The route to Hilbre, with the tide on it

The blue tint on the sands is indicative. It is driven by the same rule the rest of this site uses: the crossing is treated as open from three hours after high water to three hours before the next, with an extra half-hour margin on tides of 9.5 m and above. Between those times the tint deepens as the estimated height rises towards high water. It is not a survey of depths, and it can't see a squall, a surge or a spring tide arriving early. Look at the water in front of you and trust that over any screen.

The height shown on the slider is interpolated between the Admiralty's predicted highs and lows for Hilbre. Real water levels can be higher in strong onshore winds and low pressure.

Distances are measured along the footpath mapped in OpenStreetMap. The return is the same distance, so a visit needs at least two hours of open sands plus whatever time you want on the island.

1. Dee Lane slipway, West Kirby (0 km)
   Set off from the slipway at the north end of the Marine Lake. This is the only safe starting point: never set off from Hoylake or Red Rocks. Check the tide status before you step onto the sand.
2. Little Eye (1.1 km, 20–30 min)
   The first and smallest island. The path passes just south of it, so keep Little Eye on your right as you walk out. You don't need to climb it. At high tide its rocks are packed with roosting oystercatchers and turnstones.
3. Middle Eye (2.3 km, 35–50 min)
   Go up onto Middle Eye and follow the footpath over the top, then down the far end towards Hilbre. It's tempting to skirt round the edge, but those rocks are very slippery and the path is the safer line.
4. Hilbre Island (south end) (2.8 km, 45–60 min)
   You've arrived. Before you explore, work out when you need to start back: the walk to the beach takes as long as the walk out, and the gutter nearest the shore floods first.
5. North end: telegraph station, toilets, defibrillator (3.3 km, +10 min)
   The old telegraph station and lookout, with the composting toilets, the island's public defibrillator and the Slate Shed shelter beside it. If you are ever cut off, the Slate Shed is where to wait. The grass track along the island brings you here in about ten minutes from the landing.
6. Seal viewpoint and old lifeboat station (3.5 km, +13 min)
   Grey seals haul out on the West Hoyle Bank just offshore. Watch from the island: never walk out towards them across the sand. The ruined lifeboat station and the lighthouse are here too.

• The gutter floods first. The low channel nearest the mainland fills before anywhere else when the tide turns. It's what cuts people off on the way back, so be past it well before the window closes.
• Slippery rocks round Middle Eye. The weed-covered rocks round the edge of Middle Eye are very slippery. Take the footpath over the top of the island instead.
• The Hilbre Gut, between Middle Eye and Hilbre. The Hilbre Gut. This channel can hold water even at low tide. Pick your way across on the rocks and expect it to fill quickly once the tide turns.
• The Hilbre Swash: no route from Hoylake, Red Rocks or straight across. A fast tidal channel with soft mud runs along the east side of Hilbre and Middle Eye. It rules out any crossing from Hoylake or Red Rocks, and the direct line from West Kirby beach to Hilbre. The Friends of Hilbre's leaflet says it must not be crossed. Go out to Little Eye first.