an ogre! Whilst enjoying the trail and the sights of Cleveleys, use the Mythic Coast AR App to bring the sculptures to life. – Find out more

Wyre Estuary Country Park  
Want a fantastic coastal outdoor experience but to keep off the sand? There’s no better place to get outdoors and enjoy the coast than at one of Lancashire’s nature reserves and parks. Wyre Estuary Country Park is an award-winning Green Flag Country Park, with a variety of estuary and riverside views, and excellent birdwatching opportunities. You’ll also find picnic sites, a family area and all terrain electric Trampers for wheelchair-users. 

Or head to RSPB Fairhaven, in addition to bird watching, nature walks and stunning views, enjoy boat rides, adventure golf and a Spitfire memorial. There is also a water sports centre for kayaking, canoeing and paddle boarding. 

In the north of Lancashire, at RSPB Leighton Moss you can encounter birds, bugs, bats and otters, as well as their largest resident, the red deer. Explore nature trails, take a stroll around the sensory garden or enjoy a home-made meal in the café. Set within the Arnside and Silverdale National Landscape, its scenery is exceptional all year round.  

For sun-baked sands with flocks of wading birds and sand dunes covered in butterflies, head to The Ribble coast and wetlands. Spot gently grazing cattle and mudflats teeming with thousands of birds and burrowing creatures. 

Known globally for its yacht races, the Isle also hosts walking and running festivals and superb cycle and hiking trails.

When it comes to outdoor action, The Isle of Wight is not just an Island, it's an outdoor adventurer's dream. From coastal hikes with breathtaking views to water sports that make waves of excitement, this Island punches well above its size. 

As the countryside bursts into life in Spring, there’s a host of outdoor activities for exploring the Island.  

In early May the Island hosts two ‘Round the Island’ events. The Isle of Wight Ultra, an epic 106km walking journey; and the Randonnee, a cycling event with a choice of 100km or 55km rides 

For something a little less challenging, join the multi-award-winning Isle of Wight Walking Festival, celebrating 25 years and one of the UK’s most popular and largest walking festivals, offering over 150 walks, across two nine-day events, for all ages and abilities. The Spring Festival takes place from the 11th to the 19th of May and the Autumn event from the 5th to the 11th of October. 

The Isle of Wight Running Festival, a week-long Island-wide event is a must for running aficionados, starting Sunday 2nd June.  

If you’d rather be afloat, the annual Round the Island Race held on the 15 June, organised by the Island Sailing Club, is a one-day yacht race around the Island. With more than 1,000 boats and thousands of sailors, it is one of the largest yacht races in the world.  

Alternatively, explore the Island at your own pace, visit www.visitisleofwight.co.uk to get inspiration and ideas on a range of activities and things to do.  

So, unleash your inner explorer on the Isle of Wight – and Say Yes to an outdoor adventure! 

Across in Kent, another ‘isle’, Thanet, bursts with outdoor action.  

Hire a £5 Coastal Explorer Pack to help younger visitors get hands-on with the local nature and heritage in Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate and, amongst other activities, discover how to make a sundial, use a compass and learn how to be a rocky shore researcher! 

If getting outdoors and keeping active is in your DNA, Active Ramsgate is for you.  Featuring activities such as cycle routes, walking trails, birdwatching and SUP, it’s ideal for all tastes and ages. 

One of Thanet’s most beautiful cycling routes is the 32-mile Viking Coastal Trail, with much of it traffic free, it’s ideal for all abilities. 

To get to grips with the history of the area, visit Col’s Kent Bike Tours which offers small group, guided tours for all cycling abilities, exploring both little-known places and the more iconic Kent sights. If you’d rather an e-bike Ride Margate stages fun and social e-bike tours of Viking Coastal Trail and Margate Art Trail 

Go on a journey of discovery scouring Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate for Digital Interpretation Plaques telling the area’s stories and secrets across the Isle’s coastline.  

Seeking water sports? With a choice of 16 sandy beaches, there’s plenty of choice, try SUP and Surf lessons at Joss Bay Surf School, Kent Surf School  and SUP Safaris  

Quarry, nature and woodland trails abound at Monkton Nature Reserve, a 16-acre abandoned chalk quarry. Activities include a sculpture hunt, Monkton Meander (an alphabetical challenge to find, see, hear, feel or smell things beginning with the letters of the alphabet) to see some of the 350 species of plants alongside mammal and birdlife.  For birders and twitchers, Birdwise provide free guided walks and talks on coastal wildlife and history.

In a bid to make Margate plastic free, local artist Louis Masai teamed up with the local litter picking community group Rise Up, Clean Up to create Rise Up Residency Murals, a series of painted murals by different artists, each mural features a message on ocean conservation.  Rise Up Residency Murals across Margate and Cliftonville - Visit Thanet 

Also for art-lovers, the Ramsgate Public Art Trail features an eclectic series of statues, carvings and installations across the town.  

With Alpaca Trekking at Quex Park, Adventure Golf at Margate and Ramsgate and the beauty of the King Charles III England Coast Path hugging the coast from Pegwell Bay near Ramsgate to Reculver near Herne Bay, if you’re looking for outdoor pursuits, look no further than this action-packed Isle.