Blackpool Piers

Blackpool is unique among British seaside resorts in retaining three Victorian piers, each striking out into the Irish Sea along the town's six-mile promenade. North Pier, opened in 1863 and designed by Eugenius Birch, is the oldest and most refined of the three, originally intended as a quieter promenade pier for genteel visitors. It still has a traditional theatre at its seaward end and a sun lounge looking out over the bay.

Central Pier, opened in 1868, sits opposite the Tower and is the liveliest of the trio. Its giant Ferris wheel is a landmark of the Golden Mile, and the deck is packed with fairground rides, amusement arcades, family bars and food stalls. South Pier, the youngest of the three and dating from 1893, leans hardest into white-knuckle thrills, with bungee-style rides, a skycoaster and crazy golf alongside the usual penny pushers.

Together the three piers tell the story of British seaside leisure across more than a century and a half, from Victorian strolling and brass bands to modern fairground fun. They are free to walk along, with charges only for individual rides and shows, and each offers a different view back along the promenade towards Blackpool Tower.