Thurstaston makes for a varied day out with different activities available depending on your mood!
You can make the day as relaxing or energetic as you wish. From a family barbeque, to a game of rounders, to a relaxed stroll along the beach, there are many things to choose between...
Thurstaston Visitors Centre
This is the central visitors centre within the Wirral Country Park and is located at Thurstaston. It is a central organising point for tourists. There are various things on offer here. within the building is a shop selling various wildlife related products, for example bird feed, feeding stations to erect in your garden, books on nature and the local area, etc. An information desk is located next to the shop with a wide range of leaflets on the Wirral Country Park itself, local tourist attractions in Merseyside and the wider North West area and local wildlife spots; all freely available.
For further information the desk is also staffed with helpful Visitors Centre volunteers who will endeavor to answer any enquiries you may have, and you can also book ranger-lead activities here as well. There is an indoor 'nature trail' for children and adults to wonder through with local wildlife and information about the area's history on display.
Various amenities are also available; well kept toilet facilities, also offering a baby-changing area, are located within the visitors Centre, and a refreshment kiosk is situated on the front, adjoining the centre, with drinks, snacks and ice-cream to buy.
Thurstaston Visitors Centre Field
There is a large expanse of open grass situated by the Visitors Centre. Visitors are free to do as they please as long as respect is kept for the area's upkeep and wildlife - barbecues must be had within one of the designated areas. The spot is popular with tourists, families and local visitors for picnics, ball games, frisbee, or simply to sit and take in the spectacular view over the Dee Estuary mudflats with, Wales on the distant horizon.
There are numerous self-guided walks within this area, including the Wirral Coastal Walk. Excellent views gained by walking along the Thursaston cliffs which over look the beach below. You can in fact walk along the cliff top all the way back to Heswall, with the Heswall Fields to your left. If you feel like it you can follow the footpaths through the fields leading back up to the Wirral Way walk.
Thurstaston Visitors Centre Barbeque
There are two barbeque sites, the main one being located on the back edge of the open field area, within sight of the Visitors Centre. There is a built in brick barbeque, which you can place a disposable barbeque within. There are also a couple of picnic tables and benches to eat your food at.
This barbeque site must be booked before use, and is very popular, particularly within the spring and summer months. You can contact the Thurstaston Visitors Centre by telephone. However, for when the first barbeque site is fully booked up, there is a second area available, located towards the back of the visitors Centre car park. There are no built barbeque spots or benches set up here, but you can place disposable barbecues on the ground. Ask at the visitors centre to be allowed onto this site, and confirm it is available for use at the time you are visiting.
When you have finished your barbeque you should douse your disposable barbeque with water (available from an outside tap at the Visitors Centre building) and leave the barbeque for the rangers to collect at the end of the day. All other waste should go into the bins situated in the barbeque area, with the lids placed firmly back on to prevent danger to the local wildlife.
Thurstaston Beach
Thurstaston beach is part of the Wirral Coastline and runs between Thurstaston and Heswall along the foot of Thurstaston cliffs. The cliffs themselves provide a fascinating backdrop, being eroded into almost surreal shapes and gravity defying peaks. They are also hazardous in their state of erosion, and should never be walked upon on the edges, or climbed, as parts are susceptible to crumbling away at any moment. This coastal strip is very popular with walkers and forms part of the Wirral Coastal Walk
Along Thurstaston beach you will find washed up bits of knarled drift wood, sea shells, and sand eroded rocks and pebbles. The tide does come in daily, though it is never deep and never covers the beach entirely so there is no danger of being cut off. A word of caution, the mud flats do have areas of 'sinking sand' and so care should always be taken in wondering out onto them. Never go out too far, especially if alone. This applies also to horse riders, and there have been horses that have had to be pulled out with the assistance of the local fire brigade.
There are two points of access to Thurstaston beach. The easier location being at the bottom of station Road (the only road leading all the way down to Thurstaston Visitors Centre from Telegraph Road). The other access point is via another set of steps at the opposite end of the park. Walk along the cliffs path in the direction of heswall, you will wonder through a little gully with a footbridge over a small runoff stream, and this path will bring you eventually to the second set of steps. You should never attempt to climb down the cliffs directly to the beach, due to their high state of erosion and the risk of the ground giving away under your step. They are precariously steep and could cause serious injury.
The Wirral Way
This follows the path of the old railway line which finally closed in 1963. The origins of the Wirral Country Park lies in the history of this railway line. The abandoned railway line was taken under the care of the local council, and under the 1968 Countryside act, was converted into a public footpath with a parallel cycle and bridal path. Numerous tourists and local visitors to the area, walk along the Wirral Way for relaxation, leisure, and excercise. It is used by a variety of people; families out for the day, couples on a romantic stroll, joggers, cyclists, horse riders and more.
At points along the Wirral Way, there will be signposted public paths which will take you various ways through the Heswall fields, either down to the shore line, or up towards Thurstaston village and farm. There is also a footpath signposted to the ominous sounding 'dungeon'. This is a pretty walk through a steep-sided valley with a little stream, and takes you up into farmers fields at the top. gorgous on a sunny summers day. The area is also part of the infamous Wirral Coastal Walk.
