West Kirby and Hoylake: Two Excellent Pubs

View across the River Dee estuary towards North Wales

According to the Met Office the weather this morning and early afternoon was going to be sunny with a few clouds, with rain coming in during the afternoon. Today they were correct.

So, I got the train out to West Kirby to suss out the walk to Hilbre Island and have some bevvies in the West Kirby Tap and the Black Toad in Hoylake. I caught the train over to West Kirby, it’s quicker than the bus.

I took several photos of the Hilbre, the River Dee and the Marina, published in my next post. Along with my thoughts on the walk out to the Hilbre Island.

The West Kirby Tap

After the photography I went to the West Kirby Tap. I’ve been coming here on and off for years. It’s owned by the Spitting Feathers Brewery. They have a large variety of real ales, mainly from their brewery and other microbreweries. The price of a pint can be a bit high, but their own beers are more competitively priced.

If you’re hungry, they do snacks and pizzas.

It’s a large open plan bar in an old garage with wood panelling, bare brick walls and a log burning stove. They have live music on a Saturday night, when it can get a bit busy. It’s five minutes from the shops and the station.

It’s in the Good Beeg Guide and is Camra Wirral’s pub of the year for 2026.

An excellent place for a pint after the long walk out to Hilbre Island.

According to the brewery website, they now have a pub at Chester Station, called the Station Tap, very useful.

The Black Toad Micropub

From the Tap, a short bus ride takes you to the Black Toad in Hoylake. This another one of my favourite pubs over here. Again, I’ve been coming here on and off for years. There is always a balanced selection of real ales and prices are good. In the back room there’s a large selection of bottled beers to drink in or take away.

It consists of two small shops converted into a bar and lounge, with simple furniture. There’s a pleasant garden at the rear. It’s on the main shopping street just round the corner from Hoylake station.

It’s in the Good Beer Guide and was Camra Wirral’s runner up for pub of the year 2026 (plus 2023 and 2024). It won the title in 2025. Praise indeed.

After the Black Toad I caught a train from Hoylake back to Liverpool and then bussed it back to mum.