Lytham and St Anne's on sea

A day trip to St Anne's (the weather forecast being get as far west as possible for sunshine) on the 1st of September, discovered a seemly seaside with the promised golden sands stretching out so far back at low tide that even after a determined effort, the sea's edge remained at such a tantalising distance I got no further than the old pier jutting out in the middle.  There was a synchronised kite flying display being practised on the beach.  Flying things is clearly the occupation of choice in a windy spot, as everybody was doing it, from a tiny dracula bat child's kite to the vast penguin blimp moored down and billowing happily about, and every store sold different kite designs.  There's a little Victorian pier, a marina where you can pedalo and plenty of cake and icecream opportunities.  Next to that is a memorial garden to the comedian Les Dawson, who hailed from there, complete with a flowery piano, where they've had to put a notice (presumably following public complaint) that it's not a playable one.  On the way back, stopping at Lytham and the windmill, there is lovely long promenade to walk along before a huge saltmarsh which must be some eco specialist habitat, although I didn't see so much as a seagull on it at the time.  It was eerily beautiful, with Bolton's Winter Hill in the distance behind.  There are also two anchors which got caught in fishing nets at Fleetwood and have been restored and placed there, together with their likely historical provenance on a plaque.