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2012/13 EXPLORE WIRRAL »» MUSEUMS, ART GALLERIES, PARKS & GARDENS, FARMS & MUCH MORE...

Hurry up FUN DAYS FOR ALL THE FAMILY »» www.visitwirral.com/attractions www.visitwirral.com/attractions How to get here

By Rail If you’re travelling to Wirral by train, the Merseyrail network connects to the national rail network via Lime Street Station and Chester Railway Station.

By Road The forms the spine of Wirral, running from Looking to maximise the North to the South. All Wonders of Wirral attractions are located off the M53. The M53 connects the family fun factor? to the M56, which in turn meets the M6. Both Liverpool and Chester are around 30 minutes’ Then Wirral is for you. drive away, Chester via the motorway, and Liverpool by tunnel, via either the Kingsway (Wallasey), or Queensway Nestling between the () tunnels. A toll applies. and the Dee in North West the Wirral is full of surprises. With beaches, By Ferry gardens, farms, craft centres, parkland, A direct cross-river service operates between Liverpool, Birkenhead and / Wallasey, seven days a week. museums, art galleries and the famous Mersey Ferry there’s so much to enjoy! Stena Line ferries operate a route from Birkenhead’s Twelve Quays terminal. Celebrate the changing seasons at Ness Botanic Gardens and Birkenhead Park with spectacular For rail, bus and ferry timetables seasonal colour or jump on a tractor and meet Church Farm’s animals including chicks, alpacas and meerkats. Call Traveline on 0871 200 2233 or visit www.traveline.info or www..gov.uk For history lovers there’s Port Sunlight Museum & Garden Village, Birkenhead Priory and the U-Boat For national rail enquiries Story or for something completely different check Visit www.nationalrail.co.uk out Fort Perch. Keen on creativity? Express yourself at craft sessions at the Williamson and Lady Lever Art Galleries or be inspired by Voirrey Crafts. For Stena Line ferry timetables Visit www.stenaline.co.uk Sit back and enjoy a show at the Floral Pavilion Theatre or blast off to Spaceport which offers an Please note: ‘Distance from’ travel times to venues are approximate guides. inspirational journey through space. If you’ve got a passion for poetry check out The Wilfred Owen Story. With so many fun days out what’s keeping you…?

We look forward VENUE Toilets Visitor Centre to seeing you soon! FACILITIES Disabled Access Shop KEY Parking No Dogs Café Cycle Parking Baby Changing Prams Facilities 1 CHURCH FARM 2 Spaceport

Meet the animals, ride on the tractor and Spaceport is a £10m visitor learn about food and farming at Wirral’s attraction which takes visitors on 2012 Attraction of the Year. an inspirational journey through space. Cuddle a guinea pig, feed a goat, collect some The attraction has several themed galleries, which all eggs and have a go on our new barrel train, then feature a large variety of interactive hands-on exhibits browse the farm shop for home-grown vegetables and audio visual experiences. Spaceport is currently and tasty treats. hosting the ‘Wallace & Gromit in Space’ exhibition. visitor information visitor information

Opening times Nearest Railway Station Opening times Nearest Railway Station Wednesday - Sunday West Kirby then the 77 bus Ferries sail daily from Hamilton Square or and Bank Holiday Mondays to Thurstaston Woodside, Seacombe James Street and take 10am – 5pm and Liverpool Pier the ferry to Seacombe. Distance from Admission charges apply Head terminals. Please Liverpool visit our website or call Distance from Contact Train 1 hour / Car 25 mins for further timetable Liverpool 0151 648 7838 Chester information and prices. Train 15mins / Car 30mins Car 35 mins Chester Church Lane, Thurstaston, Contact Train 40mins / Car 50mins Wirral CH61 0HW churchfarm.org.uk 0151 330 1566 CHECK OUT Victoria Place, CHECK OUT OUR SPECIAL Seacombe, Wallasey, OUR SPECIAL EVENTS Wirral CH44 6QY EVENTS spaceport.org.uk

WIRRAL TOURISM AWARDS 2012 Winner 3 U Boat & Mersey Ferries 4 Birkenhead Park combine a ferry trip across the mersey THE WORLD'S FIRST PUBLICLY FUNDED PARK, with a visit to the u-boat story, featuring DESIGNED IN 1847 BY JOSEPH PAXTON WITH one of only four boats left in the world. THE AIM oF CREATING A PARK FOR THE PEOPLE.' There's no better way to experience Wirral than from The importance of its landscape and historic the deck of the famous Mersey Ferry. The daily River buildings were recognised when it was declared a Explorer Cruise runs year-round and is a fantastic Grade I Historic Park in 1995. Wirral’s flagship park way to see the spectacular waterfront views. hosts a varied programme of events and exhibitions. visitor information visitor information

