August 9, 2022

Beach Wheelchair Rental

The council has six beach wheelchairs that are available to hire.

The wheelchairs are to help people with mobility difficulties and physical disabilities access the beach and coastal areas at West Kirby and New Brighton.

Users of the chairs will require assistance from a friend, family member, or support worker. We are working on making hoists available for people to use, but this equipment is currently not able to be used.

Where can the wheelchairs be hired from?

Wheelchairs can be hired from either:

  • Wirral Water Sport Centre, West Kirby
  • The Floral Pavilion, New Brighton

When can the wheelchairs be hired?

The hire of the chairs will be available at different days and times depending on the time of year.

  • During spring and summer, wheelchairs will be available Monday to Sunday
  • During autumn and winter, wheelchairs will be available during day light hours

What types of wheelchairs are available?

There are 3 different types of chairs available. These are: 

  • Sand Cruiser (push assisted)
  • Hippocampe (push assisted)
  • Extreme X8 All Terrain (electric powered)

Beach wheelchairs for Wirral

Only Sand Cruisers are available from Wirral Water Sports Centre.

All types of chairs (Sand Cruisers, Hippocampe and Extreme X8 All Terrain) are available from The Floral Pavilion.

For all chairs, users will need assistance from a friend, family member or support worker. We are working on making hoists available for use, however, these are currently not able to be used.

All chairs that are available to hire are equipped with support straps, cushions and harnesses. Any additional support or accessories required to use the chairs will need to be brought by the user.

How can I book a wheelchair?

For wheelchairs at The Floral Pavilion in New Brighton, book by:

  • visiting the Box Office (Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm)
  • calling 0151 666 0000 (Floral Pavilion Box Office) (Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm)
  • visiting the Floral Pavilion website (you may need to create an account)

For wheelchairs at the Water Sports Centre in West Kirby, book by:

  • Water Sports Centre in West Kirby, book online (you may need to create an account)

On the day of booking, please check in with a member of staff on site. They will verify you are the person who booked by checking your ID, so please bring with you, either:

  • Passport
  • Driver’s licence

Will my existing wheelchair be stored securely?

Yes. At Wirral Water Sport Centre, your chair will be stored securely in the entrance of the building. At The Floral Pavilion, your chair will be stored in a separate room.

Is there an emergency number I should call if something goes wrong?

Yes, when you make a booking, you will be provided with these details.

Is there any training I need to have before I can hire and use a wheelchair?

No, but when you check in for your booking, a member of staff will briefly run through some instructions on how to use the chair as part of your booking.

April 20, 2020

Ladies who Launch

Wirral Sailing Centre hosts a very special group of sailors & windsurfers on Wednesday mornings and Thursday evenings during the season – our “Ladies who Launch”! A couple of friendly, fun hours on the water are followed by coffee and a good gossip and we make the best of any sunshine on offer.

The group was started in spring 2016 and we now have a strong and faithful following. Beginners are always welcome and it’s been brilliant to see them building both skills and confidence on the water; several have gone on to gain RYA awards. Everyone learns at their own pace in a supportive, non-competitive environment – even the instructors are ladies, although just occasionally we may have to engage a gentleman instructor to cover holiday; we ensure that he’s absolutely charming! 

Lady Sailing on Marine Lake

Our beginners usually sail together in a big double-handed dinghy – comfortable and sociable, with an instructor onboard, whilst our more advanced sailors relish the stronger winds that West Kirby Marine Lake is renowned for! Sessions aren’t restricted to sailing though; we have windsurfing ladies and when conditions haven’t been suitable for sail sports we’ve turned our hand to power boating and paddle boarding too. The instructors love the sessions every bit as much as our customers, especially the après sail! One of our founding members, Bernie Hailwood, has since gone on to qualify as an RYA Dinghy Instructor herself, and is now a regular and much loved member of our team.

On the back of Ladies who Launch the centre hosted a Ladies Day last summer which around 100 ladies attended and all got on the water, many for the first time. The whole day was absolutely wonderful, with light winds offering a gentle introduction to a whole range of water sports activities. We decorated the yard with bunting and flags and set up a refreshment area, which was amply supplied with offerings from our regular ladies, most of whom can bake a darn good cake!

Ladies who launch
Ladies who launch Zoom catch up

Two years ago six of our group enjoyed a wonderful adventure to Greece. We transferred our sailing skills to a yacht and cruised the enticing blue waters of Corfu! Most of us onboard had little or no experience on a big boat but we were beautifully taught by our skipper, Gill, so much so that after a particularly accomplished anchoring we were enthusiastically greeted by two German ladies, who were swimming close by, with the words “Frau Power!” Sadly, we can’t guarantee a trip to the Mediterranean but if any readers would like to join our friendly group we can promise a very warm welcome!

