Parkgate and Neston

Come for the chips, stay for the sunset.

Parkgate's Parade runs along an old sea wall looking out over the Dee marshes, giving an incredible vista to the Welsh hills, and on a clear evening it's Cheshire's only stretch of coastline where you can watch the sky do its thing. Grab a supper for two from Parkgate Fish and Chips, a famed ice cream from Nicholls, and find a bench to soak in that view.

Bring binoculars if birds are your thing. The marsh is part of the RSPB's Dee Estuary reserve, and it's genuinely one of the best birdwatching spots in the North West, as the tide pushes everything up out of the grass and into view expect to see March Harriers, Egrets and Swifts, RSPB Burton Mere Wetlands nearby is an easy add-on for the day, and Ness Botanic Gardens gives you 64 acres to wander, with views over the estuary that are worth the walk alone.

Hungry or thirsty, you're sorted either way. Chows Eating House, The Old Quay and the Boat do a proper sit-down meal, Blue Bicycle and Elephant are ideal for a quick coffee and light bite, and The Red Lion is a solid pub that won't bat an eye at a dog under the table. If you fancy making a night of it, Inglewood Manor is close by for a luxury country house stay or the Ship Inn is perfect for all of the above.

Fancy stretching your legs further? The Wirral Way, an old railway line turned footpath and cycle path, runs straight past both villages and links up with Neston, where the Friday market is still going strong and makes a good excuse for a wander round the shops.