Birkenhead

The town grew around the huge Cammell Laird's shipbuilding works, its population peaking in the 1921 census when it was the 20th most populated town in England. Landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted was so impressed by Birkenhead's public municipal park after a visit in 1850, he incorporated many of its features into his work on New York's Central Park.

By road

Birkenhead can be reached by the Mersey tunnels from Liverpool (toll payable) or the M53 from Chester.

By local ferry

• Woodside ferry terminal

  address: Hamilton Street, Birkenhead. CH41 6DU
  The famous Ferry 'cross the Mersey deposits you at Birkenhead Woodside, in the riverside area of the town.

By train

It takes 3 minutes for a Merseyrail Wirral line train to travel from Liverpool James Street. These trains serve all loop stations in Liverpool, taking 2 additional minutes for each. These are the 4 stations most useful to visitors (the number in brackets is how many additional minutes it takes for the train to reach this station from Hamilton Square):

• Hamilton Square

  address: Hamilton Street, Birkenhead. CH41 1AL
  This is the best station for the Woodside, Hamilton square and museum, and can be accessed by all trains on Merseyrail's Wirral line.

• Conway Park (+2)

  address: Europa Boulevard, Birkenhead. CH41 4PP
  This is the best station for the shopping district, and can be accessed from Liverpool with trains to West Kirby or New Brighton.

• Birkenhead Central (+2)

  address: Argyle Street South, Birkenhead. CH41 9DB
  This station is across the A552 from the shopping district, & is the closest station to the Priory. The station can be accessed from Liverpool with trains to Chester or Ellesmere Port, and vice versa.

• Birkenhead Park (+4)

  address: Duke Street, Birkenhead. CH41 8BT
  This is the best station for the famous park, and can be accessed from Liverpool with trains to West Kirby or New Brighton.

By sea

• Twelve Quays ferry terminal

  address: Tower Road, Birkenhead. CH41 1FE
  The terminal is served by Stena Line ro-ro ferries from Belfast in Northern Ireland.
• Dublin, via Isle of Man Steam Packet, MS Ben-my-Chree during winter.

Frequent and reliable Merseyrail services operate between the town's stations. There is also an extensive bus network. Saveaway tickets are valid on all public transport in Birkenhead. These can be purchased at any staffed railway or bus stations in Merseyside. An "all areas" ticket is best, if intending to also travel to Liverpool, Chester, Ellesmere Port, Formby or Southport. The ticket costs about £5 per day, for off-peak use. Alternatively, a slightly cheaper "area B" ticket will cover most of Wirral.

• Hamilton SquareA beautiful Georgian Square with gardens in the middle designed by James Gillespie Graham. The square contains the largest cluster of Grade I listed buildings outside Trafalgar Square in London.

• Birkenhead Park

  phone: +44 151 652-5197
  address: Park Drive, Birkenhead, CH41 4HY
  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.

• Wirral Transport Museum

  phone: +44 151 647-2128
  address: 1 Taylor Street, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH41 1BG

• Birkenhead Priory

  phone: +44 151 666-1249
  address: 4 Priory Street, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH41 5JH
  This former monastery dates back to when monks ferried passengers over the River Mersey and is the oldest building in Merseyside.

• The U-Boat Story

  phone: +44 151 330-1000
  address: Wirral Museum Office, Woodside, Birkenhead, Wirral, CH41 6DU

• The John Laird Centre

  address: Park Road North, Birkenhead, Merseyside
  Originally the Laird School of Art, the first British public school of art outside London. It is opposite Birkenhead Park's grand entrance, in use as offices, and not open to the general public.

At Woodside, the riverside by the Mersey affords an excellent panorama of Liverpool city centre including all of its iconic buildings. There is also a wealth of interesting industrial buildings, structures and artefacts in the outlying docklands area. Some of these are very well-kept, while others are either derelict, or in quite unkempt surroundings; but all reflect the town's industrial heritage. Examples include:

• Cammell Laird's shipyardEstablished in 1824, the shipyard is best seen from the Mersey Ferry. Unfortunately, it has no visitor centre or museum, though it greatly deserves such facilities.

• Shore Road Pumping Station

  phone: +44 151 650-1182
  address: 1 Pacific Rd, CH41 6DN

• Pacific Road Business Hub

  address: Pacific Road, CH41 1LJ
  Built as a railway goods transit shed.

• Cheshire Lines Building

  address: Canning Street. CH41 1ND
  Built as a railway goods station.

• The One o'Clock GunThe cannon was in use from 1867 to 1969, although it didn't fire during World War II. The cannon was controlled from Bidston Observatory, and was used to set the marine chronometers of ships on the Mersey.

• Egerton Bridge

  address: Egerton Wharf, Birkenhead
  This bridge separates Egerton and Morpeth Docks. Egerton House, originally a dockside warehouse, is visible from the bridge.

• The Central Hydraulic Tower

  address: Tower Road, Birkenhead
  On the opposite side of Tower Road to the Twelve Quays ferry terminal. The building is derelict and not open to the public. The Wallasey Dock impounding station is within the ro-ro ferry terminal and, although inaccessible to tourists, can be clearly seen from a Mersey ferry travelling between Seacombe and Woodside.

• Duke Street Bridge

  address: Duke Street, Birkenhead
  Separating East and West Floats, this bridge is about a mile inland from the riverside. Dockside viewing points are accessible at the northeast and southwest quarters of the bridge.

