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Post by sugarcube19 on Sept 13, 2014 9:09:43 GMT
Hi, wanting to take the ponies to Ainsdale or Forby beach. Would prefer to park on hard standing but would like to be quite close to the beach, ponies are not shod. Any tips?
Thanks
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Post by flee on Sept 13, 2014 12:30:30 GMT
You can park for free on the beach on a little car park at the Weld Road entrance at Birkdale It's on hard flat sand .When you start your ride head out towards the sea on the broad sandy track to the right of the car park that runs between the grass .Follow it until you are clear of the grass and on the sand and turn left towards Ainsdale and Formby . Don't be tempted to take the track from the car park that runs to the left alongside the sandhills - there are bridges and gullies that are inaccessable to horses and if you try to ride over the grass you end up in a bog and you're not allowed to ride in the sandhills ! There are car parks at Formby Point but you have to pay , not sure about the one at Ainsdale Lido .All the roads in the vicinity of the beach accesses are double yellow lines so no parking . Have fun !
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Post by 09rebel99 on Sept 13, 2014 19:05:18 GMT
It's £10 to park at Ainsdale but if there's a couple of you it's well worth it or if you go about 5 o clock it's free. It's fairly hard sand by the main entrance.
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Post by sugarcube19 on Sept 14, 2014 7:26:21 GMT
We went, we parked on the sands pub car park as we didn't want to get stuck on the beach. Had a great time. Thanks for the info x
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Post by baileybob on Sept 15, 2014 9:13:49 GMT
I've been to Formby a few times and there has never been anyone to pay. We've always gone early but I can't remember ever even seeing anyone in the hut on the way out either. Think it's supposed to be £2.50 or maybe £5?
Anyway, Park on the hard standing car park on lifeboat road, plenty of space for lorries. Ride back up lifeboat road for about 200 yards on smooth tarmac then over the horse stile on the left into the squirrel reserve. Follow the blue posts round the woods/bridlepath (all sand tracks) which eventually brings you out on a horse accessible dune - after a high tide I have had to dismount and scramble down the dune a little at the bottom as the tide has cut the end of the dune and made it a bit steep, but it was perfectly do-able and there are large boulders there to remount. Riding round the squirrel reserve is a great warm up before you hit the sand as its really only walkable (lots of tree roots and dog walkers). Once on the beach, I usually do a loop and get off the at the far end (to the left of lifeboat road as you look out to sea) before the shooting range, and ride up the lane, past the hotel and turn left, back down lifeboat lane to the car park - but the track of the beach there is stoney - it's not long though, couple of hundred metres?
I've always taken proof of third party liability too because I think if someone is in the payment hut at the car park, you have to show them.
Don't try to get directly on the beach from the car park - the dune there is not horse suitable.
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