Fresh air, mysterious creatures and a magical story are all waiting to be discovered on the Mythic Coastline, from Cleveleys to Fleetwood.
I’ll start at the beginning… The Sea Swallow is a children’s book written by Gareth Thompson that brings to life the folklore and myth that surrounds this stretch of coastline.
The area is home to the Lune Deep, an underwater Grand Canyon created 20,000 years ago during the last Ice Age and home to a rich and colourful variety of wildlife, with captivating names like Dead Man’s Fingers and Mermaid’s Glove. But what else lives there?
Well you’ll have to read the book but you can see the setting for the story and some of the characters in real life by following the artwork trail along the seafront.
The trail starts at the junction of Kingsway and the promenade at Cleveleys (near the Anchorsholme border), with Shipwrecks, a memorial to all the ships wrecked off the Fylde coast between 1643 and 2008.
Next, and not difficult to find, is the imposing Sea Swallows monument standing tall at the top of Victoria Road West, etched with words from the book to fire up your imagination:
Down in Lune Deep
Far below the sea
Something sparkles
Like sunken treasure.
A strange boy is watching
But steals away in a flash
As the Sea-Ogre stirs
And our story begins…
Continue your quest northwards and The Paddle, a huge wooden carving, can be found washed ashore a little further along. Who could such a ginormous thing possibly belong to? Read the inscription to find out…
You’ll need to keep your eyes peeled and your wits about you as you try to spot the stone Sea Ogre. Although he weighs 12 tonnes and his eyes burn bright red, he hides on the beach among the rocks and isn’t so easy to see. Hopefully you’ll catch a glimpse – if you have the courage to get up close.
The final character to be found on the beach is the Sea Shell, which holds ‘every sound and every spellbound secret of the sea!’ and rises out of the sea as the tide goes back out. It’s big enough for dogs and kids to play in too!
This brings you to Café Cove on the promenade but the trail doesn’t end there. Carry on along the seafront to Rossall Point and step inside the observation tower, which is built to look like it’s leaning in to the wind. Apart from fantastic views across Morecambe Bay available from the viewing decks, there’s also Sea Swallow inspired artwork and lots to learn about the environment.
The Mythic Coastline has been created by Wyre Council as part of a project to improve Wyre’s seafront and reveals an enchanting tale about this area of the coast, even to those who know it well.
Spend an exhilarating (and free!) afternoon following the trail – you won’t be disappointed.
Warning: make sure the tide is going to be out when you go, or you’ll miss the main characters!
There’s street parking at Cleveleys promenade and a free car park at Rossall Point.