Where to Visit

 

14 Saxon Road

Birkdale, Merseyside
[t] 01704 567742
This quarter-acre walled garden contains informal beds, mature trees and shrubs, climbing roses and clematis and many hardy plants. There are home-made teas too.
Open: 1, 8 Jul 10.30am-4.30pm; other visits by appointment.Admission: adults £2, children free
    

Acornfield Plantation Local Nature Reserve

Spinney Road, Kirkby, Knowsley
[t] 0151 443 3682
www.visitknowsley.com
Open: all year.
Admission: free
      

Birkenhead Park

Park Road North, Birkenhead
[t] 0151 652 5197
www.visitwirral.com
Opened in 1847, Britain’s first publicly-funded municipal park inspired New York’s Central Park. There are five listed buildings and structures in the park, as well as a new visitor centre and eight acres of water .
Open: daily.
Admission: free
      

Botanic Gardens at Churchtown

Bankfield Lane, Churchtown, Southport
[t] 0151 934 2110
www.visitsouthport.com
Open: daily, 8am until 30 minutes before dusk.Admission: free
     

British Lawnmower Museum

Shakespeare St, Southport
[t] 01704 501336
www.lawnmowerworld.com
See the lawnmowers of the great and good, from Prince Charles to Hilda Ogden.
Open: daily, excluding Sun and Bank Holidays, 9am-5.30pm. Admission: adults £2, children £1
   

Calderstones Park

Calderstones Road, Liverpool
[t] 0151 233 3001
Open: park – daily; walled gardens – summer, Mon-Fri 8am-5.45pm, Sat-Sun 10am-5.45pm; winter, Mon-Fri 8am-4.30pm, Sat-Sun 10am-4.30pm. Admission: free
     

Croxteth Hall & Country Park

Muirhead Avenue East, Liverpool
[t] 0151 233 6910
www.croxteth.co.uk
Open: country park – daily 7am-8pm; walled garden, hall and farm – Apr-Sept 10.30am-5pm. Admission: hall, farm & garden – adults £4.50, concessions £2.40, families £11
      

Eastham Country Park

Ferry Road, Eastham, Wirral
[t] 0151 327 1007
www.visitwirral.com
On the banks of the Mersey, this park has an abundance of mature oak, beech, sweet chestnut, silver birch and sycamore, with patches of rowan, yew and rhododendron.
Open: daily.Admission: free
      

Flaybrick Memorial Gardens

Tollemache Road, Birkenhead, Wirral
[t] 0151 653 9332
www.flaybrick.com
This former cemetery in Bidston is a must-see for fans of fine mature trees. You’ll find cut-leaf beech, silver pendant lime, mature Exeter elm, London plane and monkey puzzle.
Open: daily until 6pm (pedestrian access only). Admission: free
   

Formby Point & Squirrel Reserve

Victoria Road, Freshfield
[t] 01704 878591
www.nationaltrust.org.uk
Open: daily, dawn until dusk. Admission: free
     

Hesketh Park

Albert Road, Southport
www.sefton.gov.uk
Picturesque Hesketh’s nature trails make the most of the duck pond and lakes here. This large park also has an aviary, children’s play area, café and mini golf.
Open: 8am-dusk.Admission: free
   

Hilbre Islands

West Kirby, Wirral
[t] 0151 648 4371/3884
www.visitwirral.com
Open: throughout the year but extreme caution is advised due to tides – always ring first.Admission: free
 

Knowsley Safari Park

Prescot Road, Knowsley
[t] 0151 430 9009
www.knowsley.com/safari
Open: Mar-Oct, 10am-4pm; Nov-Feb, 10.30am-3pm. Admission: adults £11, children/senior citizens/students £8, pedestrians £6, families £34
        

Millbrook Park

Millennium Green, Kirkby, Knowsley
[t] 0151 443 3682
www.visitknowsley.com
Public open space with Kirkby Brook running through the middle of it.
Open: daily.
Admission: free
 

National Wildflower Centre

Court Hey Park, Liverpool
[t] 0151 738 1913
www.nwc.org.uk
Open: daily until 2 Sep, 10am-5pm; call in September to check further opening hours.Admission: adults £3, children/concessions £1.50, families £7.50
     

Port Sunlight Village

Port Sunlight, Wirral
[t] 0151 644 6466
www.portsunlightvillage.com
Open: daily.
Admission: free
    

Reynolds Park

Church Road, Liverpool
www.liverpool.gov.uk
For more details see page 38.
Open: daily.
Admission: free
  

Sankey Valley Country Park

Blackbrook Road, St.Helens
[t] 01744 677772
There’s a diversity of habitats and a wealth of wild flora along the St.Helens section of the park. Rare species include adder’s tongue fern and southern marsh orchid.
Open: daily, visitor centre 12 noon-2pm.
Admission: free
     

Sefton Park & Palm House

Sefton Park, Liverpool
[t] 0151 726 2415
www.palmhouse.org.uk
Open: 1 Apr-31 Oct, daily 10.30am-4pm.
Admission: free
    

Speke Hall

The Walk, Speke, Liverpool
[t] 0151 427 7231
www.nationaltrust.org.uk
For more details see page 35.
Open: gardens – 17 Mar-28 Oct, daily 11am- 5.30pm, 3 Nov-28 Feb 11am-dusk; house – 17 Mar-28 Oct, Wed-Sun 1-5.30pm, 3 Nov-2 Dec, weekends 1-4.30pm; Home Farm – 17 Mar-15 Jul & 12 Sep-28 Oct, Wed-Sun 11am-5pm, 17 Jul-9 Sep, Tue-Sun 11am-5pm, 3 Nov-2 Dec, weekends 11am-4.30pm.Admission: adults £6.70, children £3.70, families £20.50; gardens & Home Farm only – adults £4, children £1.90, families £11. Reduced rate when arriving by cycle or on foot or public transport
       

St John’s Gardens

Liverpool
[t] 0151 225 4877
www.liverpool.gov.uk
Known as the ‘Peace Gardens’ for its statues and monuments.
Open: daily, 8am-dusk.Admission: free
 

Tate Liverpool

Albert Dock, Liverpool
[t] 0151 702 7400
www.tate.org.uk/liverpool
One of the largest galleries of modern art outside London. Hosting the 2007 Turner Prize.
Open: Tue-Sun & Bank Holidays 10am-5.50pm. Admission: free
    

Victoria Park

Rotten Row, Southport
Open: daily, 8am-dusk.Admission: free
    

Walton Hall Park

Liverpool
www.liverpool.gov.uk
This wonderful 130-acre park was opened in 1934 and contains interesting gardens, plus a boating lake for summer fun.
Open: daily, 8am-dusk.Admission: free
 

Wirral Country Park

Thurstaston, Wirral
[t] 0151 648 4371/3884
www.visitwirral.com
Sixty-feet-high boulder clay cliffs look out over the Dee estuary, where sea breeze and salt spray make for a liberating, but enjoyable, family day out.
Open: daily.
Admission: free
      

World Museum, Liverpool

William Brown Street, Liverpool
[t] 0151 478 4393
www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk
The herbarium here has over 350,000 specimens.
Open: daily, 10-5pm.Admission: free