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Beyond the waterfront: finding our feet in Liverpool's Sefton Park
Since moving to Liverpool this summer, we're enjoyed getting to know the city beyond its famous waterfront. There's plenty to love about the centre, but one of our favourite places is a little further south and it's the beauty that is Sefton Park.
Living nearby means we can explore it without having to make a day of it. After the upheaval of moving house and starting somewhere new in our fifties, having somewhere green to wander has been a welcome part of finding our feet.
A walk without an itinerary
We love travelling, but exploring doesn't always mean a passport or a route planned out with military precision. Sometimes it's just finding a path we like the look of, and seeing where we end up. Sefton Park lends itself well to that sort of leisurely afternoon. There are lakes to walk around, open lawns and hidden dells with streams and stepping stones, all with plenty of reasons to stop and take pictures.
In many ways, the park takes our mind back to places we've visited on our travels. Even though it was apparently the public park across the river in Birkenhead that inspired Central Park in New York, there have been moments in Sefton Park that have reminded us of being there. The Anteros Fountain for example, glinting in the sunlight often reminds us of the Bethesda Fountain in NY. The Peter Pan statue that has several replicas around the world, takes us back to Queens Gardens in Perth, Australia. Even the design of Sefton Park is influenced by the parks of Paris, with its layout being co-designed by a French landscape architect, Edouard Andre, and a local architect Lewis Hornblower.
The park is also a great place to see ordinary people getting on with their everyday lives. Walking dogs, meeting friends, pushing prams, sitting on benches. As newcomers to Liverpool, we like that. It helps us to get a feel for the place by spending time where people actually live, rather than merely visiting the popular tourist attractions.
A taste of the tropics
One of the park's most distinctive sights is the Palm House, a Grade II listed Victorian construction of iron and glass, filled with plants that bring a little tropical and subtropical greenery to Liverpool. The first time we rounded the corner and saw it peeping out from behind the trees, it genuinely took our breath away. It's a beautiful subject for photos, either from the outside or within.
We recently attended a heritage talk there, which gave us even more reasons to appreciate it. Hearing about a place adds something to the experience of looking around, making it feel like so much more than just an attractive building and a beautiful setting for a wedding. Hearing about the fight that local people had to restore it after it fell into disrepair in the 1980's, helped us to appreciate the local community and their determination to do what's right, even more than we already did. You can learn more about the Palm House and its restoration by clicking the link: https://palmhouse.org.uk/
Sefton Park Palm House gallery
Make a day of it
If you're visiting Liverpool and fancy exploring beyond the city centre, Sefton Park makes a great starting point. You can explore the myriad paths, wooded areas, lakes and play areas if you're with children. Enjoy a cuppa at one of the cafes or inside the Palm House, and just generally relax and soak up the atmosphere. And talking of atmosphere, there's something quite magical about walking around the park even on a wet and windy day, so don't think it's something reserved for bright skies only.
The nearby conservation area of Lark Lane is also worth a visit. It's a bohemian area with plenty of eateries and bars to choose from, as well as quirky shops with handmade crafts and some great vintage offerings. The outdoor seating that lines both sides of the street also feels reminiscent of trips outside of the UK. https://www.larklaneguide.com/
Lark Lane
Liverpool has already given us so many reasons to be glad we moved here, and the Sefton Park area is one we'll always treasure and keep exploring. As the seasons change, we'll look forward to seeing how the colours and the light shift, and then when summer rolls around again we'll definitely be participating in some of the brilliant events that take place there.
We hope you enjoy your Sefton Park adventures as much as we do.
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