Family Walk at Formby Beach

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We are constantly on the lookout for new family walks to try but do keep coming back to one of our ultimate favourite beach walk at Formby Beach.

The length of walk is completely up to you but generally we tend to be walking for between 30-45 minutes – more if we have a sit down.

This is a stunning beach with beautiful golden dry sand. On a clear day, you will be able to see Blackpool Tower in the distance. The weather can be beautiful or terrible and it is still a gorgeous place to visit. In fact, we tend to prefer it when there is a cold wind and you can really wrap up – It is much quieter then.

We enter the beach from the boardwalk, which takes about 10 minutes walk from the car park. You have the choice to turn left or right when you enter the beach (or you can even just  stand on the boardwalk platform and watch the world go by). If you head to the right and walk for around 15 minutes, you will come across the entrance (or exit) to the Victoria Road car park (over a huge sand dune). We prefer to head left, past the lifeguard station and walk for at least 15-20 minutes. 

When you come to the first yellow sign as you head left, you can exit the beach and walk down the soft sandy path – This is much more of a physical walk, wading through the sand and will lead you to the main entrance to the Lifeboat Road car park. This is great for walkers who prefer a circular route, instead of having to walk back on themselves.

​During late summer, you will see some stunning sunsets on Formby Beach – make sure you get there in plenty of time as sometimes the car park can get quite busy at this time of day.

You can choose to walk across the tops of the sanddunes on the Sefton coastal path, if you don’t want to actually go down onto the beach itself. You will likely find small groups of teens and children playing in the Formby dunes – the majority won’t disturb you at all. In peak season, you may find people having BBQs with disposable BBQs (which are forbidden but you can’t tell some people!)

Did you see our review of the year 2023? For more travel tips and a recap of the adventures we went on last year, read our roundup.

Is there parking available at Formby Beach?

Yes there is. There are two main car parks – Victoria Road and Lifeboat Road. Your sat nav will probably guide you to Victoria Road.

As Formby is one of the National Trust sites, National Trust members get free parking (This alone makes our National Trust membership worthwhile as we go that often). You just need to remember to scan your National Trust card at the parking meter.

Non-National Trust members are charged £8.50 to park at both Lifeboat Road and Victoria Road car parks.

There is some street parking available in the local housing estate roads but this does get very busy on sunny days in the summer.

What is the best way to access Formby Beach?

We used to park in the Victoria Road car park and climb over a huge sand dune to access the beach. We then discovered the Lifeboat Road car park and found that using the boardwalk was much more pleasant. This is also the pushchair friendly route to the beach.

Can you go in the sea at Formby Beach?

Yes, Formby is a great beach to go sea swimming from. In fact, there is a group of people who meet exactly one hour before high tide every single day to go swimming (or just a dip) in the sea. The group assemble at the lifeguard hut on They are really friendly and welcome anyone new or inexperienced to sea swimming. Some wear wetsuits, some don’t, most have a tow float and there are all shapes and sizes – Its a  brilliant atmosphere when they are preparing to go in the water. You can find the tide times on social media. On occasion, the weather will be so wild that the lifeguards will red flag the beach.

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What is Formby Beach famous for?

Formby Beach is the location of the first lifeboat station in the UK. It is believed to have been established as early as 1776 by William Hutchinson.

Formby Beach area is also famous for the red squirrel walk. The woods can be accessed via Victoria Road. This is the perfect spot for nature lovers, as the red squirrels are super cute, but can get very busy in the summer and difficult to park.

Are dogs allowed on Formby Beach?

Yes, this is a really popular area with dog walkers. Generally, people are very responsible with clearing up after their dogs but sometimes during the busy summer period, you may find dog dirt bags or even dog poo left on the boardwalk. Drives me potty!

Dogs are allowed in the Red Squirrel reserve but owners are asked to keep them on a lead.

Are there any refreshments available at Formby Beach?

In high season, you may find an ice cream van in either car parks. If you are walking from the train station (or driving towards Lifeboat Road), you will pass a Co-op convenience store, so best to stock up on your snacks there if you need them. There are picnic areas available at the side of the beach car park.

We like to take a flask of hot chocolate and our travel cups and have a sit down in the dunes to watch the world go by – In fact, we have done this for the past 4 Christmas Days.

Green Beach Coffee have recently opened a van on the Lifeboat Road Car Park, which we have yet to try. I will feed back when we do!

Helen is a family and lifestyle blogger, writing about her experiences of bringing up 3 girls. For more information about the Costello Family and the services they can offer visit the Work With Us page

Are there any toilets available at Formby Beach?

Yes, there are hard standing toilet facilities available at the entrance to the Victoria Road car park and portaloos available in the car park at Lifeboat Road. They are kept well maintained (but obviously do get some sand and mud on the floors in poor weather) and are open 10am – 4pm. The portaloos have hand sanitiser available but no running water for washing hands.

Are ball games allowed on Formby Beach?

Yes, this sandy beach lends itself so well to kicking a ball around or something larger like a huge rounders match. The sand is very flat and compacted so makes running and walking on it very easy compared to other beaches. On Sundays, you often see large family groups playing ball games and having picnics together, at all times of year.

Are there RNLI Lifeguards on Formby Beach?

Yes, they operate from Easter through to the end of September. Only Crosby beach has lifeguards all year round (The only beach in the country to be manned 365 days per year).

Which is better, Formby Point or Crosby Beach?

In our opinion, Formby beach has the edge on Crosby but they are both excellent beaches to visit for a coastal walk. Crosby Beach is more accessible to pushchair and wheelchair users as the boardwalk runs above the actual sand.

Can I get to Formby Beach using public transport?

Yes, Formby station is exactly one mile walk from Formby Beach. Formby train station is on the Northern railway line so trains go to both Southport and Liverpool Parkway stations.

Why is it sometimes called Formby Point?

You will see signs on the beach for Formby Point – There are various theories as to why. Some people believe that the Lifeboat Lane area had the highest sand dunes and so it was known as Formby Point.

You may also like to check out our Free Things to do in Liverpool this Christmas post. May of the events listed continue throughout the year.