O'er moorland and brae: Ferry 'cross the Mersey

From the Wirral across to Liverpool is but a metro ride under the Mersey. Or, of course, Gerry and the Pacemaker's famous ferry crosses the Mersey. We decided on both, just for fun, then organised ourselves another three hour Sandelands walking tour, which gave us an excellent overview of the city.

Liverpool is interesting. Five hundred years ago there was a population of 500 people living in Liverpool. Today, there are well over 500, 000. It has some great population growth catalysts as part of its history. Firstly, slaves. We had never associated slaves with Liverpool before, but slaves, literally, made Liverpool rich.

Starting in the 17th century merchants from the city started developing the docks, building large ships, and loading these with goods to take to Africa: cotton, and suchlike. On African shores they offloaded their cargo then reloaded with black Africans, sailing them, often in chains, to the West Indies and the Americas to work as slaves on their sugar plantations there. In the Americas they loaded their boats with sugar, then completed the triangular route back to the Liverpool docks from where they started.

To store and distribute their imports, and to run their shipping interests, these same merchants built some of the most beautiful buildings in the world. That are there to this day. Liverpool, like Chicago, is famous for its extraordinary architecture, and many of its buildings clustered along its docks are World Heritage listed.

The Three Graces, for a start. They make up the Pier Head and consist of the Liver Building with the mythical liver birds atop it, the Cunard building--shades of the Titanic disaster; and the Port of Liverpool. These buildings are classical, symmetrical and stunning; and are among the most beautiful waterfront constructions anywhere.

Just a short walk away is the Albert Dock which looks as if it was built yesterday in sharp-edged red minimalist brick, but was actually built in 1846. Albert Dock the largest collection of Grade 1 listed buildings anywhere in Britain today, though now, on all sides, it has been converted into smart art galleries, restaurants and museums so we were able to escape the wind that was ripping across the water that day, and have a lovely relaxed lunch and an afternoon at the Tate.

Another population grower was trade. Given the development of these excellent shipping and docking facilities, the 19th century saw 40% of the world's trade passing through Liverpool. Dock workers were needed urgently. At the same time, across the pond, blight attacked the Irish potato, and thousands upon thousands of Irish men boarded a boat which brought them to Liverpool to work. So many, that by 1851, one quarter of the population of Liverpool were Irish. Which makes sense, then, of the soft and musical accent of today's Liverpudlians.

We, of course, paid a quick visit to The Cavern Club in Mathew Street, which is in a slightly different location than the original site the Beatles played in, but, well below ground level. The drinking and dining cave is again laid out as it once was, even using bricks from the original site. One of many very viable music venues that keeps Liverpool buzzing until the wee hours of each morning.

Liverpool leaves you with the sense of being both grand and incredibly friendly and accessible: it is a city that appears to know how to have fun. Its architecture -- the mix of classical and modern constructions, was such a joy -- and what we likely will always remember first about the city.