Opening times Nearest Railway Station Opening times Nearest Railway Station Ferries sail daily from Hamilton Square for Daily from dawn to dusk Birkenhead Park Woodside, Seacombe Woodside Ferry Terminal. Visitor Centre Distance from and Liverpool Pier James Street for Pier Head Open daily 9.30am – 4pm Head terminals. Please Terminal, Liverpool. Liverpool visit our website or call Closed 25 & 26 December Train 5 mins / Car 10 mins for further timetable Distance from and 1 January Chester information and prices. Liverpool FREE ENTRY Train 30 mins / Car 20 mins Train 5 mins / Car 10 mins Contact Contact Chester 0151 330 1444 Train 40 mins / Car 30 mins 0151 652 5197 merseyferries.co.uk Birkenhead Park Visitor Centre, Park Drive, Birkenhead CH41 4HY [email protected] wirral.gov.uk 5 Lady Lever Art Gallery 6 FLORAL PAVILION

One of the most beautiful collections This brand new state of the art theatre of fine and decorative arts in Europe and conference centre brings the West situated in Port Sunlight Village. End to the North West. Home to famous paintings, including Pre-Raphaelite’s With large scale shows and music for all the family, by Millais and Rossetti, portraits by Gainsborough a restaurant with breathtaking views and free music and landscapes by Turner. The Activity Rooms events this is a venue for everyone. enable families to enjoy art together. visitor information visitor information

Opening times Nearest Railway Station Opening times Nearest Railway Station Open Daily 10am – 5pm Bebington Box Office New Brighton Closed 25, 26 December Monday to Saturday & 1 January Distance from 11am – 6pm Distance from Liverpool Liverpool FREE ENTRY Train 15 mins / Car 20 mins Contact Train 20 mins / Car 30 mins Chester Chester Contact 0151 666 0000 Train 25 mins / Car 15 mins Train 50 mins / Car 40 mins 0151 478 4136 The Floral Pavilion Theatre, New Brighton CH45 2JS 0151 478 4178 floralpavilion.com (Group Bookings) Lady Lever Art Gallery, Port Sunlight Village CH62 5EQ [email protected] liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/ladylever

WIRRAL TOURISM AWARDS 2012 Winner Just on Wirral’s doorstep is the city of Liverpool, famous for its maritime heritage, music, sport, events and culture. For ideas on things to see and do visit www.VisitLiverpool.com

MAP KEY Church Farm Spaceport U-Boat & Mersey Ferries Birkenhead Park Lady Lever Art Gallery Floral Pavilion

Port Sunlight Museum & Garden Village Train Route Voirrey Crafts Train Station Ness Botanic Gardens The Williamson Art Gallery Motorway

Birkenhead Priory A-Road The Wilfred Owen Story Tunnels Fort Perch 7 Port Sunlight Museum 8 THE Voirrey Embroidery & Garden Village & Craft Centre

Port Sunlight is a uniquely beautiful Voirrey Embroidery & Craft Centre, situated in garden village created by 'Soap King' the beautiful rural Brimstage Hall Courtyard. William Hesketh Lever in 1888. Free textile exhibitions, cross-stitch, specialist This 19th century garden village has over 130 acres needlework, fabrics, patchwork and quilting, knitting of manicured gardens, two noted as of Special and crochet, courses, specialist books, pottery Historic Interest by English Heritage. Port Sunlight painting, Decopatch, wooden toys and more - a Museum tells the village’s fascinating story. complete craft experience for the whole family. visitor information visitor information

Opening times (museum) Nearest Railway Station Opening times Nearest Railway Station Open Daily Bebington or Port Sunlight Monº– Wed: 9.30am – 6pm Heswall or Spital 10am – 5pm Thur: 9.30am – 9pm Distance from (knit night 6pm – 9pm) Distance from Closed 25 - 26 Liverpool Liverpool December & 1 January Fri – Sat: 9.30am – 6pm Train 15mins / Car 20mins Sun: 11am – 5pm Train 20 mins / Car 30 mins Small admission Chester Closed Good Friday, 25, 26 Chester charge applies Train 25mins / Car 15mins December & 1 January Train 20 mins / Car 30 mins Contact Registered Charity No FREE ENTRY Please note 0151 644 6466 1074713 Contact Disabled Access limited Port Sunlight Museum Registered Company No 0151 342 3514 to Ground Floor only & Garden Village, 23 King 3719976 Brimstage Hall, Brimstage, and Toilets. Parking is free. George’s Drive CH62 5DX Wirral CH63 6JA [email protected] [email protected] voirreycrafts.com portsunlightvillage.com

