Wild Camping - Hilbre Island Overnighter
Sat' 6th & Sunday 7th May 2017.
NB* Turn up your volume at 13.40 to 14.20 to hear the seals calling!
We decided to do an over night wild camp on Middle Hilbre, the second largest of a trio of small islands in the River Dee estuary, about a mile as the crow flies off West Kirby and Hoylake in the Wirral.
This time, we crossed the border into England, though our camp site location was in the River Dee estuary which forms a natural border between England and North Wales.
The islands are cut off by the advancing tide, twice daily for a few hours as the estuary floods then dries out on the ebb. We chose this particular time so we could arrive as everyone visiting was heading back to the mainland and we'd stay over two tides.
This meant the tide would come in and out as it became dusk through to dawn, then in again before anyone would come over from the mainland, allowing us to have the tiny island to ourselves throughout the second tide the next morning.
As it happened, a couple walked over at first light, then a third guy with a drone. We had a brief chat as we were up and about and they went about their business without disturbing us further.
A great camp out.
Disclaimer!.................. Hilbre Islands is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and holds other designations along with the wider estuary. Although the islands are owned by Wirral Council, I took steps to discover if camping was even allowed. Nothing of use could be found on line and an email to the Council was ignored. However this is nothing unusual for Wirral Council. On a previous occasion, I filed a complaint for the administration ignoring emails persistently. Drone use and boating are clear disturbances of wildlife but nothing is seemingly done to counter this. There is no signage on the islands outlining by-laws etc, so we camped unobtrusively and left quietly.
Hilbre Island Wirral and Dee Estuary West Kirby England Wales UK
Description
Seals, Sun, Sea, Beaches & Hilbre Island!
Hilbre / Middle Eye Island, The Wirral, North West England
Hoping to catch the Kite Buggy Racing but we find it canceled due to the lack of wind.. So we take the opportunity to try something out..
A few miles across the sandy beaches of Hoylake we trek (the wrong way!) across to Hilbre Island.
The trek was worthwhile we heard odd sounds in the distance.. so we sent the drone out to sea... a kilometer across the sea and on a sand bank we discover a colony of seals!
Links:
- Safe crossing instructions!
Location:
Music:
NaiKee - Sunder (Argofox) (
Font:
Road Rage - Youssef Habchi (
GoodDog Cool - Fonthead Design (
Cliffs and seal on Hilbre Island Dee Estuary West Kirby Wirral England UK
Seal at top middle of picture 14.2.15
Dee Estuary Panorama from Hilbre Island Wirral England UK
July 2014
Crossing the sands of Dee Estuary to Hilbre Islands Wirral UK
July 2014
Hilbre Island
Hilbre Island
Hilbre Island - walking on water
I am presently involved in a project studying semiotics for the School of Architecture at Liverpool University. In this film I accompanied 50 of the architect students on a walk to the island of hilbre.
Hilbre Island is located 1 mile off the coast of west kirby on the wirral and can be walked to at low tide.
The students walked to the island in this film to set up their own creative projects based on this location.
The windmill shown is the island windfarm. Two much larger windfarms can be seen from the island as well as the installation of metal men at Corby Beach.
This was also a reconnaissance for a dance film which will be shot as the tide turns and the land between the mainland and island disappears...
Hilbre Island
Hilbre Island is the largest of the three Islands the other two are called
Little Eye - Middle Eye. Located at the mouth of the River Dee, off the coast of West Kirby, Merseyside.
Hilbre Seals
Seals Off Hilbre Island Phantom 4
Crossing to Hilbre Island Dee Estuary West Kirby Wirral England UK
Description
Hilbre Island West Kirby and Hoylake Beach
Hilbre Island, West Kirby and Hoylake beach. Photos by Neil G. Original music written and performed by Neil G.
Walk - Hilbre Island 29 July 2012
Revisiting Hilbre Island after a gap of many years. Hilbre Island is the larger of three small sandstone islands between one & two miles offshore of West Kirby and Hoylake, two towns situated on the Wirral Peninsula in the River Dee Estuary.
The islands are accessible when the tide is out. Twice per day the tide comes in and cuts off the islands from the mainland for about six hours. On this day, I walked to the island and returned to the mainland before the tide turned.
There is one mistake in my clip. The Hilbre Bird Observatory still exists and is the first building met with upon reaching the island. I was given a bit of duff info' and, the building now isn't the original I knew as a youngster.
Exploring Hilbre Island Wirral
At the mouth of the River Dee lies a group of three Islands, Little Eye , Middle Eye and Hilbre
Join me as I wander across the sands for a look around Hilbre Island .
HILBRE ISLAND - HOYLAKE - DJI Phantom 2 H3 3D
Dee Estuary from Mostyn to West Kirby Hilbre Island Talacre Wales Wirral UK
July 2015
Solitary Seal 3 Hilbre Island Dee Estuary West Kirby Wirral England UK
14.2.15
Hilbre Island, Merseyside
Mr H and the girls take a walk at low tide over to explore the now uninhabited tidal island of Hibre which lies two miles from the coastline of West Kirby in Merseyside to find forgotten smugglers caves and WW2 relics as well as some other interesting features.
Hilbre Island...Don Woods
A musical visit to this delightful little island off the north western coast of of Wirral......the song is taken from my album Between The Mersey and The Dee and from my Hilbre Island DVD....both available from my website donwoods.co.uk or Email me on don.woods@ntlworld.com
Summit Panorama on Hilbre Island off Wirral Dee Estuary England UK
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