. . . . well actually we never did get a ferry across the Mersey. We used the train instead to reach The Wirral and the town of New Brighton having travelled from Derby via Crewe and Liverpool Lime Street.

Coming to Liverpool was part of a birthday weekend for Mrs H and stopping in New Brighton was a little different to staying in the city itself. The town promises a long promenade to wander along giving expansive views across to Liverpool (although, if honest, not that good on a gloomy day), the sea itself with a large beach, plus a host of other attractions too. It did deliver on some of these!

Our hotel was less than ten minutes walk from the railway station and about the same distance to the promenade area. Opposite the hotel was the Olive Tree Café and having arrived in time for lunch we thought it worth a go - the food portions were very generous, so much so that there was no need for sustenance later in the day, well not more food anyway!

After a stroll along the wide promenade overlooking the River Mersey and Liverpool we called in at The Magazine Hotel which is one of the oldest pubs on the Wirral with its building dating back to 1759. We then continued onto the more more modern shopping and dining area located on the seafront housing the likes of Morrison's, Home Bargains, La Tasca and Starbucks to name but a few. It looks as though they are trying to revive the town although I am not sure I would want to spend a week on holiday myself in New Brighton. Each to there own I guess!

In the evening we headed into Liverpool to watch 'Let it Be', a show that has come straight from London's West End, showcasing the music of the Fab Four. With around 40 Beatles songs in the show it was pretty much non-stop hit after hit after hit. The audience were certainly up for a good night out and a good percentage of the show was spent standing, clapping and dancing along to the music. It would however have been good to have a bit more of a story interlaced into the show as well as the music of Paul, John, George and Ringo which was performed by very talented musicians who very much looked the part.

Being the 31st October our trip back to New Brighton from Liverpool Lime Street was accompanied by witches, ghouls and the living dead (plus a few drunk Scousers). The people of Liverpool really had gone to town on dressing up for Halloween - more so than any other place/year that I can remember.

Sunday morning started with a full English breakfast, which set us up nicely for the day ahead in the fog that had engulfed Liverpool. The waterfront area was most pleasant - and would have been nicer if the sun was out - so as well as visiting the Albert Dock we had a few hours in the Museum of Liverpool (free entry) which was very interesting and worthy of a longer visit. The fog cleared a little bit as we headed to Lime Street station to start the trip home via Manchester and Sheffield so it did allow us to see the mythical 'Liver Birds' atop the Liver Building overlooking the River Mersey. A return visit to the city will be had at some point as there is plenty more to see and do and maybe have a side trip to Southport too!