Crosby beach, just north of Liverpool, is home to one of Britain’s most striking pieces of public art. Antony Gormley’s Another Place puts 100 cast-iron men along the shore, all gazing out to sea as the tide rises and falls around them. It suits art lovers, photographers and anyone after a big-sky coastal walk, and it is an easy half-day from Liverpool by train.
Crosby
Don’t miss
The places that make the trip, and why each one deserves your time.
Rept0n1x / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Waterloo
The small town at the southern end of the beach has the most choice for coffee and lunch, and its station makes a natural start to the walk.
Bring water and snacks; there's no café on the sand.
Crosby Coastal Park
Around the marine lake at the southern end, open grass, paths and a watersports centre make a useful stop with children.
Chris Howells / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.5 Another Place
Antony Gormley's 100 cast-iron men, each cast from his own body, gaze out to sea and slowly vanish as the tide comes in.
Go a couple of hours either side of low tide.
Nilfanion / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 The promenade to Hall Road
A flat, big-sky walk past the figures, with ships sliding in and out of the Mersey and the hills of North Wales across the water on a clear day.
Stay within 50 metres of the promenade at all tides.
Why it stands out
Another Place spreads its 100 figures along about three kilometres of shoreline, with the furthest standing nearly a kilometre out to sea. Each one is cast from the artist’s own body and weighs around 650 kilograms. They all face the horizon. At low tide you can see them in full, barnacled and rusted; as the water comes in, they disappear up to the waist, then the neck, then completely. The installation is now a permanent part of the coast.
The setting adds to it. Ships slide in and out of the Mersey, wind turbines line the horizon, and on a clear day the hills of North Wales sit across the water.
Important: this is not a swimming beach
Crosby looks inviting at low tide, but it is not a place to swim or paddle out.
- Sefton Council describes Crosby as "not a bathing beach". Visitors are asked to stay out of the sea and keep within 50 metres of the promenade at all states of the tide.
- Crosby is not a designated bathing water. It doesn’t appear on the Environment Agency’s list of classified bathing waters, so its water quality isn’t monitored for swimming.
- The beach is permanently red-flagged. The RNLI has a lifeguard presence here all year round, but lifeguards don’t patrol a bathing area.
Tides, mud and safety
The figures draw people further out than is safe. The main hazards are soft sand, sticky mud and a tide that comes in quickly across the flat beach.
- Check tide times before you go. They change daily.
- Don’t walk out to the furthest figures. Admire them from near the promenade.
- If you get stuck in mud, lean back to spread your weight, stay still and call for help. Don’t let others try to pull you out, because they may get stuck too.
- In an emergency, call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard straight away.
Tip: Plan your visit for a couple of hours either side of low tide. You’ll see most figures clearly without needing to walk anywhere near the water’s edge.
How to get there
By train. Merseyrail’s Northern Line runs regular trains from Liverpool city centre. Blundellsands & Crosby station is about a ten-minute walk from the beach and the closest to the main Iron Men entrance. Waterloo station is a short walk from Crosby Coastal Park at the southern end.
A linear walk. Get off at Blundellsands & Crosby or Waterloo, walk along the promenade to see the figures, then continue north to Hall Road station for the train back.
By car. There’s no parking on the beach itself. Pay-and-display car parks are at Crosby Lakeside, Blucher Street and Burbo Bank, all within Crosby Coastal Park. Sefton’s beach car parks have seasonal arrangements, so check the council’s website before a winter visit.
Facilities
Sefton Council provides public toilets at its coastal sites. The promenade runs behind the beach and makes for an easy, flat walk. Crosby Coastal Park, around the marine lake at the southern end, has open grass, paths and a watersports centre, which is useful with children.
Dogs
Dogs are welcome on Crosby beach. Keep them under close control, especially near the mud and incoming tide, and clean up after them. The beach dog exclusion zones on the Sefton coast are at Southport and Ainsdale, not Crosby.
Nearby food
There’s no café on the sand itself, so bring water and snacks, especially for a long walk to Hall Road. Waterloo, near the southern end of the beach, has the most choice for coffee and lunch. For a full dinner, Liverpool city centre is a short train ride away.
Best time of day
Low tide is essential if you want to see the full installation. Sunset is the most photogenic time. The beach faces west over Liverpool Bay, so the figures turn into silhouettes against the evening sky. Early morning is quiet and calm, which is good for photography.
Tip: For the classic shot, aim for a falling tide around sunset, when wet sand reflects both the sky and the figures.
Combine Crosby with a city break. See our guide to the best things to do with kids in the UK for family days out, browse the best beaches in England, or head inland with our Manchester restaurants guide. Check this weekend’s picks for events in the north-west.
FAQ
Can you swim at Crosby beach?
No. Sefton Council describes Crosby as not a bathing beach and asks visitors to stay out of the sea. It is permanently red-flagged and is not a designated bathing water.
How many statues are on Crosby beach?
There are 100 cast-iron figures in Antony Gormley’s Another Place. They are spread along about three kilometres of shore and reach nearly a kilometre out to sea.
When is the best time to see the Iron Men?
At low tide, when most of the figures are visible. Check tide times before you go, and stay within 50 metres of the promenade.
Which station is nearest to Crosby beach?
Blundellsands & Crosby on Merseyrail’s Northern Line is about a ten-minute walk from the beach. Waterloo and Hall Road stations are also close to either end.
Is Crosby beach dangerous?
It can be. Soft sand, mud and a fast-rising tide can catch out visitors who walk too far. Stay close to the promenade and never walk out to the furthest figures.
