Visiting Liverpool and that penninsular

Bakers2
Bakers2 Forum Participant Posts: 8,199 ✭✭✭
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edited June 2017 in UK Campsites & Touring #1

We are currently looking to book a bit of a tour.

We have booked 2 sites both courtesy of CT for our next trip couple of nights on the Norfolk coast to meet son partner and dog then onto a Lincoln site, I think Bolero Boy shared a link, to at Hartsholme country park,  be good to explore Lincoln as we never have before. We then need to go across country as I want to visit Liverpool have priced Southport and am open to suggestions 😉 as we'd like to be there for several days to do Liverpool properly plus Formby and Southport without breaking the bank.

We would prefer to be close to transport but as happy to walk.  Then we'll go to Lytham and area to visit my uncle but we have sites in mind for that and Lancaster. 

So my questions are not only about sites, we like CL's but prefer to have electric  toilet and shower if possible, but also about routes from Lincoln to Liverpool.

I want to go on at lwast one guided tour of Liverpool,  they are expensive so does anyone have any recommendations on these? We love history and I think Liverpool should have loads! Want to visit the cathedrals and docks as minimum. Want to call in to see red squirrels at Formby and a look see at Southport. Including the Gromley art work.Travelling mid June early July.

Priced Southport and was shocked at cost but haven't ruled it out completely but with public transport to and from Liverpool over several days ?5? And guided walks it really starts to add up!

Any suggestions gratefully accepted.

Comments

  • Rob2CathDavies
    Rob2CathDavies Forum Participant Posts: 145
    edited June 2017 #2

    Hi, we had a terrific time exploring Liverpool from the site at Wirral Country Park.  The park and ride by train from Hoylake was brilliant.  Free parking, train inexpensive and every 15 mins.

     

    If you are NT members, the tour of the Beatles Childhood Homes is fantastic.

     

    The Wirral is a surprisingly lovely place.

     

    Good luck

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited June 2017 #3

    The Wirral site is a good base for Liverpool, nice area overlooking the N wales coast and walks on the beach just from the site. A bit further south than the Lancaster area but good access across the Mersey to the other places you mentioned.

  • Bakers2
    Bakers2 Forum Participant Posts: 8,199 ✭✭✭
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    edited June 2017 #4

    Thanks will look at the wirral site.

    Well have a couple of nights in Lytham and visit uncle then go up higher to around Lancaster then back down for another visit to uncle and one or two nights before working our way back over a day or two.

    More than happy to receive other suggestions 😉

  • JayEss
    JayEss Forum Participant Posts: 1,663
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    edited June 2017 #5

    The best walking tour is run by the RIBA and covers architecture and history. 

    Try to get on the free tour of the old dock if you can. It's amazing. There are occasional tours of the tunnel tower as well. 

    I could do you a tour depending on dates wink

     

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,311 ✭✭✭
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    edited June 2017 #6

    I would agree with Brue, we stayed at the Wirral site and traveled into Liverpool by train from the park and ride. Travel is very reasonable indeed,  £5.20 buys you a day ticket, usable after 9:30. It's called an all areas saveaway and includes travel by train bus and ferry. As far as I can see it is also usable from Southport as well. See link to MERSEY TRAVEL. Mersey Travel also have a very good app you can download, that has a journey planner and gives you live train times.

  • JayEss
    JayEss Forum Participant Posts: 1,663
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    edited June 2017 #7

    If you stay on the Wirral the only way to cross the Mersey is by ferry. surprised

    I like the Wirral but for the things you are keen to see I would choose Southport. Apart from anything else it's on the right train line 

     

  • Natasha2
    Natasha2 Forum Participant Posts: 306
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    edited June 2017 #8

    You could try Willowbank touring site, OK it is also a static site but it looks fine on Google maps and it is far cheaper than Southport CC.

     

  • Natasha2
    Natasha2 Forum Participant Posts: 306
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    edited June 2017 #9

    The open topped tour buses are a great way to get your bearings in Liverpool.  

    We enjoyed a day out recently, great museums, library, the waterfront. Liverpool looked magnificent in the sunshine :)

    Yeah bumped into these guys too.

  • Bakers2
    Bakers2 Forum Participant Posts: 8,199 ✭✭✭
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    edited June 2017 #10

    I was looking at that. Not sure about transport links, once I've done the housework I'll look again. I need an incentive to get it done 😉. 

    I'm sure I read somewhere on CT someone say they was a site as good as Southport nearby but I can't find the thread 😲 of for a decent search facility I don't recall a name being mentioned.

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited June 2017 #11

    We stayed overnight on this CL last year, handy for Morecambe Bay and Lancaster (if you need a site in this area.)

    See here, Heron's Wood

  • JayEss
    JayEss Forum Participant Posts: 1,663
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    edited June 2017 #12

    Transport links are pretty good throughout Merseyside. The big advantage of the southport site is its proximity to the town and station so no need to move the MH. wink

    Straight onto the train, northern line to Liverpool central for the Georgian quarter or Moorfields for the waterfront. 

