Continuing to explore Greater Liverpool – on the bus.
I was nearly a Twirly this morning.
Sarah’s left the house very early to run a funeral service and so I’m up and around early too. Ready for something that might be a ‘Great bus journey’ and a ‘Friday Walk’ combined.
Just in time I remember that I can’t use my bus pass before 9:30. Thus avoiding the indignity of waving it at the driver pleading ‘Am I too early?’ Or as we all interpret that here in Liverpool, ‘Am a Twirly!’



Imagine being so important to the bank and insurance businesses that a branch of that would be situated here.


This is by Peter Ellis, most celebrated for Oriel Chambers and considered by the likes of Quentin Hughes and Nikolaus Pevsner to be one of the finest, though least celebrated architects of the early to mid-nineteenth century. (Peter Ellis also designed and lived in 78 Canning Street and 40 Falkner Square in Liverpool 8, the first two buildings I worked in for Liverpool Housing Trust.)


Though by the time I get on it’s changed its number to the 471.



I could have got on here but, of course, wanted to make sure I got the front seat upstairs. Because somewhere very special’s coming up.




We’re in the middle lane too. Buses can’t use the side lanes, obviously!





Nearly as miraculous as my guide for how to get here by car for Liverpool people a while back.




Another time I’ll get off and have a look around. But today I want to get to our destination before the promised deluge sweeps in.



Again, needs to be seen one day.



I notice the passing funeral cars here. We’re close to Landican Crematorium, where Sarah will have just finished her service.


I remember coming to Arrowe Park as a child and finding a huge parkland. Then coming back in more recent years bemused to find, though still large, so much of it given over to a golf course and a hospital.



Yes ‘Thingwall’ – it’s a splendid Norse word, meaning ‘Assembly Field’. (Much more on Wirral’s Viking connections from Gerry Cordon here on That’s How The Light Gets In.)

We’re very close to the Shining Shore here. But that’s for a nicer day. As you can probably see, it’s raining now.


I don’t get off.

A place I’ve never spent much time in, which is why I’ve come for a look around.

Which you’ll notice has ‘Electric hybrid power’ and wi-fi. And there have I been, sitting at the front taking photos like it’s an ordinary bus.
So, Heswall, what have you got?


As independent as you like. Been here 110 years selling a splendid mixture of musical instruments, stationery, cards, arts and crafts materials, toys and maps. How about that?

Next, it’s Linghams.

As well as being a great bookshop, they’ve also got a café at the back called ‘Toast’. So I go and have some, together with a cup of tea. While the grandparents around me read timeless classics to their enthralled charges. A place where, I’d guess, The Tiger is always coming for tea and the Wild Things are always running amok. Heart-twistingly charming.

Leaving for a general look around I find what everyone must always find in Heswall. That’s a seriously major road running through the middle there, that you don’t easily criss-cross as the fancy takes you.
I also find Heswall got a bit of a seeing to in the 1960s.

I loathe that phrase. It’s also been slapped onto several Liverpool libraries too. Books being replaced by ‘Council Services’.

And whilst there were a number of people browsing its shelves, there was no one in the bit they’ve cleared out for the ‘One Stop Shop’. Good.



Feeling in need of some air and inspiration I head out of the town Centre.



Now it’s all a hundred years ago there’s been talk, these past few weeks that all these people died for nothing. That what we now call the First World War was a gross mistake we needn’t have had any part in. Intellectually maybe so, maybe that could eventually be said about most wars. But today, like always, I stand here with tears in my eyes, simply grateful for what they did with what they knew, terribly sorry they died doing it. Thank you Smith, F. Smith, G. Smith, J. Smith, J… All of you.


But at this point, the rain that’s been falling heavily and steadily all the time I’ve been in Heswall, turns into bitterly cold sideways hailstones. Enough. The Estuary can wait.

They’re always arriving. One or other of the 471 or 472 every 10 minutes for most of most days (timetables and maps here). A fantastic service.
(And I realise I’m biased because all of this travel today is costing me nothing other than a life’s work and taxes. But what if we could make public transport of this quality cheaper and more accessible for everyone? Do you think we might start to end the car devotion, the one person per vehicle, that’s a permanent feature of this road, like so many others?)




And next Great Bus Journey? Who knows. I’ve hardly started yet!
See all of the ‘Great bus journeys of the world’ here.
We both seem to have ventured out on great Wirral journeys this week, Ronnie. Pity you got beaten by this dreadful weather, but thanks for an engrossing account.
Ron, Cook st. right in middle of shot was the old Joe Lyons tea room, I spent many a time in there.
You’ve brought many memories, even the bus OVER THE WATER I used to catch when my wife was in Clatterbridge.
Hope the memories are gentle Stan.
all excellent ron great years
Not only am I loving your blogs, but I send them to my sister Ronny in San Clemente California and Pat in Cornwall. Ronny emailed this :-
Cath, I absolutely LOVE these! It was just like a trip home, made me misty eyed seeing ‘Liverpool’ on the front of a bus. I enjoyed the ‘trip’.
Thanks so much, Cathy ?
Thank you all 3 sisters Cathy, Ronny and Pat. Look forward to hearing from you all as I continue walking and riding around Liverpool. Hope you’ve found all the walks i’ve done? Let me know which part of liverpool you’re from and I’ll go and have a look at how it’s doing for you!
Hi Ronnie, we first lived at 66a Smithdown Road, over a Sayers shop. We had to access the back door up an entry in Greenleaf St.
The block of shops is the only one knocked down in that bit of Smithdown!
We went to St Hugh’s school, Ron and Pat were in the “tin school” part after age 11, but we moved to South Highville Rd Childwall, when I was 5, so I only did the reception class.
We’re all loving your blogs! X
The last time I walked past your bit of Smithdown was just before Christmas, here in ‘Walking to Mello Mello’.
And I haven’t walked much around Childwall yet, just this walk in the Black Wood from last summer. But I will go and have a better look round.
How spooky is that! The bit of grass where you took your picture of the Christmas tree, was the block of shops we lived over and the tree is standing roughly where our back kitchen would have been! Fantastic.
Oh, so you’re now a community garden!