The southern areas of Blackpool are growing in my affection. The north may have the history, the red brick, the 'classic' pier and our house but the south has the dunes, the big sky, rollercoasters and wider streets. Separating Blackpool from St Annes is St Annes Old Links golf course. This course is over one hundred years old and is used as the qualifying course for the Open. Apparently it's challenging, windy, bouncy and wet. Here's a view from the 1st tee looking north:

The golf course is directly on the dunes which shelter it from the Irish Sea. Sitting on top of the highest dunes this hot summer has been a pleasure. I found it very tranquil and calming staring out across the vast flat sands at low tide.

Even the planes taking off from the nearby airport didn't dent my contemplations. In fact, they lent the sunny scene a retro feel as they thundered over the roofs of Pontins Holiday Camp (I imagined it was 1972 and the holiday-camp crowds looked skywards and waved at the 3pm daily flight to Spain and secretly wished they could get pissed on sangria instead of warm beer).