The Wirral peninsula is situated across the River Mersey from Liverpool. It is accessed via one of two Mersey tunnels connecting Liverpool with Wallasey and Birkenhead. Wirral is a short drive away from Chester and North Wales to the south and is within one and a half hour's drive from the Lake District to the north. It forms one of the metropolitan boroughs of Merseyside.
Get in
By road use the M53 motorway (via the M56 and the M6). Birkenhead (Queensway) and Wallasey (Kingsway) toll tunnels also connect the Wirral to Liverpool. You can also go on a guided tour through the Mersey foot tunnel on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday at 5PM and Saturday at 10AM.
Under and Over the Mersey walk through the Mersey road tunnel takes place when the road tunnel is closed on Sunday 19th July.
By train go to Hamilton Square Station (in Birkenhead) on the Wirral Line, via Chester Station or Liverpool Lime Street Station.
By coach (National Express) to Birkenhead.
Get around
Merseyrail (part of Merseytravel) provide the main train services in the Wirral with a dedicated Wirral Line, trains running every 15 minutes until midnight most days.
There is also the much less used Borderlands Line, where trains run only hourly, via stations Bidston, Upton, Heswall, Neston to North Wales terminating at Wrexham.
Merseytravel operate buses across the Wirral. Birkenhead bus station has a information counter.
Car rental, Hertz, 119 New Chester Rd, Birkenhead, (20 minutes walk from Green Lane Station) CH41 9BN.
Bicycle rental, Liverpool Bicycle Co-operative Limited, Wirral Country Park (Book in advance!).
See
Tranmere Rovers Football Club (Prenton Park), Prenton Park, Prenton Rd West, Birkenhead, CH42 9PY (about 40 minutes walk from Rock Ferry station). Although this club has always lived in the shadow of Liverpool it has a long tradition and a great family atmosphere - well worth a visit
Eastham Ferry and Eastham Country Park. Eastham Country Park lies approximately 1 mile from the M53 Motorway junction 5) and is reached locally by the A41 (New Chester Road) and Ferry Road via Eastham Village. Public Transport - the nearest Merseyrail Station is Bromborough (approximately 1 mile distance). A bus services is available along the A41 to Bromborough and Eastham Village to Eastham Ferry. Since the Middle Ages, a ferry service operated across the river Mersey between Eastham and Liverpool, the early ferries being run by monks from the Abbey of St. Werburgh. By the late 1700's, up to 40 coaches each day arrived at a newly built pier, carrying passengers and goods for the ferry. Paddle steamers were introduced in 1816 to replace the sailboats, but the demand for a service declined in the 1840's with the opening of a railway link between Chester and Birkenhead Woodside Ferry. In 1846, the owner of the ferry, Thomas Stanley, built the Eastham Ferry Hotel and shortly after, the Pleasure Gardens were added to attract more visitors. The gardens were landscaped with Rhododendrons, Azaleas, ornamental trees and fountains. Attractions included a zoo, with bears, lions, monkeys and antelope, an open air stage, tea rooms, bandstand, ballroom, boating lake, water chute and a loop-the loop roller coaster. Entertainers performed in the gardens during summer, and included Blondin, the famous tight-rope walker who once wheeled a local boy across a high wire in a wheelbarrow. In 1894, the Manchester Ship Canal was opened by Queen Victoria, bringing added prosperity to the area and a Jubilee Arch was built at the entrance to the Pleasure Gardens in 1897 to commemorate her Diamond Jubilee. In its heyday Eastham Ferry was known as the 'Richmond of the Mersey', but its popularity declined during the 1920's and the last paddle steamer crossing took place in 1929. The Pleasure Gardens fell into disrepair during the 1930's and the Iron pier and Jubilee Arch were later dismantled. In 1970, to commemorate European Conservation Year, the area was designated a Country Park and today, it is once more a popular place of recreation.
New Brighton Fort Perch Rock, Marine Promenade, New Brighton, Wirral, CH45 2JU (4 minutes walk from New Brighton Station). a coastal defence battery built between 1825 and 1829. It was built to protect the Port of Liverpool and as a fortified lighthouse to replace the old Perch Rock Light. It was originally built on an area known as Black Rock and was cut off at high tide, but now coastal reclamation has made it fully accessible. It is currently open as a museum.
Ness Botanic Gardens, Ness, Neston, South Wirral, CH64 4AY (about an hours walk from Neston Station).
North Wirral Coastal Park (Leasowe Lighthouse), Moreton Common, Wirral, CH46 4TA (15 minutes walk from Moreton station). lighthouse open 1st and 3rd Sunday of every month between April and September. free.
Brass Band Concert, every Sunday from 7th June to 6th September, The Bandstand in Vale Park, New Brighton, (about 45 minutes walk from New Brighton station) CH45 1HG.
The Wirral Show, Early July, Kings Parade, Wallasey, (7 minutes walk from Wallasey Grove Road station) CH45 3PZ
Hoylake RNLI Open Day, with the Red Arrows flight displays, End of August, North Parade, Hoylake (about 10 minutes walk from Hoylake station), CH47 2BB.
Wirral International Guitar Festival, November at various venues.
The Wirral Way. The Wirral Way, a path on the track of an old railway, 12 miles long and goes from West Kirby to Hooton in mid-Wirral. It is situated within Wirral Country Park.
Wirral Country Park features a 12 mile footpath following the line of the old West Kirby to Hooton Railway line offering superb views over the Dee Estuary to Wales. Today it is a must for a family day out and it's facilities include Visitor Centre, Bird Hide, Toilets, Picnic Areas, BBQ area, Café, and Green Shop. The Green Shop contains an information and sales desk where you can pick up leaflets, guides, books of special interest and information staff will be happy to assist you. You can access the beautiful beach from the bottom of Station Road or Tinkers Dell Steps.
No train station is nearby Wirral Country Park, but the 22 (and 22a) bus routes run to Wirral Country Park, Thurstaston from Chester via Willaston, Neston and Heswall.
Ashton Park, Westbourne Rd, West Kirby, Wirral, CH48 4DH (about 10 minutes walk from West Kirby Station). The most northerly point of the Wirral Way.free.
Hadlow Road Station, Hadlow Road, Willaston, Neston, CH64 2UQ (about 30 minutes walk from Hooton station on the Wirral railway line). The most southerly point of the Wirral Way.free.
Birkenhead
Birkenhead Park (Visitors Centre), Park Drive, Birkenhead, CH41 4HY (5 minutes walk from Birkenhead Park Station), ☎ +44 151 652 5197. designed by Joseph Paxton and opened on 5 April 1847. It is generally acknowledged as the first publicly-funded civic park in Britain. American landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted incorporated many of the features he observed into his design for New York's Central Park.free.
Wirral Transport Museum, 1 Taylor Street, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH41 1BG, ☎ +44 151 647 2128. free.
Shore Road Pumping Station, 1 Pacific Rd, Birkenhead, CH41 6DN, ☎ +44 151 650 1182. Open weekend afternoons, closed weekdays except by appointment and during school holidays when open Wed to Sun afternoons. free.
Visit West Kirby. A Edwardian seaside town which is unspoilt by modern chains and offers views across to Wales and Hilbre Island as well as a rare Marine Lake walk.
Visit Port Sunlight, a model village with 900 Grade II listed buildings (Port Sunlight Station) with Sunlight Soap Museum and Lady Lever Art Gallery.
Visit Thornton Hough, a Victorian village.
Visit Birkenhead Shopping Precinct.
Visit Williamson Art Gallery, Oxton.
Go swimming at West Kirby Concourse, The Concourse, Grange Rd, West Kirby, Wirral, (1 minutes walk from West Kirby Station) CH48 4HX.
Go swimming at The Oval Sports Centre The Lodge Old Chester Road Bebington WIRRAL CH63 7LH.
Go swimming at Europa Pools (wave machine, flumes and competition pool), 136 Conway St Birkenhead, (1 minute walk from Conway Park Station) CH41 6RN.
Ferry
Seacombe Ferry and Spaceport Terminal, Victoria Place, Wallasey, Merseyside, CH44 6QY.
Woodside Ferry Terminal and Visitor Centre, Wirral Museum Office, Woodside, Birkenhead, Wirral, (1 minute walk from Hamilton Square station) CH41 5JH. Also has a U-boat on display.
Theatre
Pacific Road Arts Centre, Pacific Road, Birkenhead, Merseyside, (4 minutes walk from Hamilton Square station) CH41 1LJ
Floral Pavilion Theatre, Virginia Rd, Wallasey, Merseyside, (10 minutes walk from New Brighton station) CH45 2LH.
Gladstone Theatre Gladstone Hall Rd, Wirral, Wirral, (1 minutes walk from Port Sunlight station) CH62 4YA.
Cinema
The Odeon, also has a ten-pin bowling alley in Bromborough, Croft Retail & Leisure Park Welton Road Bromborough Wirral (25 minutes walk from Spital station) CH62 3PN
Vue Cinemas, Conway Park, Europa Boulevard, Birkenhead, (1 minute walk from Conway Park Station) Merseyside, CH41 4PE
Cycle
Sustrans National Cycle Network road/track Route 56 runs through the Wirral and is signposted.
Seacombe Ferry all the way to Wallasey Golf Course has a segregated cycle lane.
Buy
Sunlight Soap from Port Sunlight Village.
A cycle map of Wirral from any Local Council office. Shows the many Wirral Council cycling routes around the Wirral.
North West Wirral route starts and finishes at Wirral Country Park, Thurstaston, (northwards) via Ashton Park, West Kirby, North Parade and Meols Parade.
North East Wirral route starts and finishes at Seacombe Ferry Terminal, via Seacombe Promenade, Wallasey Town Hall and New Brighton Fort Perch Rock.
South West Wirral route starts and finishes at Wirral Country Park, Thurstaston via Heswall Golf Course and Parkgate.
South East Wirral route starts and finishes at Eastham Country Park, via Port Sunlight Village.
Eat
The Hillbark Hotel, Royden Park Frankby, CH48 1NP (10 minutes walk from West Kirby station), ☎ +44 151 625 2400, [2].
The Derby Pool, Bay View Drive, Wallasey, CH45 3QS (5 minutes walk from Wallasey Grove Road station), ☎ +44 151 630 5370, [3].
Ellie's Bistro, 126 Greasby Road, Greasby, Wirral, CH49 3NQ, United Kingdom, ☎ +44 151 678 0104, [5]. The best bistro in west Wirral, wide selection of fresh coffees, wines and excellent food. Great food, wide range of wines, good atmosphere and live music on Thursdays.
Mighty Mikes, 12, Mill Park Drive, Eastham CH62 9DL, ☎ +44 151 327 1638. Fish & Chips and Chinese Take-away. The best take-away in the area by far. Closed Tuesdays.
Mr. Chow's Chinese restaurant, The Parade, Parkgate, Neston, CH64 6SA, ☎ +44 151 336 2385. An up-market Chinese restaurant, with fantastic food and excellent service. Views of North Wales across the Dee Estuary. Book early.
Loch Fyne, Ring O Bells, Village Road, West Kirby, Wirral, CH48 7HE, ☎ +44 151 929 6750, [6].
The Arrowe Park Hotel, Arrowe Park Road, Woodchurch, Birkenhead, Wirral, Merseyside CH49 5LN, ☎ +44 151 677 5031.
The Manor, Greasby.
The Collingwood, Black Horse Hill, West Kirby, Wirral, CH48 6DS, ☎ +44 151 625 4525, [14]. 11am-11pm. Bar and Restaurant with extensive wine and cocktail list. Freshly prepared home made food served every day.
The Bridge Inn, Bolton Road, Port Sunlight, Wirral, CH62 4UQ, ☎ +44 151 645 8441.
Central Hotel Birkenhead, Clifton Crescent, Birkenhead, Wirral, Merseyside, CH41 2QH (5 minutes walk from Birkenhead Central station), ☎ +44 151 647 6347, [26].
The Hillbark Hotel, Royden Park Frankby, CH48 1NP, United Kingdom, ☎ +44 151 625 2400, [28]. Grade II listed hotel provides the finest luxury coupled with discreet yet friendly service from the resident owners and their team.£160+. (53.360156581328596,-3.133699893951416)
Leverhulme Hotel and Spa, Port Sunlight Village, Wirral, Merseyside, CH62 5EZ (15 minutes walk from Bebington station), ☎ +44 151 644 6655, [30]. £140+.
Marston's Green Lodge Hotel, 2 Stanley Road, Hoylake, Wirral, CH47 1HW (5 minutes walk from Hoylake station), ☎ +44 151 6322321, [31].
Premier Inn Wirral Greasby, 1 Greasby Road, Wirral, CH49 2PP, United Kingdom (Next to the Twelfth Man Pub), ☎ +44 870 990 6588, [32]. £53+.
Premier Inn Wirral Heswall, Chester Road, Gayton, Heswall, Wirral, CH60 3SD (15 minutes walk from Heswall station), ☎ +44 8701 977 274, [33]. £53+.
The RiverHill Hotel and Bay Tree Restaurant, Oxton Old Hall, Talbot Rd, Prenton, CH43 2HJ, ☎ +44 151 653 3773, [34]. £69.50+.
The Ship Hotel, The Parade, Parkgate, Cheshire, CH64 6SA, United Kingdom (35 minutes walk from Neston station), ☎ +44 151 336 3931, [35].
The Sleep Station, 24 - 28 Hamilton Street, Birkenhead, CH41 1AL (1 minute walk from Hamilton Square Station), ☎ +44 151 647 1047, [36].
Thornton Hall Hotel and Spa, Liverpool Rd, Neston, CH64 7UX, United Kingdom, ☎ +44 151 336 3938, [37]. £90+. (54.611212,-3.265017)
The Village Hotel, Pool Ln, Bromborough Pool, Wirral, CH62 4UE, United Kingdom (20 minutes walk from Port Sunlight station), ☎ +44 151 649 3900, [40]. £69+.
The Yew Tree Hotel, 56 Rock Ln West, Birkenhead, CH42 4PA, United Kingdom, ☎ +44 151 645 4112. £49.50+.
Get out
Liverpool One Shopping Centre, 44 St John Street, Liverpool, Liverpool, (10 minutes walk from Lime Street Station or Central Station) L1 8BJ.
Met Quarter Designer Shopping Centre, 35 Whitechapel, Liverpool, Merseyside, (5 minutes walk from Lime Street Station) L1 6DA.
Albert Dock (including the Beatles Story and the Maritime Museum), Liverpool, (10 minutes walk from James Street station) L70.
