Despite living in Liverpool for five years after leaving my hometown, there are things I miss about the Wirral and things that people outside the area just don’t get.
The ‘Paradise Peninsula’ is a little bit more rural than the city, meaning most people outside Merseyside have never heard of it and we’re in a constant battle of being told we’re Scousers by outsiders, but Liverpudlians being adamant we’re not - you know, if you don’t have a purple bin you’re not from Liverpool.
We also love to argue amongst ourselves whether we live ‘ON the Wirral’ or ‘IN Wirral’ and there are still some people who refuse to say we live in Merseyside, despite us not being a part of Cheshire for nearly fifty years.
But, despite all of the bickering and being overshadowed by the amazing city of Liverpool, the Wirral is a pretty special place.
From a local school’s bizarre remake of California Girls to never being able to get decent scran delivered, these are 18 things you’ll only understand if you’re from Wirral.
1. Everyone thinking you’re Scouse on holiday
Even though Scousers love to remind us we aren’t from Liverpool, everyone else thinks we are. Meeting new people on holiday you’re guaranteed to have someone mock your ‘Scouse’ accent and have no idea what the Wirral is. Photo: Mark Warren
2. That one video of Hilbre High School
I still don’t know why this video was made but, we all know the Hilbre Girls YouTube video. Rewriting Katy Perry’s California Girls, the video shows pupils singing their own version about how great the school is, and it went viral about ten years ago. Favourite line has to be, “You can travel the Wirral but nothing comes close to the Purple Palace”. Photo: Rept0n1x CC SA 3.0
3. Saying “I’m just going over the water"
Relevant to Liverpool and Wirral, saying you’re going over the water simply means you’re visiting the other. Most people heading into Liverpool from Wirral don’t say, “I’m going to Liverpool” it’s either “I’m going over the water” or “I’m going into town”.
4. Nobody having a clue where you’re from
Try telling someone from outside of Merseyside that you’re from the Wirral and they will have never heard of it. You then have to do the huge task of explaining where it is - ‘You know it’s just over the water from Liverpool but also near Chester and North Wales but we’re part of Merseyside’ Photo: calflier001 CC SA 2.0