A little seaside town brimming which charm and quirk was put onto the global platform last year when 250,000 tourists descended on the area. Hoylake in Merseyside, nestled between the Wirral peninsula and West Kirkby, is a picturesque area with a beautiful shoreline.
In 2023 it hosted The Open which was held at The Royal Liverpool Golf Club and gave otherwise oblivious guests a snapshot of what it Hoylake had to offer. Abundant with independent shops and cafes, scenic walks and charm like no other, it has been likened to a European holiday destination in summer.
And it’s not because of the hustle and bustle of crowds. Carley, the owner of a wine bar, told the Echo: “We class ourselves as a neighbourhood wine bar that caters for the neighbourhood around it. Our outside terrace area, looking forward to the warmer weather, has a continental vibe to it.
“You can have picky bits with friends. It’s Mediterranean style, what you see abroad in Italy, where you get a table and you all share bits. The terrace when it’s hot – it’s like being abroad. I think café culture is coming back. Home working is a big thing.”
Jeanette Hatter first opened the Pottery Shed in 2006, said she thinks the community is very “welcoming” and that Hoylake itself has always been “quite busy” – and free parking is crucial to that.
Despite what appears to be a thriving local economy, the area is not short of show-stopping walks bearing incredible views. It is the home to Red Rocks Marsh – a coastal reserve covering 10 acres of sand dunes, reedbeds and marsh.
Red Rocks beach can be accessed from Stanley Road in Hoylake and offers breathtaking views over the Dee Estuary to Wales on a clear day.
More than 200 species of birds have been recorded at the nature reserve, which is also home to 50 species of flowering plant. The reedbed is also home to the only breeding colony of natterjack toads in Wirral.
People visiting Red Rocks are asked to keep to foreshore and marked paths and not enter the reedbeds. The Wirral Way also provides a great walking route that you can join from Hoylake and is popular with dog walkers and cyclists, as reported by the Echo.
The Wirral Way is a walking and cycling path on the track of an old railway line, stretching more than 12 miles from West Kirkby to Hooton in Chester. It incorporates the Wirral Country Park and also offers incredible views.
People often stop off at the bakeries or cafes on Market Street in Hoylake to pick up a pastry or freshly made sandwich during a walking along the Wirral way.
Claire Prescot, who owns a cafe in Market Street, said: “We do get a lot travelling from other areas to come to the café. Wirral has got a lot to offer – lovely walks, scenery, there’s a lot of nice cafes and bars around here. I think it’s got a lovely community vibe.
