Fishink on Hilbre Island

‘ Good morning ‘ says Boo ‘ I know we’re going in the car today, so if it’s alright with you, I’ll just hide here ‘ !

It was a pure stroke of genius that one of my school friends organised a walk to Hilbre Island on thursday, saying that the weather was going to be good. We left Manchester during a huge downpour and with a little trepidation, partly due to the weather and partly due to my dog’s car sickness, made our way over to West Kirby on the Wirral where we were meeting.

We were met with a much bigger group than I’d anticipated as more and more of my old friends had heard that we were going on this walk and had taken the day off work to join in. So with a big smile the group of sixteen of us (and three dogs) set off on the  forty minute walk over the sands to Middle Eye which leads you onto Hilbre Island.

We were certainly in luck, as the dogs ran ever increasingly larger circles around us and the sun shone all the way. There’s a little camera trickery going on in the first picture below as the view from of Hilbre comes into focus.

Hilbre Island is approximately 11.5 acres in area, and lies about 1 mile (1.6 km) from Red Rocks, the nearest part of the mainland of the Wirral Peninsula. The island’s name derives from the dedication of the medieval chapel which was built on the island to St. Hildeburgh, an Anglo-Saxon holy woman, after which it became known as Hildeburgheye or Hildeburgh’s Island.

It is believed that the island has been occupied on and off since the Stone Age, several finds of Stone and Bronze Age items and Roman pottery items were discovered in 1926. There are a few privately owned houses on the Island, an old telegraph station and what remains of an old lifeboat station.

We spent a lovely sunny hour sitting in the long grass, having chilled conversation and watching the dogs play.

We discovered one of the local inhabitants, luckily just before the dogs rolled all over it .

The islands were bought in 1856 by the Trustees of the Liverpool Docks, which later became known as the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board. Hilbre Island Lighthouse was constructed here in 1927. The islands were sold to Hoylake Council in 1945 for £2,500, passing to Wirral Borough Council on its formation in 1974.

Such a beautiful tranquil bunch of people and a grand place to relax in the sunshine.

Thanks to Boo, for not being sick in the car (first time) and to everyone for their organisation and contributions towards good conversation, dog watching etc . Finally to my good friend Gill Moore who took this happy picture of us all. What a great memory.