Thermopylae Pass Revisited

A Memory of Upton.

Dear Joan, Thank you for your contact. It was a wonderful surprise.
I am sure a shared memory amplifies the nostalgia. I logged in to FF and got very teary (I am a big strong boy 73) and memories flooded back. I too played on Bidston Hill and Thermopylae Pass was a favourite Sunday walk with my wonderful dad. I remember the summers and snowy winter walks and home to Sunday roast.
I often told my wife about it and we had visited the Wirral several times and did not re-discover the Pass until our 2011 visit. We had arranged a 2 month house swap with a couple in Upton down near the Flat lanes which sadly have been housed and concreted over. The River Fender has all but disappeared. This gave us plenty if time to explore the nooks and crannies. We set out on a walk up Upton Road. When we got into the treed section with old sandstone walls I had a strange feeling that the place was familiar. Then I recalled the pass and the walks with my dad. A bit of searching we found the entrance to the pass at the intersection of Vyner Road and Windermere Avenue. We walked up the track and memories from 60 years ago came flooding back, the house, the view across the Mersey, old sandstone walls. The house had gone but the drive and terracing were still there. We followed the track under Vyner Road and popped out on a small gate on Upton Road, which you would never find unless you knew what you were looking for.
We later found the house in Royden Park. It had been moved brick by brick. I think Royden Park was not public access in my days but is now a great place to visit for a taste of Wirral countryside.
The trees in the Pass hide the encroaching urban sprawl but winter might be a bit different. We had some great walks there. It was very nostalgic and is still a wild place.
I migrated to Australia in 1964 as a ten pound pome and never looked back, but I still love the Wirral, it is an absolute gem that the rest of the world does not know about. I would say you would not be too disappointed if you rediscover the Pass. It is shown on the Birkenhead A to Z and the Google map link is Thermopylae Court Vyner Rd S, Birkenhead, Prenton, Merseyside CH43 7XN, UK
I am living in Turramurra, Sydney and I wondered where you lived.
Again thank you for the contact and get in touch any time.
Cheers, Alan

PS I found a really interesting web blog on the wirral. Well worth a read