Hilbre Island walk, Wirral

Wrap up warm and head out across the sands of the Dee Estuary to visit a charming island on the England-Wales border

By countryfile

Published: Thursday, 08 June 2023 at 12:00 am

The excitement of a bracing walk across vast, flat sands to a trio of tidal islands at the mouth of the Dee Estuary makes for a great outing on any day.

The Dee Estuary is among the top 10 in Europe for overwintering wildfowl, such as wigeon, teal and various species of goose. Surrounded by mudflats, marshes and sandbanks, the islands – Little Eye, Little Hilbre and Hilbre – are an important roosting site and rest point for migrating birds.

At low water, the easy walk from West Kirby to the islands, two miles offshore, takes around an hour each way, however it is essential to follow the safest route and timings posted on the Dee Lane slipway noticeboard to avoid quicksand and being cut off by the tide.

Striding out in sturdy boots to splash through shallow pools of seawater, there’s an overwhelming sense of adventure. Boats and windsurfers on West Kirby’s famous marine lake are soon left behind. The islands beckon, and the wide horizon is dominated by the magnificent mountain ranges of north Wales.

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Hilbre Island walk

4.5 miles/7.2km | 2.5 hours | easy | 5m ascent (return walk)

1. Little Eye

The haunting chorus of Atlantic grey seals often accompanies the approach to Little Eye, the first and smallest of the islands. Basking on West Hoyle sandbank, the noisy colony numbers up to 400 in summer.

Squawking waders compete for rich pickings in muddy gullies and mounds of empty blue mussel shells encircle the sea-worn sandstone islands.