While taking a leisurely stroll along the seafront at Lytham a curious feeling grips the walker. A sense that there is something missing. That something is the sea. Lytham has the curious distinction of being a seaside town that is nowhere near water. It would be more accurately described as a sandside town. Blighty top tip - pack a pair of strong binoculars.

The beach at Lytham St Annes

This fact has often worked to the town’s advantage, however. It has been used as a location for many films including Lawrence of Arabia and Ice Cold in Alex. It was also the venue for US army training before the Desert Storm operation. Things may change, however, if the proposed pact with Scarborough council comes off. Scarborough’s coastline is continually crumbling away due to erosion, so they intend to exchange some of their sea for a couple of retired Coronation Street stars from Lytham.

Lytham St Annes is actually two places, although, luckily for town planners, they are near each other. Lytham is the more quaint, elegant area while St Annes has large hotels along the sea sand front and cheaper houses. People from Lytham are always from Lytham, while those from St Annes always claim to be from Lytham St Annes.

Lytham has four golf courses. This is because of the surplus of sand. Course architects always include a lot of bunkers on local courses. Royal Lytham and St Annes is the most famous, although it is only open to golfers who know someone famous, or are sleeping with one of the committee members. The latter option is not recommended however, unless you’re not fussy.

Other things to see while in the area include the many cultural establishments in the nearby sedate town of Blackpool; the windmill, where you can see what Lytham was like as a coastal town; and the sea, if you have transport.

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