Liverpool: Pierhead to the Town Hall and back via Liverpool One

Andy Hibbert

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Years after Liverpool's stint as European City of Culture (in 2008) the building work is still going on.

(April 2012) A word of warning: neither Google nor Bing mapping shows the current state of affairs. As of May 2012 most of the construction work has been finished between the Albert Dock and the Pier head - the new ferry landing stage is in place and access restored along the river wall. Google is slightly more up-to-date at the time of writing.

This walk starts from the new Pier Head building (housing yet another Beatles spin-off, 'The Beatles Story') close to the city centre, where there is easy access via ferry, train and bus. Limited parking is available at the Albert Dock and at eye-watering prices, at John Lewis nearby at Liverpool One.

The walk is fairly compact, but each building invites further exploration, so it can take as long as you like. The best time to see the river is over high tide – the Mersey has one of the highest ranges in the UK, well over 10m. Usually the highest tides occur (spring and autumn) from about 10am to around 3pm, the actual time of high water occurring about forty minites later each day. At times of really high tides you will see large tankers entering and leaving the river. They all come past the Pierhead, usually berthing just south, across the river at Tranmere. However, there is always activity on the river and a ferry trip from the Pierhead is a wonderful way to see the city. The ferry journey starts at Liverpool Pierhead and goes across to Seacombe on the Wirral side, south to Birkenhead (Woodside) before recrossing to Liverpool. Generally, in summer the trip is extended north towards New Brighton before crossing to Seacombe, while in winter a straight crossing is made with an extension south after Woodside to the start of the Eastham Channel. Journeys start on the hour throughout the day, with extra trips on busy days.

As a complete contrast (for those with a head for heights at least), a climb up the Anglican Cathedral tower reveals another aspect, with views across to the Welsh mountains and the Lake District fells. Unfortunately St John's Tower is not open to the public and now spends its time beaming pop music and radio phone-in programmes over Merseyside.

More photographs of the featured buildings can be found here:

www.silver-images.co.uk/pages/pool1.htm

England - North England - Merseyside - Coast