Formby Point Caravan Park

The cry of oystercatchers drifts in from the dunes, and on still mornings you can smell salt and pine resin carried across from Formby's famous red squirrel woods.

This year-round site on the edge of Merseyside's coastal belt suits caravanners and campervanners after a sandy base near Liverpool, plus tenters who don't mind keeping things simple. You're well placed for the sweeping Sefton Coast beaches, the atmospheric pinewoods where red squirrels still thrive, and the fossil footprints occasionally revealed at low tide — it's proper natural heritage country, surprisingly wild for somewhere so close to the city.

Facilities are straightforward: toilets and showers onsite, and it's worth asking about campfires when you check in if you fancy an evening by the flames. The vibe here is unpretentious and seaside-practical — families and dog walkers (policy unclear, so ring ahead if you're bringing a hound) who want sand, space, and easy access to one of the North West's quieter stretches of coastline.