Thurstaston Things to Do

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Wirral Country Park is a beautiful stretch of fields along The River Dee cliffs. From the cliff edges are stunning views across the River Dee estuary and mud flats. This area provides amazing opportunities for photography enthusiasts on the one hand, with fabulous sunsets being on the west coast; and for nature lovers, the bird watchinig opportunities are impressive. The area itself is an important ecological site of special scientific interest within the UK!

The park also provides a fantastic day out for tourists, families with kids, cyclists, horse riders and people looking for relaxing or romantic strolls in the countryside! There is something there to suit everyone!

I personally love to have a Barbeque with friends, followed by a game of rounders or cricket on the large visitors centre field, then perhaps to grab an ice cream cone from the kiosk, before heading down onto Thurstaston beach to walk it all off!

Church Farm is an award wining farm shop selling organic produce ranging from fruit and veg (their freshly picked asparagus is a must) chocolate, oives, mustards, cakes etc etc.

The shop has a cafe and at the far end a small farm with goats, ducks and a horse.

In the summer months, you can pick your own organic strawberries

The shop is resonably expensive when compared to supermarket prices but there is no comparision on flavour!

Probably everyone from Wirral at some point has climbed Thors Stone in Thurstaston Common!

Local legend says that the large sandstone block got its name from the Viking settlers who thought a lightning strike on the rock was like the god Thor striking the stone with a hammer.

Even today, the area is used ceremonies such as the summer solstice.

Take the A540 (Telegraph Road)
From Heswall, the car park in on the right hand side just after the Cottage Loaf pub.
Heading in the opposite direction, after the Calday Rugby/Cricket club, the car park is on the left once you reach the top of the long hill

Thurstaston has a visitors centre at its country Park for lots of information about the area and the wildlife around. The Wirral Way path (the old railway line) passes through here from my home town West Kirby and on to Parkgate and Willaston (see my Willaston page) where there is a railway museum on the old station there - frozen in time as it was in 1952. More of the Wirral way can be seen in the travelogue.

The Country Park has several trails set out, plenty of green space for the kids to run around on, a barbeque area, the beach below the cliffs and wonderful views across the Dee estuary to the hills of North Wales.

There is a large red sandstone rock on Thurstaston Common known as Thor's Stone. Several theories abound to explain the origins of both the stone and name, some more far-fetched than others!
Some say the stone was raised by the Danes to commemorate the great battle of Brunanburh (Bromborough?) which took place in 937, others that Vikings made blood-sacrifices to their thunder-god on its summit. More realistic theories are that it was scoured by water flows under the ice sheet, or post-glacial erosion has removed the softer surrounding rocks whilst the most likely explanation is that it is the remains of a quarry.

Thursaston Common is popular with walkers for the views - one of the best on the Wirral's at just 90m above sea level. A short walk to the top affords views across most of the Wirral. On a clear day you can see the two Liverpool Cathedrals, Blackpool Tower, Formby Point, the Welsh Hills and North Wales Coast. Even Snowdonia National Park can be seen on a good day.

Whatever the theories surrounding its origins Thors Stone today is a popular place to walk to, carve your initials in it and clamber all over it! Dave recalls it as a great place for playing cowboys and indians with his brother as it looked like a desert place!