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Birkenhead
Town in Wirral, Merseyside, England

Birkenhead

Birkenhead is an industrial port town in the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, Merseyside, England.

Plan a trip to Birkenhead→From Manchester, Greater Manchester

The town is on the Wirral Peninsula, along the west bank of the River Mersey, opposite Liverpool. It lies within the historic county boundaries of Cheshire, and became part of Merseyside in 1974. At the 2021 census, the built up area as defined by the Office for National Statistics had a population of 109,835.

Get in

Getting to Birkenhead

Birkenhead can be reached by the Mersey tunnels from Liverpool (toll payable) or the M53 from Chester.

  1. 01
    Woodside

    CH41 6DU (Birkenhead Hamilton Square (for Woodside) or Liverpool James Street (for Pier Head)).

  2. 02
    Hamilton Square

    This is the best station for the Woodside, Hamilton square and museum, and can be accessed by all trains on Merseyrail's Wirral line.

  3. 03
    Conway Park

    This is the best station for the shopping district, and can be accessed from Liverpool with trains to West Kirby or New Brighton.

  4. 04
    Birkenhead Central

    This station is across the A552 from the shopping district, and is the closest station to the Priory.

See

Worth seeing

  1. 01
    Hamilton Square

    A beautiful Georgian Square with gardens in the middle designed by James Gillespie Graham.

  2. 02
    Birkenhead Park
  3. 03
    Wirral Transport Museum

    1 Taylor Street, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH41 1BG (Hamilton Square),.

  4. 04
    Birkenhead Priory
  5. 05
    The U-Boat Story
  6. 06
    The John Laird Centre

    It was founded as the Laird School of Art, the first British public school of art outside London.

Do

Things to do

  1. 01
    Williamson Art Gallery and Museum

    Near to Birkenhead Park on Slatey Road, has some great artwork.

  2. 02
    Vue Cinemas

    Conway Park, Europa Boulevard, CH41 4PE (Conway Park & 2-minute walk).

  3. 03
    Tam o'Shanter Urban Farm

    The farm has a variety of animals, which love to be hand-fed.

  4. 04
    Tranmere Rovers FC

    Prenton Park, Prenton Rd West, Birkenhead CH42 9PY (Rock Ferry, 40-minute walk.).

  5. 05
    Europa Pools

    Halfway along Europa Boulevard turn right, again.

Eat

Where to eat

  1. 01
    The Brass Balance
  2. 02
    Buffet 88

    46 Conway Street, CH41 6JD (Conway Park or Birkenhead Central),.

  3. 03
    Capitol Restaurant

    24 Argyle Street (Birkenhead Hamilton Square or Conway Park),.

  4. 04
    Home

    Woodside Ferry Terminal, Birkenhead, CH41 6DU (Birkenhead Hamilton Square), info@homecoffee.co.uk.

  5. 05
    Fraiche

    11 Rose Mount, Prenton CH43 5SG (Birkenhead Central),.

How locals move

Getting around Birkenhead the local way

  • Get in{{go | name | url | address 53.39533 | long Birkenhead Hamilton Square (for Woodside) or Liverpool James Street (for Pier Head) | phone | fax | price | image | content= The famous Ferry 'cross the Mersey deposits you at Birkenhead Woodside, in the riverside area of the town.
  • Get inConway Park or Birkenhead Hamilton Square | phone | fax | price Twelve Quays | image Q7857643 | content= The terminal is served by Stena Line ro-ro ferries from Belfast in Northern Ireland.
  • Go next4-6 trains per hour The Wirral coast between New Brighton and West Kirby has some excellent walking and off-road cycling opportunities, including the Wirral Way.

From Wikivoyage: Birkenhead, CC BY-SA. Not yet checked by us. Last edited 2026-09.

Text adapted from Wikipedia and Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photograph: Wikimedia Commons (see file page), Wikimedia Commons.