NW England-walk
Hilbre Island Islandeering route
Key Facts
- Location: Wirral
- Size: 1.2 hectares
- Terrain: Tidal sands and mud; footpath on island
- Access: Tidal crossing (2 hours either side of low tide)
- Height gain: 103 metres
- Map: OS Explorer 266 Wirral and Chester
- Starting point: Dee Lane slipway, West Kirby, postcode CH48 0AQ. There is a car park on Dee Lane, and also free parking on the front. West Kirby also has a rail station.
Hilbre Island walk summary
Hilbre is part of a string of islands that include Little Eye and Middle Eye. The ‘archipelago’ sits in the Dee Estuary with magnificent views of the English and Welsh coastline. Tides and safe crossings can be checked at the RNLI station on the Dee Slipway. The route heads across the sands, around the back of Little Eye first, then over the top of Middle Eye before reaching Hilbre itself. It is mostly on the sands, avoiding the muds, with plenty of opportunities to explore the wonderful geological features of the coastline and the eclectic mix of buildings on the uninhabited island.
Hilbre Island walk description
A full description of the walk can be found in our Islandeering book; and GPX download below.
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