Salthouse Dock, Liverpool
The end of our first week of living & working on the narrowboat in Salthouse Dock, Liverpool
As we begin week 2 of our trip into Liverpool, this post is less about living & working on the canal boat. It is more about why staying in Salthouse Dock, is a must visit for all narrowboat owners at least once.
Salthouse Dock is connected to the famous Albert Dock, you go through that to get to the private, gated area for boats to stay. You can stay free of charge for 7 nights and, if like us you want to stay and extra week you can at a cost of £20 per night. This includes water and electricity.
Early Mornings around Salthouse Dock
As I type this, we have had the second round of heatwave numbers on record. The best time to wander around the area has been early morning. For me early is 6.15ish. Getting up and wandering around the city with beautiful blue, clear skies has been wonderful.
Liverpool’s Waterfront
My first walk was down the waterfront, heading toward the Cruise terminal. Passing the Superlambananas, obviously! Having no-one around means if you are an expert in photography, you would be able to get some excellent photos. If you are like me, you get a few decent snapshots.
The waterfront is impressive, a real mixture of old, heritage buildings with superb architecture through to amazing modern buildings that just shine. All of them new and old really complement each other. There are statues to remember the fallen sailors during the war, to the Fab 4 (The Beatles just in case anyone wondered).
Leading from Salthouse Dock down this is where you will find several museums, most of which are free to enter (donations appreciated). Starting with the Beatles Museum at one end, you pass: The Mermaid House Museum, The Piermasters House, The Maritime Museum and the Museum of Liverpool. There are many other smaller ones beside and within Albert Dock the TATE if that’s your thing.
Wapping Dock, Queens Dock, Coburg Dock & Brunswick Dock
My second trip was the opposite way, on foot there are a few more smaller docks to pass. We did a short trip on the narrowboat through these also. Liverpool has its own Marina here with permanent moorings. A nice little drive avoiding the paddle boarders and canoeists.
Far less down this side for walking though, this is where the Arena (currently the M&S Arena) is and then really apartments overlooking the docks. It does however lead to the Baltic.
The Baltic Triangle
I found The Baltic Triangle area fascinating especially with so few people about. There is lots of great graffiti style artwork to be found (remember to look up). A statue of Bob Marley, and the home to the Red Brick Market. The market is small and houses lots of small retro and vintage shops. It is surrounded by cool taverns and eateries. This is where the cool people hang out, or in my case get one drink, some food and feel hip for a short amount of time.
The City Centre including the Georgian Quarter
Day three and I head away from waterfront. across the road from Salthouse Dock you are in Liverpool One. The main shopping and foodie part of the city. Every well-known shop and chain food restaurant is housed within this area. In addition, so many independent places to eat that you would need to live in Liverpool for some years to get through them all!
Liverpool is very open, there is so much space and pedestrianised areas it is easy to get everywhere on foot, or E-Scooter which they have for hire everywhere in the city centre. Exactly what us narrow-boaters need. There is a great roof terrace with places to grab a drink or bite to eat from. There are pianos that anyone can out their name down to play and get tips!
The First US Embassy in the UK
One place of interest I discovered on my walk, was the building that was the very first US Embassy in the UK. This was here in Liverpool and marked with a golden Eagle. Currently a bistro.
I headed beyond the shops though to Hope Street and through to the Georgian Quarter. The interesting fact about Hope Street is that the two main Cathedrals are at either end. I started at the Liverpool Cathedral, the largest church in the UK and the eighth largest in the word and one end and wandered down to the Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral (AKA Paddy’s Wigwam) at the other.
On the way passing some great buildings, Papillion restaurant (well worth a visit), the Royal Philharmonic and the Philharmonic Dining Rooms with its gold taps in the toilets!
On the way back down, you also pass St Luke’s Bombed Out Church. Just a shell left but is still used for events and a beer garden is set up at night to raise money to keep it going.
45 – 60 minute round trip from Salthouse Dock
I spent between 45 and 60 minutes on each of these walks. That was stopping to read information and take snap shots. This whole area is amazing, you get to see so much of the city and all within a short distance of the boat mooring.
This week the rest of the days have been the usual working until 5pm. The trouble with this heat though is we have had to work with the curtains closed to keep the sun out and the temperature down.
Food around Salthouse Dock
As I mentioned above there are so many places to eat, every taste and intollerance is catered for within a short walk. Of course we are not on holiday, this is our home and just like being at home we cook during the week but are venturing out at weekends to make the most of it.
As you would expect there are supermarkets but not just the express or mini ones, a 3 story tesco on Hanover street, about a 5 minute walk from the dock. ideal for all supplies.
Ignoring the chains, I highly recommend the Smugglers Cove within the Albert Dock, great food, service , environment and cocktail menu. Then at Baltic for some snacks, the indoor street food options are varied and excellent quality. The Papillion is such a pretty restaurant in the Georgian Quarter, again really nice staff, beautiful setting, and great food.
The Beatles
There is so much more to Liverpool than the Beatles. This is good for me as I cannot say I am a big fan. Allowed to say that as a keyboard warrior, would not say it out loud outside 🙂
A visit to the most famous club in the world, The Cavern Club has to be done. Normally they do serve food but as we discovered not on Saturday nights when you book to see the house band. the cavern Club Beatles, tribute band. £20 a ticket, doors open 7.15pm get there early if you want a seat! there is a support artist and the band come on at 9pm. We left at 11.40pm and they were likely to come back on for an encore.
The first set was very good, all the classics and the guy who portrays John Lennon was especially good. However, it went downhill after that. There was a break for a costume change which was fine, but it was sooooo long. First, they have background music but then that stops and you think the band are coming back then they start a show real of clips from the time of anything. You can’t see it properly because the drum kit is in front of it, and it just seems to go on and on. The stools are not the most comfortable so cutting those breaks down would be an improvement. The next stage is mostly the wacky Beatles stuff so not for me, then comes another break and the same again.
Great if you love all of The Beatles songs, but no Yellow Submarine! I mean come on really, I was looking forward to that one 🙁
Medical Emergencies Living on a Narrowboat
Odd you may think to see this here, but we had one. Never really thought too much about what we would do if something happened whilst living on here even for just short time. One of those cross the bridge as it happens things. Well, it happened. I am not going to go into detail other than to say that if you are moored at Salthouse Dock and need assistance, Liverpool A&E is a 1mile walk in a straight line. The team there sorted Paul out in 3 hours. Every other day since Paul has needed a dressing changing and thankfully there is an NHS walk in centre on Hanover Street, a half a mile walk in the same straight line.