St Annes Pier

The pier stretches out into the Irish Sea like it's got nowhere else to be, all Victorian iron and salt-worn timber. St Annes Pier is the kind of place you walk to the end of just to turn around and walk back again - there's something about that moment when solid ground runs out and you're suspended over water that never gets old.

It's proper accessible, which means families with buggies and older walkers can actually do the full length without a drama. The pier itself is free to access, though you might find yourself drawn to the bits that charge - amusements, cafes, arcades. Allow twenty minutes to half an hour if you're just strolling; longer if you're the type to sit on a bench watching the light change on the water.

This works brilliantly as part of a caravan park holiday in the area. If you're based at Manor House Glamping or Pipers Height just down the road, it's an easy evening walk, and a genuine change from the theme parks and bustle over in Blackpool. Come when the weather's decent - a drizzly day makes the Victorian metalwork atmospheric but your shoes will be damp for hours. Low tide is better than high if you're into looking at the beach, though honestly the pier itself is the draw.

Worth your time if you're in Lancashire? Absolutely. It's not going to blow your mind, but it's real and honest in a way that matters.