Ferry ‘Cross the Mersey

Friday dawned bright and sunny, so was deemed to be a day for the seaside.  Question was which one, Crosby Beach or across the river to New Brighton.
New Brighton won the toss, so after Ian had done a bit more of the painting jobs, we set off to Pier Head to catch the mid-day ferry. 


The trip takes us up the estuary with views of the docks and New Brighton beaches before coming back to Seacombe where we then got off and started our walk along the promenade to New Brighton about 2 miles away.



The river view of the Stanley dock and the Tobacco Warehouse and Docker’s Clock marking the entrance to the Leeds and Liverpool canal and the way we came on Tacet to the Link along the docks.


Walking along the promenade we passed the Wallasey Town Hall, originally opened as a military hospital on 12 August 1916. It is now used as the Council Offices for Wirral Council.
A very grand building facing the river, so most people enter it via the back door!



New Brighton was named by the Liverpool Merchant who bought a large part of the Wirral peninsula in 1830, with plans to make a resort to rival the south coast seaside towns like Bournemouth and Brighton.   Hotels and grand houses were built along the front, a pier was put in and the promenade was built.   There was at one time a tower to rival Blackpool, with ballroom, but it was demolished when it became unsafe after the first world war. It is still a popular seasidey town with lovely sand beaches, and today endless blue skies!
 
Perch Rock Fort and Lighthouse make for some arty shots, I must say it’s preferable to photographing ventilation tunnels!

Whoops! the panorama shot must have been a bit jerky.
In good old British seaside tradition we had fish and chips on the beach, well on a bench actually, but very nice it was too.



A ship-wrecked pirate ship on the shore!

A place for young imaginations to play and have fun.






In the ‘old days’ the bell here on the Seacombe harbour, would have guided the ferry in foggy weather.







It wasn’t going to be needed today…..





As we boarded the ferry again the river was busy with large ships coming and going to various places along the river;


large container ships with tugs in attendance,







and this enormous rigging platform, probably going out to the wind farm construction site out at sea.




Views of Liverpool from the river; the Anglican Cathedral behind Albert Dock, the Three Graces and Albert Dock again with both cathedrals visible at each end of the picture.