WIRRAL TOURISM AWARDS 2012 Voirrey Crafts Winner 10 The Williamson Art Gallery Stunning art collections featuring British paintings, Liverpool Porcelain and Birkenhead's Della Robbia Pottery. visitor information

Opening times Nearest Railway Station 9 Tuesday to Sunday Birkenhead Park Ness Botanic Gardens 10am – 5pm Distance from Closed Mondays Liverpool and Bank Holidays Train 10 mins / Car 15 mins Chester Closed between Train 40 mins / Car 30 mins A treasure for garden lovers Christmas and New Year Please Note FREE ENTRY WIth outstanding collections of Building work in 2012 seasonal flowers, trees and shrubs. Contact may affect displays and 0151 652 4177 opening times, please Breathtaking heather, rock, water and herb gardens, Williamson Art Gallery, ring before you travel. stunning Herbaceous border and Laburnum arch Birkenhead CH43 4UE delight throughout the year, ensuring there is always [email protected] something of beauty and interest to enjoy here. visitwirral.com visitor information 11 Birkenhead PRIORY

Opening times Nearest Railway Station Home to the oldest building still in use on February to October Hooton the Priory provides an oasis of 10am – 5pm calm in what is now an industrial setting. Distance from November to January Liverpool 10am – 4.30pm Train 25 mins / Car 35 mins visitor information Closed 24, 25 & 26 Chester December Train 15 mins / Car 25 mins Admission charges apply Opening times Nearest Railway Station Please note Weekends 10am-5pm Hamilton Square Contact There are some steep Wednesday to Friday 0845 030 4063 gradients within the gardens. Distance from 1pm – 5pm Liverpool Ness Botanic Gardens, FREE ENTRY Train 5 mins / Car 10 mins Neston CH64 4AY Chester [email protected] Contact Train 30 mins / Car 20 mins nessgardens.org.uk 0151 652 4177 Please note Birkenhead Priory, Disabled Access is Birkenhead CH41 5JH limited within Priory. visitwirral.com

BOTAN I C GA R DENS 12 The Wilfred Owen Story The UK's first permanent exhibition dedicated to the iconic WW1 poet who spent his formative years in Birkenhead. visitor information

Opening times Nearest Railway Station Tuesday to Friday Hamilton Square 11.00am - 2.00pm Distance from Contact us for events, Liverpool Saturday openings Train 5mins / Car 10mins and private tours. Chester FREE ENTRY Train 40mins / Car 1hour Contact 07539 371925 CHECK OUT The Wilfred Owen Story OUR LATEST 34 Argyle Street, OFFERS Birkenhead, CH41 6AE wilfredowenstory.com

13 FORT PERCH Situated at the mouth of Liverpool Bay in New Brighton, Fort Perch has also been used as a venue for musical concerts and is Grade II* Listed. Adventure visitor information starts at 09.31

Opening times Nearest Railway Station Saveaways are cheap, off-peak tickets which are Tue – Sun 11am – 5.30pm Text to follow perfect for getting to events and family days out (last admission 5pm) Closed on Mondays except Distance from around the region. Bank Holidays. For Group Liverpool Visit merseytravel.gov.uk to plan your next trip visits out of normal opening Train 20 mins / Car 30mins or call Traveline on 0871 200 22 33 hours, please contact us. Chester Train 1 hour / Contact Car 1 hour 15 mins 0797 628 2120 Marine Promenade, New Brighton, Merseyside CH45 2JU fortperchrock.org Ad444

MT_Saveaway_DL.indd 1 29/08/2012 14:44 Win family passes to The Wonders of Wirral top attractions! We have four superb family passes (2 adults and 2 children) to give away. simply fill in your details below to be entered into our free prize draw! Mersey Ferries are offering River Explorer Cruise, Spaceport and U-boat Story tickets

Pantomime tickets at the Floral Pavilion

Santa Experience at Church Farm

Christmas Food Fayre and Port Sunlight Museum tickets

Please fill in your details and return in a stamped addressed envelope to: Wirral Council, South Annexe, Brighton Street, Wallasey, CH44 8ED

Title (Mr/ Mrs/ Ms/ Miss): First name: Surname: Postcode: Telephone: Email: Please tick as appropriate: We would like to keep you updated with special offers, news, events and competitions. Please tick if you DO NOT want to receive further information www.visitwirral.com/attractions For full terms and conditions please visit www.visitwirral.com/attractions