My wife and I visited our son at Liverpool JM university recently along with our eldest son who wanted to sample the delights of the Red Hot World Buffet at the Liverpool One shopping precinct – one of the best buffets we’ve been to both here and abroad for quality and choice. The next day we wanted to go for a walk “along the prom” after the over indulgences of the night before with the usual response from the boys of “whaaaat!” I googled the closest beach and what a find – Crosby Coastal Park; it has free parking by the Leisure Center, a café, toilets and … Antony Gormley’s 'Another Place'? Just a 10 minute drive from the centre of Liverpool along the A565 we found it signposted easily. Starting off on the tarmac circular path around the lake we came to some outdoor exercise equipment with a sign stating “for use by children 12 + and adults” – yes, we could have some fun too, and work off some of the calories of the night before. There was everything there for lifting, stretching, pressing and even one that made you walk like Wallace in “The Wrong Trousers” – it made us all laugh. We then continued on around the lake to the promenade, the beach and sand dunes – and there they were: 100 cast iron statues of the artist in various locations along the mile long beach. What a sight, some were half submerged, others above the tide mark and all looking out to sea. Some had old scarves around them as people had personalised them and of course, you had to take a “selfie”. We’d timed it perfectly; the sun had come out for once and the tide was out so you could walk up to many of them, it made us look at the surroundings with more care- time to “stop and stare” before the tide came rushing in. Then back around the other side of the lake to the car. Crosby Coastal Park wasn’t just “Another Place”.
