Park Life

The entire world probably knows that Britain is currently in the arms of a rather pleasant summer. I, however, am in the middle of my second year exams and so most of my days are spent locked in my room doing revision. Yesterday, I had had enough! I took a wee break and took the short walk from my house to Liverpool's famous Sefton Park. It was stunning. It was full of people lounging around and enjoying the sunshine, eating ice creams and slowly turning into lobsters as only British people know how. I took my camera along to snap some photos to share with you the beauty of this historic park.

The History Part:

Constructed (is that the right word for a park?) in the 1870s Sefton Park was designed to give the industrialised city a green space of over 100 hectares, away from disease and foul city air. Sir William Rathbone V (got a photo of his statue below) had a big part in making Victorian Liverpool a tolerable place so he's commemorated throughout the park. The layout of the park itself hasn't changed that much at all in the 140 years it's serviced the city; it's gained some new buildings, lost an aviary and sunk a pirate ship, but other than that it's pretty much as it was designed.

Sorry about the dirt! I cleaned it up as much as I could!

The Green House was revamped in 2008 and was previously derelict! It was closed when I went, not that I'd want to go into a glass building on a day like that!

Sefton Park is only about 15 minute walk from my house, but I'm ashamed to say I don't get down there enough. We go down for the annual Fireworks Night frivolities and the odd ice cream, but I do wish I got down there more! Hopefully this summer I shall find the time to wander on down. My favourite parts of the park are always by the streams and lakes they have running right through the centre. There's something very peaceful about picnicking by water, even if it does make you need the loo every half an hour! (There are no loos in the park - my only complaint - so this is a tricky situation)

The 'Fairy Grove' - an original feature of the park near the Iron Bridge

These flowers were everywhere!

The Fairy Grove and Iron Bridge entrance is the one nearest me - the other large entrance is off of Lark Lane, the entrance that both my grandad and mum used in childhood! It's a magical entrance, but with spooky undertones...

Anyone that knows me knows I love the paranormal. Some would say I am slightly obsessed by it, always on the look out for a haunting, a story, and any ghosts in the wardrobe. So imagine my excitement when I saw this plaque! What a story!

I took the long way around to the ice cream parlour so I could enjoy the streams and see what other things I could find. This is when I wandered across the 'life size' statue (it was pretty big, so I doubt it was life size) of Sir William Rathbone V. His history is pretty immense, this guy had a big heart!

Look at that sky!

Finally the ice cream parlour! Run by an Italian family it does scrummy yummy ice cream. I fancied a tropical flavour, but alas, they had none, so I settled for pistachio. Delicious!

Not a bad spot to eat ice cream!

Finally, I thought I'd share with you a little piece of my family history. My late grandad was a Liverpudlian born and bred from an Irish working class family. After the war, when he was evacuated to Derbyshire, the family settled in Aigburth, right next to Sefton Park. Then, when my mum moved back from Singapore aged six, she lived for a little while with her grandparents in the same house in Aigburth. So, my family has quite a long standing connection to the area, and to Sefton Park! My mum remembers there being a pirate ship and a statue of Peter Pan in the park, but just thought she was going insane when we couldn't find it when she came to visit last year. Well, I have solved the mystery! ...It sank. Sorry mum.

You can just see the tops of the sunken masts in the lake :(

The road my grandad and mum lived on - Panoramic photo, sorry about the curve!