Liverpool and Merseyside have much to offer the visitor or resident. It is easy to get to the coast using the metro. One line runs under the river to the Wirral peninsula and sea-side towns from New Brighton in the east to West Kirby in the west. Another line runs north along the coast to Southport through other sea-side towns like Formby.

From West Kirby you can visit the beautiful Hilbre Islands which are the westernmost part of Merseyside. You can walk to them at low tide. See my pictures of Hilbre. More photos, from my 2001 trip to Hilbre. A photo of seals from my 2004 trip to Hilbre.

There are pleasant parks in Liverpool, like Sefton Park and the nearby Princes Park. The Palm House is being rebuilt, and I have included two photographs that I took of it when I was living in the area in 1985.

If you want a walk on the wild side, however, you may wish to go to the nearby derelict grounds of the Liverpool International Garden Festival. My sister took these photographs recently. The grounds are fenced off, but there is a way in.