Our original plan of going North to South was soon reversed when we discovered that running into a headwind for twenty plus miles was going to make our FKT attempt very hard work! Therefore, we started from Formby and ran our way through to the finish in Crossens. The day started off overcast and cool but soon blew into perfect running conditions without being too hot.
The path stared off outside the Waterloo bus station and headed straight for the sea front which gave us a windy start. We proceeded conservatively along the path towards Crosby passing many people out enjoying the good weather. It soon became apparent that the path was not very well signposted, and that regular reference was needed to make sure our navigation was accurate. We ran through Formby sea front and into the sand dunes. This made for hard going and as the tide was high, we had to skirt along the top of the dunes to follow the path as close as possible. We continued through Ainsdale Nature Reserve which involved running through beautiful pine woodland. Continuing through a very busy Southport we then encountered a monotonous stretch of tarmac next to the busy main road in stark contrast to the approaching Crossens Marsh. We then ran with aching legs but plenty of determination to finish with just ten minutes to spare. A perfect day with perfect company!
Tip: This route is unnavigable without gpx/gps assistance!