A couple of weeks ago we ventured up to Lancashire for a weekend with my family, during our time there we visited the Blackpool Illumations and then on the Sunday we headed to the opposite beach over in Southport.  As a child growing up in Lancashire I lived pretty much half way between either of these coasts, but always much preferred visiting Southport for a visit to the beach as it was always quieter than Blackpool but also because it always had the best shells to collect. Blackpool  ...