    The Ellesmere Port site, Fairoaks, is another option. There's a bus to Liverpool nearby but it's quite a long journey 

  • Bakers2
    Bakers2 Forum Participant Posts: 8,199 ✭✭✭
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    edited June 2017 #13

    Natasha2 open top bus tours ate great. Usually first thing we do in a new place, helps focus what you want to see and do.

  • Bakers2
    Bakers2 Forum Participant Posts: 8,199 ✭✭✭
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    edited June 2017 #14

    Brue that looks worth considering that's 2 in that area. Until we've booked Southport or similar, looks likely to be Southport, we can't book next stage Lancaster will be after that.

    Never done Liverpool,  hubby had to go to Bootle for work quite a lot and not keen 😉, but would like good look around not too rushed, want to do bus tours and the cathedrals plus walks and docks, is that a lot in 5 days? Is that pushing it? May never go again so don't want to miss things for the sake of a day or two. He reckons one day too many lol so I want to show him that he didn't go to the best bits 😉😉

  • JayEss
    JayEss Forum Participant Posts: 1,663
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    edited June 2017 #15

    5 days is about right. 

    You need 3 for city centre alone I reckon then another day or so for the out of town sights like Penny Lane (not that impressive) Mossley Hill for the art gallery, Sefton Park for the Palm House etc etc. To be fair the Beatles tour covers some of these areas 

    Speke Hall is worth a look as well. 

     

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,872 ✭✭✭
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    edited June 2017 #16

    When we visited Liverpool we stayed at Southport and got train from station into the City. You can walk into Southport from the site but we used a taxi both ways at the time because of my knee and they were good value. I assume you still can't use the buses from the Southport P&R into the town?

    David

  • statusMoty1
    statusMoty1 Forum Participant Posts: 225
    edited June 2017 #17

    I would say the Wirral is the best choice if you want to mainly explore Liverpool, it is the nearest and quickest. Southport is a break in itself (Unless you split a couple of days at either ) and a 45 minute journey each way to get into Liverpool, easy enough to do but a bit more travelling on the train to get there. You can also walk to West Kirby from the Wirral site which is nice along the beach for a day away from the city.

  • JayEss
    JayEss Forum Participant Posts: 1,663
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    edited June 2017 #18

    Southport site is much quicker into Liverpool than the one at Thurstaston. Parking at West Kirby isn't great with a MH either. 

    Thurstaston is good if you want to be well placed for a day in Chester, one in Liverpool  and a bit of pottering but if you are focusing on Liverpool and the outskirts including the Gormley statues it's adding unecessary travel 

     

     

  • Bakers2
    Bakers2 Forum Participant Posts: 8,199 ✭✭✭
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    edited June 2017 #19

    Southport site booked. Only non awning pitches left for the weekend, no problem as we only have a sun canopy but prefer an awning pitch as it's more spacious 😉.  After all the cost is the same whichever you have! We've got seven nights booked from 23 June that's  £184.80. 😲 must walk to save diesel costs 😉😉.

    Now to plan our time. If it's as hot and sticky as it is here today we certainly won't be hurrying from place to place.

    Thanks for all the tips and advice. CT excels at this type of thing.

  • ForestR
    ForestR Forum Participant Posts: 326
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    edited June 2017 #20

    All three sites have different advantages. If you want to visit Another Place by Anthony Gormley you can take Merseyrail from Southport or Liverpool to Hall Road station, Crosby. It is about 500 yard walk to the beach where the "iron men" are located. It is a short walk from Chester Fairoaks to get the bus from the adjacent designer centre to Liverpool. From Wirral Country Park it is possible to walk to West Kirby station along the Wirral Way a distance of about 3 miles but the nearest bus stop is about a mile from the site on the main road. You will always find a lot of motorhomes parked on New Brighton seafront for the day as there is a lot of parking and  it is almost all free. If you visit there you must see The Black Pearl ( look for it on the internet). Since we live less than 20 miles from both Liverpool & Southport we don't use the Southport site as often as the other two on the Wirral.

  • JayEss
    JayEss Forum Participant Posts: 1,663
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    edited June 2017 #21

    Bakers I'm not away until 28th so if you want a Liverpool gin in the Georgian quarter just shout 

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited June 2017 #22

    Remember to check the tide times for Another Place otherwise you might not see it. smile

  • Bakers2
    Bakers2 Forum Participant Posts: 8,199 ✭✭✭
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    edited June 2017 #23

    Thanks. May take you up on the that later.

  • reynoray
    reynoray Forum Participant Posts: 106
    edited June 2017 #24

    Formby Point Caravan Park is fine.  Right on the dunes near the squirrels (if you can find any).  Formby station is just one mile away and the Liverpool - Southport service is regular as clockwork and includes Crosby for the men.  We've done this routine and it works.

  • PhilHeller
    PhilHeller Forum Participant Posts: 267
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    edited June 2017 #25

    Will need to watch out for your Motorhome arriving, as we are on site from 20th June till 2nd July😂