There’s no denying that Birkdale is predominantly famous for its golf course, Royal Birkdale Golf Club. But did you know that Birkdale has much to offer in its own right, away from the golf?
Here’s why you should consider paying Birkdale a visit and what you might find at this great place:
Birkdale at a Glance
- About one mile (5 minutes drive from Southport Town Centre and Beach).
- Easily accessible via train on the Southport to Liverpool Line.
- Easy to navigate village centre where plenty of retailers are within easy reach.
- At the time of writing, all local high schools were rated Good or above in their most recent Ofsted inspections.
- Public toilets available within Birkdale Station.
Independent Shops
From Jennings Greengrocers, right in the centre of Birkdale, selling a wide range of locally sourced and grown produce to several local butchers within easy reach – It is so easy to support independent retailers in Birkdale.
For cheese lovers, a visit to Birkdale Cheese Centre is a must with over 150 different types of cheese on offer.
Community Spirit
We absolutely loved seeing the yarn bombing around Birkdale. We counted 4 post boxes that had different knitted decorations – I won’t show you them all as part of the joy was discovering them.
The Friends of Rotten Row do a fantastic job of keeping the borders and planted areas in great condition. Rotten Row is not nearly as Rotten or small as you would expect. It is right near the front of Southport and you can walk down the whole way just set back from the beach, avoiding the busy traffic.
Cafes and Restaurants
There are independent cafes and restaurants everywhere you look. Many have outside covered seating areas with heaters.
We called at around 4pm when most cafes were closing (We chose not to visit Costa, preferring to support local independent instead) and struggled to get the wine bars to serve coffee or tea as 2 said their machines were switched off. Perhaps something to bear in mind for the non-drinkers (I was happy with a pint), although there were plenty of choices of soft drinks available.
A recent addition to Birkdale is Penelopes, the instagram friendly, Mediterranean inspired sister of Emily’s Restaurant in Formby. Bistrot Verite is another wonderful French restaurant in the heart of the community. A family run business that has is celebrating 15 years of operation, plus another year of being featured in the Michelin Guide.
Dog friendly
There are dogs everywhere but they seem very well behaved. Cafes and Restaurants have seating areas and dog bowls for your furry friends
Artwork
You really must see the newly installed Red Rum Painted Artwork at Birkdale Station. Created by Paul Curtis Artwork, this was recently unveiled just in time for the Grand National at Aintree.
Fitness
Nearby Southport and Birkdale Sports Club is a haven for sports lovers all year round, offering the choice of cricket, hockey, snooker, squash and tennis. Membership to Southport and Birkdale Sports Club is available for less then £5 per week.
If you fancy trying something new, Southport and Birkdale Croquet Club provide regular taster sessions throughout the summer.
Mandala Yoga based near Birkdale Village centre offers a more holistic experience with a wide range of yoga on the timetable.
Near the beach
Nearby Southport beach is walkable from Birkdale station (30 minutes) and only 5 minutes in the car and well worth a visit. Other North West beaches at Ainsdale, Formby and Crosby are also easily accessible by car.