We didn’t want the current situation to prevent us from keeping in touch so during this period of lockdown we’ve hosted a Ladies who Launch virtual coffee morning, every Wednesday, using Zoom! It’s been lovely to keep in touch with everyone and we’ll be meeting online every week until we can get back on the water.

Ladies who may be interested in joining the group are more than welcome; please contact lizgilliver@wirral.gov.uk for more details and please don’t feel you have to wait – if you’d like to join us now, for a virtual coffee and catch up, that’s just fine !

In the meantime “frau power”, ladies! Miss you all!

February 18, 2020

Hilbre Explorer Boat Trip

Hilbre Explorer boat trip – a special way to explore the stunning Wirral coastline

The Trip

The trip, which is run by Wirral Sailing Centre, offers passengers the opportunity to discover Hilbre Island and the surrounding area from a different perspective. Aboard our manoeuvrable RIB (Rigid Inflatable Boat) we get up close and personal with the wildlife, enjoy the magnificent scenery and learn a little about the fascinating history and geology of the area. All from the ever changing environment of the tidal waters that make up the Dee Estuary.

The idea was conceived in 2010 following a conversation with Dave Cavanagh, the popular Coastal Ranger who looked after Hilbre at the time. Initially we wanted to offer our passengers a closer look at the colony of Atlantic Grey Seals which can be seen hauled out on Hoyle Bank when the tide is out – curious by nature, we knew the seals would reciprocate! An exploratory trip with Dave, however, opened our eyes to the wealth of riches on the estuary, and the following year the trip (fondly nicknamed “DeeTour”) opened to the public trouvé sur ce site.

Every Trip is Different

Every trip is different according to the changing seasons and the weather. Although it’s wonderful to be on the water in glorious sunshine we’ve learned that we’ll see considerably more seals on an overcast day. We usually find them early in the trip, feeding in an area of choppy water just off Tanskey Rocks. The big bull males, with their large Romanesque noses (their Latin name ‘Halichoerus grypus’ translates literally as ‘hook nosed sea pig’!) regard us with big, brown eyes. If we are especially lucky we may also spot harbour porpoise – related to the bottle nosed dolphin. These elusive creatures can be spotted when they surface for air, their dorsal fins cutting through the surface of the water in an elegant arc.

Early autumn is a dream come true for bird watchers; the islands are important as a stopping-off point for the twice yearly migration of birds along the west coast of Britain, as well as being a high tide roost when the vast expanse of mud flats is covered by water. Huge colonies of oyster catchers, dunlin and knot congregate both on the islands and on the shoreline of West Kirby beach. Binoculars are a must!

Whats Included?

We take some time to explore Little Eye, Middle Eye & Hilbre. Passengers can hear tales of lost love by Ladies Cave and of smuggling and wrecking as we pass the Devil’s Hole – without giving too much away (in case you’re thinking of taking the trip) did you know there used to be a pub on Hilbre called ‘The Seagull’? By all accounts the landlord, who took full advantage of the Wirral’s treacherous waters, was a very wealthy man.

A trip on a RIB is not complete without a short joyride! We are, of course, careful to drive the boat sedately in the vicinity of any wildlife, but once well clear of the islands we throttle up, to the delight of our passengers! It’s not uncommon to hear a few whoops! We usually find the time to visit Thurstaston before concluding the trip with a close look at the colourful boats on the moorings at West Kirby.

With Several Seasons Under Our Belt

With several seasons under our belt the Hilbre Explorer has consistently received excellent feedback. It’s proved especially popular with our more mature customers (some of whom find the walk out to Hilbre a little too far these days) but definitely has something for everyone. The boat is licenced by the Maritime Coastguard Agency, carries full safety kit and the crew are experienced, knowledgeable and friendly. We look forward to welcoming readers aboard this summer!

“Sealtastic!”

“Excellent, entertaining, educational” D.Andrew

“We thought it was going to be good, but it was fantastic!” D.Taylor

Just a taste of the enthusiastic feedback we’ve received from passengers who’ve taken the Hilbre Explorer boat trip.

Hilbre Island
Atlantic Grey Seal

For further details please contact Wirral Sailing Centre on 0151 929 7707.

Please note, we also offer a full range of water sports courses; choose from sailing, windsurfing, stand up paddle boards, kayaking or power boating. Call the centre on the number above to find out more. Wirral Sailing Centre is an RYA Training Centre and is operated by Wirral Borough Council.

View Wirral Sailing Centres Web page & Facebook Wirral Sailing Centre for more information.

Photo Credit: Ron Thomas