Crosby, Merseyside
A hundred cast-iron men stand in the sand and stare at the sea - Antony Gormley's Another Place, and the strangest free afternoon on any coast. Children treat the statues as a population to be interviewed.
The safety rule is absolute: stay between the beach entrances and off the mud beyond the statues. The tide moves faster than a child can. Inside that rule, it is sandcastles with a art installation attached.
Looking for more water & swimming near Crosby?
Sefton's watersports centre on Crosby Marine Lake, with pay and play paddle sessions in season and the Gormley iron men on the beach over the road. More of a booked-session place than a turn-up attraction, so plan before you drive.