Further outside the centre of town, Bidston Hill provides an interesting group of buildings amongst the heathland:

• Bidston Windmill

  address: 2 Vyner Road North, Bidston. CH43 7PZ
  Built in 1800, a prominent local landmark.

• Bidston Observatory

  address: Vyner Road North, Bidston. CH43 7PZ
  The Grade II listed observatory was built in 1866.

• Bidston Lighthouse

  address: 4 Lighthouse Cottages, Bidston. CH43 7RA
  Built in 1873, and over two miles from the sea, it has a claim as the world's most inland lighthouse used for marine navigation.

• Williamson Art Gallery and Museum

  phone: +44 151 652-4177
  address: Slatey Road, Oxton. CH43 4UE
  Near to Birkenhead Park on Slatey Road, has some great artwork.

• Vue Cinemas

  address: Conway Park, Europa Boulevard, CH41 4PE

• Tam o'Shanter Urban Farm

  address: Boundary Road, Bidston Hill. CH43 7PD
  The farm has a variety of animals, which love to be hand-fed.
• Watch football (ie soccer) at

  Tranmere Rovers FC

  address: Prenton Park, Prenton Rd West, Birkenhead, CH42 9PY
  Although Rovers have always lived in the shadow of Liverpool they have a long tradition and a great family atmosphere. In 2019 they were promoted so they now play in League One, the third tier of English football.

• Europa Pools

  address: 136 Conway Street. CH41 6RN
  Indoor swimming with a wave machine, flumes and competition pool

• Take a short trip on a vintage tram along the Wirral Tramway, between Woodside ferry terminal and the Wirral Transport Museum, during summer weekend afternoons. Birkenhead Hamilton Square.

Explore Birkenhead Park. The first public park and the inspiration for Central Park, New York. It is larger than most parks and has some beautiful wooded areas and duck ponds. Especially popular in the summer months. Birkenhead Park.
The Ferry 'cross the Mersey, immortalised in the Gerry and the Pacemakers song, is considered by many to be essential on any trip to Liverpool, and by definition involves a trip to Birkenhead. Terminals are Birkenhead Woodside and Liverpool Pier Head. Birkenhead Hamilton Square or Liverpool James Street.

Visit Birkenhead Shopping Precinct. Birkenhead has the usual unexciting array of British high-street chain stores for your everyday requirements. Those seeking specialist shops or anything a cut above the norm should head across the water to Liverpool. Conway Park or Birkenhead Central.

• Birkenhead Central LibraryBirkenhead Central Library, which was opened in 1934 by George V was the country's first public library in an unincorporated borough

• The Pyramids Shopping centreShopping centre that has all commodities and has some great deals

• The Brass Balance

  phone: +44 151 650-8950
  address: 39-45 Argyle Street, CH41 6AB

• Buffet 88

  phone: +44 151 649-9888
  address: 46 Conway Street, CH41 6JD

• Capitol Restaurant

  phone: +44 151 647 9212
  address: 24 Argyle Street
  Generally considered to be the best Chinese/Canton/Peking restaurant in Merseyside. Award winning dim sum, banquets and specials. Friendly service.

• Home

  phone: +44 151 330-1475
  address: Woodside Ferry Terminal, Birkenhead, CH41 6DU

• Fraiche

  phone: +44 151 625-2400
  address: 11 Rose Mount, Prenton, CH43 5SG

• Oxton Bar & Kitchen

  phone: +44 151 651-2535
  address: Claughton Firs, Oxton. CH43 5TQ

• Venezia

  phone: +44 151 608-9212
  address: 14-16 Prenton Road West. CH42 9PN
  Italian food.

• Yiamas Greek Taverna

  phone: +44 151 653-4002
  address: 300 Borough Road. CH41 2UW

• Mr. Yummie

  phone: +44 151 653-8759
  address: 11 Oxton Road. CH41 2QQ
  Fast food take-away, providing pizzas, kebabs, burgers and vegetarian options, with congenial staff. Useful as a very late-night stop-off, on the way back from a night out in Liverpool.

• The Stork Hotel

  phone: +44 151 647-7506
  address: 41 Price Street. CH41 6JN
  A must-visit pub for the pub architecture/real ale fan. The Edwardian tiling, mosaic floor and etched windows make for a sumptuous drinking experience. There is always a selection of real ale, and cheap hearty food is served at lunchtimes. 200 yards (180 m) from Hamilton Square and a similar distance from Conway Park station.

• The Caernarvon Castle

  phone: +44 151 652-2831
  address: 10 Bidston Road, Prenton. CH43 2JZ

• The Brass Balance

  phone: +44 151 650-8950
  address: 39-45 Argyle Street, Birkenhead, CH41 6AB

• Yew Tree Hotel

  phone: +44 151 645-4112
  address: 56 Rock Lane West, CH42 4PA

• The RiverHill Hotel and Bay Tree Restaurant

  phone: +44 151 653-3773
  address: Oxton Old Hall, Talbot Rd, Prenton, CH43 2HJ

• Port Sunlight, William Lever's model village, is 15 minutes away and is easily accessed by rail or road. 4-6 trains per hour
• The Wirral coast between New Brighton and West Kirby has some excellent walking and off-road cycling opportunities, including the Wirral Way. 2-4 trains per hour on each branch.
• The ancient walled city of Chester is 30 minutes away by road or rail. 2-4 trains per hour