Travel Report: Ferry Cross the Mersey, Liverpool.

Ferry Cross the Mersey, Liverpool.

“Life goes on day after day, hearts torn in every way. So ferry cross the Mersey, cause this land’s the place I love, and here I’ll stay”.

May 2019. And so goes the 1964 hit song Ferry Cross the Mersey by Gerry and the Pacemakers. I remember listening to this timeless tune at least two to three times a week as a kid. Usually while running around the house playing with Lego and Micro Machines.

It was on a 60s compilation CD my mum and dad had, thus it became kind of ingrained in me. Now, over thirty years later, I was actually boarding a ferry to cross the River Mersey on my first day in the city of Liverpool!

I’d arrived in Liverpool just a few hours earlier with my old friend Steppers. Having checked into our hotel, we took one look at the afternoon sunshine and figured we’d better hit The Mersey while the going was good. After all, one can never take this kind of weather for granted in England.

Mersey Ferries operates Liverpool’s river cruises and there are a bunch of options depending on one’s tastes and how much time you’ve got. We opted for the 50 minute River Explorer Cruise that basically does a loop of The Mersey with three optional jump-on-jump-off points along the way.

Needless to say the famous song was playing that afternoon as Steppers and I boarded. Picking out some choice seats, we found ourselves listening to the recorded commentary that provides historical info about The Mersey and the iconic buildings that make up Liverpool’s waterfront.

Ferry Cross the Mersey, Liverpool.

With the ferry chugging away from Pier Head, we got some amazing views of the structures in question. Pictured top left, crowned with a pair of gorgeous clock towers, stands The Royal Liver Building.

This iconic Liverpool landmark dates back to 1911 when it was purpose built for the Royal Liver Assurance Group. The society provided support to Liverpudlians who’d recently lost a wage-earning relative.

Moreover, it was cool to hear about the building’s two metal liver birds that keep watch over Liverpool. The bird facing away from the water Bertie, who guards the city. Bella meanwhile, facing The Mersey, protects the river and its sailors.

Photo courtesy of Chowells.

A German sculptor by the name of Carl Bernard Bartels designed the mythical birds. Legend has it that should they ever fly away, Liverpool would simply cease to exist.

It didn’t take long for us to pull well away from the waterfront. Taking a self-guided tour of the boat, we enjoyed a highly relaxing cruise, with an invigorating breeze and the odd seagull flapping overhead.

Liverpudlians are incredibly friendly and indeed it wasn’t long before we got chatting to a local man in his early seventies. Much like Gerry Marsden of The Pacemakers, he proclaimed a lifelong love for The Mersey. What’s more, he even claimed to have been on one of the very first services across the river in the 1960s.

What To See & Do, Liverpool.

Elsewhere, I managed to get a nod from the captain, who looked very dapper in his pressed shirt, tie and sunglasses. It was also here that we learned our boat’s name, MV Snowdrop. A look online reveals she was launched in 1959 and can hold around 1200 passengers. Originally christened MV Woodchurch, its current name took hold in 2003.

One of the ferry’s stops that day came at the Seacombe Terminal, home to a museum called Spaceport. “Experience life beyond the stars!” came the advert, which trumpeted the museum’s observatory, space rides, planetarium and private exhibition of Star Wars memorabilia.

Unfortunately, during my research for this article, I see that Spaceport has since closed down. It’s due to be replaced by a new attraction, Eureka! Mersey, a centre aimed at children that focuses on learning through play. At the time of writing they say it’ll open in mid 2022.

Not tempted by the prospect of Spaceport, Steppers and I decided to stay on Snowdrop and continue our voyage down the Mersey. Besides, we’d actually boarded that afternoon with the intention of jumping off at another attraction, the U-Boat Story.

This fascinating museum details the life and times of the World War II German submarine, U-534. Built by The Nazis, this mammoth vessel was sunk by a Royal Air Force bomber on the 5th of May 1942 near the Danish island of Anholt.

U-534.

Photo courtesy of Paul Adams.

After 42 years on the sea bed, it was a Danish wreck hunter who discovered it. With the help of a fellow Dane, the millionaire, Karsen Ree (who mistakenly believed there was Nazi gold onboard), the great submarine was finally raised from the water.

Beautifully presented, the exhibition talks you through a typical day in the life onboard. You can also watch newsreels and listen to archive audio footage. But of course the highlight is getting to see U-534 itself, one of only four of the world’s remaining German WWII submarines.

U-534 was so huge it had to be broken into four parts for transportation to Liverpool. It arrived in 1996, purchased by the Warship Preservation Trust. In 2009, it finally became the star of its own show with the opening of the U-Boat Story. As you look around, don’t miss a few of the holes from when it was fatally struck in 1942.

Ferry Cross the Mersey, Liverpool.

Having bid farewell to U-534, Steppers and I got back on the ferry for our return journey to Pier Head. As we closed in on dry land, this time I focused my lens on the domed Port of Liverpool Building.

Constructed between 1904 and 1907, it served as HQ for the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board for 87 years. A wonderfully restored example of Edwardian Baroque, the structure stands as Liverpool’s fourteenth tallest building. It’s possible to visit the ground floor and see its lavish furnishings, including a stunning granite staircase.

I certainly recommend the Ferry Cross The Mersey experience. Our tickets that day were £11 per person and we simply bought them on arrival. It’s not a bad deal when you consider it includes entry to the U-Boat Story, otherwise priced at £8 per person. To plan your River Mersey journey and look at the different pricing options, check out the Mersey Ferries website here.

“People around every corner,
Seem to smile and say…
We don’t care what your name is, boy.
We’ll never turn you away”. 

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