With history at every corner, this UK seaside town is well worth a visit at any time of the year. Fleetwood Lancashire UK is small but perfectly formed. A very popular place with plenty of historic charm – we’ve made a whole website about it!
Visit Fleetwood
As we said, we love Fleetwood so much that we made a full website all about it! Why don’t you head off next to visitFleetwood.info – it’s part of the Visit Fylde Coast family. There you can find out…
- About the town as it is today – explore the streets, parks and attractions and much, much more.
- Loads of interesting things from its past – about buildings, places and people who make the town what it is!
- Things to do and see
- All about the many events that take place each year
- And much, much more!
Fleetwood Lancashire, UK
Lancashire is a ceremonial county in North West England with Cumbria in the north, North and West Yorkshire in the east, Greater Manchester and Merseyside in the south, and the Irish Sea to the west. Fleetwood is only a few miles to the north of Blackpool. It’s at the very top of the Fylde Coast – the peninsula of land created by the Rivers Wyre and Ribble. It joins neighbour Cleveleys on the coast and is close to the market town of Poulton-le-Fylde. Lytham St Annes isn’t far away as the crow flies. Here it is, at the pin on the map of the UK.
It’s a great place to visit and ideal for a day trip or holiday. It’s bang in the middle of the country with great access from the north, south and central areas of the UK. Reasonably close to the motorway network it’s a popular day destination for people who live in the north-west of the UK. Fleetwood UK is also on the must-do list of most holiday makers who stay in Blackpool.
Fleetwood Lancashire – full of Heritage
Fleetwood is at the end of the Blackpool to Fleetwood tramway. Trams terminate here, looping back to travel southwards along their route to Squires Gate in Blackpool – and back again!
It’s a friendly and welcoming town with an amazing, close-knit community. A former fishing town, and a bit isolated by it’s geographical position, local people love where they live. Numerous community groups look after local heritage and each other.
Stick it in your Family Album
Fleetwood Lancashire – Miles of Seafront UK
There’s a long and varied seafront at Fleetwood Lancashire, UK, with different types of environment to suit most people.
From the boundary with Cleveleys at Larkholme/Westway there’s the new Rossall Coastal Defences. Here there’s a wide, man-made sea wall and the adjoining Larkholme Grasslands. A substantial sea defence which is designed to hold back the sea and protect from flooding. Nonetheless, it’s a relatively quiet, certainly uncommercialised place.
From the golf course, to and around the tip of Rossall Point (passing Rossall Tower) is a footpath and small, natural dune system. It’s a quiet, natural environment where you’ll see lots of wildlife. It’s also the very bottom edge of Morecambe Bay – and a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
UK Seaside Beaches
Families can enjoy the ‘seaside’ Marine Beach with all its amenities. Adjacent to the Marine Hall there’s toilets and cafe kiosks and a big safe beach for kids to play on. The shoreline continues to The Esplanade, adjacent to the historic North Euston Hotel and RNLI station. Catch the Fleetwood Ferry and enjoy a short sail across the river for an afternoon in Knott End – much loved by artist LS Lowry.
Largely inaccessible to people, the coastline continues into the estuary of the River Ribble and the dock system. There’s a public footpath all the way through the disused container port to Affinity Lancashire (or Fleetwood Freeport as you might know it).
Fleetwood’s beaches stretch for miles and you can enjoy a long walk in either direction. (Please don’t go too far offshore – it’s very dangerous and tides rush in quickly).
Shopping and Things to Do
This is a large and sprawling town centre, with most of the shops at Lord Street and the adjoining junction with Poulton Road. Shops carry on along North Albert Street (past the library) and along Poulton Road to Aldi and Gee Tees. And of course there’s Affinity Lancashire Shopping Outlet – easiest to find in the town centre from Fisherman’s Walk.
There’s a mixture of national names and plenty of independents. At Lord Street there’s Peacocks, Iceland and Poundstretcher and a big Asda supermarket between Lord Street and Affinity. There are independent food stores, take aways and a great bakery or two. Along with jewellers, clothes stores and gifts there are plenty of charity shops. And a brilliant fabric shop – you can see it in the above photo!
Fleetwood Market isn’t far from the Museum and Heritage Quarter of the town. It’s a good market with a wide variety of stalls – most of it is indoors with a few outdoor stalls. It’s open throughout the year and popular with day-visitors. The Museum is also well worth a visit – open seasonally from Easter to November each year.
An Amazing Community!
The people of Fleetwood UK support their town in all kinds of ways, through various groups and the Town Council. They organise a number of big events throughout the year including Celebrate Fleetwood Day, Fleetwood Gala and the Festival of Transport (Tram Sunday). They also install the Christmas Lights and organise the Lantern Parade in winter and green up the town with In Bloom in summer.
A Changing View
As it’s on the tip of a landmass, shaped into a sweeping curve by a major river, the town of Fleetwood sits almost on a circle! The town’s founder Sir Peter Hesketh Fleetwood took advantage of it when he and his architect laid out a wheel-and-spoke pattern of streets. Standing at the top of The Mount they formed the pattern that’s still clear to see today.
Drive around the coast and you’re not aware that you’re going round such a marked curve, but the view changes dramatically! From the market and museum at the East facing Queens Terrace you see over the River Wyre to Knott End. At the North East facing Esplanade you’ll see across Morecambe Bay to Morecambe and Heysham. But from the North facing boating pool area you’ll get a clear view of Walney Island and as you carry on towards the West facing Larkholme sea wall the windfarms are coming clearly into view.
Did we mention that it’s nice and flat? Which makes it easy for everyone to get about. It’s also one of the reasons why it’s a popular retirement town. You’ll see the fantastic Fylde Coast sunsets – perhaps not quite straight on depending on your location!
Heritage and History
Fleetwood’s origins date back a long way, to the time of the industrial revolution and the coming of the railways. Thankfully, many of the original buildings created during this boom period still stand. Some have adaptations at ground level to make them into shops and offices – but look up to see the most marvellous architecture from the past.
Around the Museum and Esplanade, the Heritage Quarter of Fleetwood is packed with fascinating buildings, all telling stories of the past. Many have blue plaques – all of them something interesting to tell. Most of it is documented in the pages of our Visit Fleetwood website – and in Mr Nick Moore’s History of Blackpool and the Surrounding Area.
Fleetwood Lancashire
We think Fleetwood UK is a largely undiscovered gem! Everyone who knows it loves it – here’s why we think you should pay it a visit –
- The seafront is user friendly, well designed and includes heritage features and buildings
- On a dry day you’ll have a great day out in Fleetwood, with plenty to explore
- It’s near to Blackpool so you can enjoy all its neighbours glitz and glamour!
- There’s loads of accommodation for all tastes – check out Airbnb and Booking.com
- It’s a friendly and welcoming town with a warm community feel
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