Day 3: New Brighton

Rather than go to typical holiday locations, I sometimes choose places because they look interesting "geographically" on the map; are exact degree co-ordinates; have an interesting name (I've visited two places called "Mark"!); are a film location; but today it was because of a book.

A while back, I bought a photography collection book called "The Last Resort" by Martin Parr. Inside, there are photos he took in the mid 80s of a rather run-down (at the time) little seaside resort called "New Brighton".
Since getting the book I've always wanted to visit, to find out what it's like now and try and match some of the photos.Well, New Brighton is on the North East tip of Wirral so today was my chance.

(The other reason is that, of course, not far from where I live at home is the city of Brighton - the old one.)

Me holding the book at the location it was taken.

The original book cover:

and Pikachu (without an ice cream) standing in the same spot.

While there, I also found this old sea fort (with canons), which is now a museum containing lots of shrapnel and parts of aircraft that crashed in World War II in and around Liverpool. It is also an active radar station for keeping an eye on ships in the area. (Interestingly, the off-shore wind turbines show up on the radar screen!)

Me and Pikachu inside the fort (lighthouse in the background):

After leaving New Brighton, I drove off Wirral and round to Telacre, near Rhyl - a NE "corner" across the estuary from Wirral. The sand was being blown along the beach so fast it stung when it hit me. It was freezing. I walked out to this lighthouse which is built in the middle of the sand:

Finally, I arrived at my next Travelodge near Bangor. Tomorrow, I hope to get my bike out (the weather is supposed to be sunny.) In the meantime, here is another photo from today.

Pikachu across the Mersey - Liverpool in the background (including the Liver building)

Don't forget there is a current map of my travels available (see the menu at the top left or click here.)

Check out more of my New Brighton Photos.