Beach riding on the Wirral, advice please!

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BigBird146

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Hi,
Planning to take my horse to the beach for the first time as soon as weather permits and trying to suss out how/ where.
I think the Wirral looks a good bet, as there is the Wirral Way (with Horse box parking)/ Wirral Country Park and beaches you can ride on. Does anyone know this area and could you recommend a good circular route which will take in the best of the area... bit of beach, nice scenery, somewhere to stop for a drink or whatever. There are loads of bits and bobs on the internet but nothing 'joined-up' for someone who doesn't know the area (only ever got my boy as far as the horsepital at Neston before
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). Only found one circular route on mapmyride and it's less than 5 miles... was thinking more like 15 probably.
Thanks.
 
Oooooo i come from the wirral and used to use the wirral way alot - that was about 5/8 yrs ago though - i remember there being alot of people wondering onto the bridleways in the summer often with small children and buggys so best go term time if you can! west kirby beach is amazing - goes on for ages! again just look out for the people!!
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Sorry i can't be of much more help
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Ooo right down my street, I live right by the wirral way
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The best beaches to ride on are West Kirby and Thurstaton but you have to be careful with tides otherwise you can get a bit stuck! Also at the moment, parts of the wirral way are quite muddy though some parts are resurfaced and I agree with cobface, avoid going weekends if you can! Theres not really any circular routes for the wirral way unless you go on the roads which are not great, but more of a go one way then then turn around and come back though you can vary it by going on the beach.
Are you planning to park at Thurstaton? If so you could go up to West Kirby and back again and then down onto Thurstaton beach and back. Or go down to Hadlow and back again. Theres a few variations but would require you going back on yourself. I could try and plan out a route for you if that would be any help?
Heres a link to my photos at both beaches, the big massive one is West Kirby followed by Thursaston from somewhere on page three onwards, would give you some idea of which you would like to go on. (Ignore parents/dogs piccies
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http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=162211&id=501651806&l=2c21c7e306

Let me know if I can be of any help
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I used to be from the Wirral - West Kirby to be exact - you are making me home-sick !

Enjoy your ride where ever you end up taking your neddie - The "Dee" side of The Wirral is lovely !
 
I don't want to hijack the post, but (when I have a sound horse) I plan to visit the Wirral Way - where is the best place to park a horsebox?
 
Car park wise, I think you can go into the Wirral Country Park at Thurstaston but there might be a height restriction, I cant quite remember. Probably better and quiter is another car park down by Sheldrakes restaurant in lower heswall, its a two minute walk to the wirral way and you're right by the beach. Quite often what we used to do was just to park on the roads by the wirral way in Caldy though how big is your horsebox? If you'd like any directions, just ask
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Thanks very much for that guys! (love the pics Flic... you've set off my labrador envy again though!)
Do we have to avoid both high tide and/ or low tide? I know the sea goes out a long long way further up... went to Ainsdale once and my dreams of galloping along in the surf were scuppered as the tide was out and we couldn't even see the sea!
Can you ride all the way along the beach from West Kirby down?
I was thinking of going over there beforehand with OH and bikes to reccy parking situation, but at least I have a few pointers now
 
Hes a curly coated retriver
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most people thing he's a labradoodle though
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Yes avoid high tide otherwise you wont get anywhere and avoid when the tide is coming in as you might get stuck. Go just after high tide if you want the surf
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No you cant really ride from West Kirby down but you can ride 'upwards' i.e.towards Red Rocks and then around the corner along Hoylake beach but thats away from the Wirral Way.
The only other beach is at Thurstaton which runs along to Lower Heswall and you definitely have to go at low tide as one point is cut off at high tide. Its not a 'galloping' beach as its only narrow but you can have a canter though you cant go in the water here because its deep mud and marshes.
 
Hi, just bumping this as we are planning to take the children and ponies (on lead rein) to the beach tomorrow.

Just wondering if anyone has a recommendation for the best beach for us ie. Safe not too busy car park close to a sandy beach, sea not too far away and preferably somewhere to get an ice cream!

We have been to Talacre but it is a bit of a fiddle to get there and although excellent for galloping the horse, we don't need that much space for the Shetland!

Thanks in advance.
 
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