This wasn’t a cycle ride to Waterloo in the Netherlands (now Belgium), nor did we sing Abba’s tribute to the famous battle. And no, we didn’t visit the famous London rail station, though we did pass nearby Waterloo station. This is an area near Crosby in Sefton.

We began by cycling along the Lower Promenade in Southport.

Then picking up Marine Drive and following NCN Route 62. This, of course, forms a section of the Trans Pennine Trail (TPT) which we completed a few years back.

Cycling along Marine Drive was hard work since we were cycling straight into a headwind.

At Ainsdale, still following NCN Route 62, we began heading inland.

This followed the trackbed of the former Cheshire Lines Railway.

In doing so it took us over the flat peatlands of the Lancashire plain. The wind was still in our faces as we made our way along the trail.

From 1884, The Cheshire Lines Railway Company operated services across the Lancashire Mossland between Liverpool and Southport. It closed in 1952 and was later acquired by West Lancashire Borough Council. Then in 1988, the line was upgraded to a dual-use cycle and footpath.

At Netherton, we crossed Broom’s Cross Road.

At Netherton, we joined the Leeds and Liverpool canal. Here we left NCN Route 62.

A little further on we entered Rimrose Valley Country Park.

We left the park at Waterloo and headed down towards Crosby beach. Waterloo was historically part of Lancashire, and originally part of Crosby. It is now an affluent residential suburb of predominantly Georgian, Edwardian and Victorian villas, mews and terraces, facing the sea.

We took a short break at Crosby Leisure Centre.

Then headed for Crosby Coastal Park.

As we followed the path along the seafront, NCN Route 810, we passed Antony Gormley’s Another Place sculptures.

Finally, the wind was behind us and we began to make quicker progress.

After following the path for a few miles it turned inland towards Freshfield.

We then tracked the railway line for a few miles.

Before entering the woods at Ainsdale Sand Dunes.

Eventually, this brought us out onto the Coastal Road again.

Our final flourish was back to Southport.

This, in spite of the strong headwind for the first half of the cycle ride, had been a fine route. It’s always enjoyable cycling along the coast, and we had cycled along tracks we hadn’t been along before. So, it’s always good to try somewhere new.

You can view our Waterloo route below: