On the bus into the City Centre

We got up, this morning and it was a great sunny day. As I had planned a day off, from teaching today, we made our way down to the city centre, to enjoy, and make the most of  the day. We planned to take a Mersey Ferry, across the River, and walk from Seacombe to New Brighton. So getting as close as we could to the Pier Head, and the buildings on the water-front. It is only recently, so to speak, that everyone has begun calling them the ‘Three Graces’, they were never known as this when I was a lad… but hey…. there it is…lol.

The ‘Snowdrop’ returning to the Pier Head.

We obtained our ‘boarding pass’ for the ferry, and waited for the next one to arrive. Unless you are travelling on the ferry at peak periods, the ferries do a round trip, from  the Pierhead, to Seacombe, Birkenhead and back to the Pier Head.

This is the Mersey Ferry, ‘Snowdrop’ decked out in its war time colours. although these vivid colours, look bright and make the ship stand out at close quarters, it is recognised that, out at sea, it is harder to recognise, especially from a submarine, than if the ship was painted one base colour… crazy, I know…. but there it is…. The British Admiralty cant be THAT wrong…lol

On the way over to Seacombe, the ‘Snowdrop’ passed by one of the old wooden, landing stages along the river, relics of another age, and I’ve had many an image of this stage from various times on the river over the years… blow is one of these images, taken from the top of this very stage…

 We got off at Seacombe, and decided to go to the landing stage cafe for a cuppa… before setting out on the 3.5 km, walk along the river to New Brighton, stopping at various points to take in the view or visit sites along this heritage walk…

The 3.5km walk… at least there are no cars allowed on the prom…

There were some great stories to be had on the walk, and by googling the street names, and places of interest, we gleaned some useful historical information, to use for other posts… we walked past a few pubs, and were able to read the histories to go with these places…

On our walk we went past Vale Park… a park on the river, which was created in the height of the Victorian era, along with the famous New Brighton Tower and Ball-room (the sister tower of Blackpool), now long gone… However, this park is still in tact, and has some fascinating sculptures, made from ‘driftwood’ which is found on the riverside beaches… However, I hope to do a whole, report on this park… so wont show much now… but here is one of the sculptures to be going on with…

Vale Park, down on the Wallasey side of the River Mersey

 We were heading to a Fish & Chip shop on the front of the resort, for a bit of lunch, we have eaten here before, and Ann, her sister Janet, and their mum were here a few months earlier, but it is a while since I visited New Brighton, and the changes to the resort impressed me…

A big wheel, has appeared at the front of Perch Rock Fort

Fish & Chips… bread & butter + a cuppa… £5.95… great stuff

After Lunch, we walked around the boating lake, and past the Fort and Lighthouse, and made our way to the bus, which would take us back to Liverpool, and a well earned Costs Coffee… before we caught another bus to take us home…. a great day !!!

Fort Perch Rock & The Lighthouse