Crosby or South Wirral?

[IamthegreatProcrastinator]

We are relocating, and had decided on south Wirral (Neston / Willaston area). However, we're now looking at the commute (we'll both be working in central Liverpool) and wondering if something the other side of the Mersey would be better. Crosby has been mentioned to us as a nice place, but we don't know anything about it. We're obviously going to look round but we live miles away so it's difficult to get up there more than once or twice! DH is adamant that if we're on the Wirral we live west of the M53 as it's quieter. West Kirby seems nice but is more expensive.

We currently live in a small town and don't want to be anywhere really busy - DH would happily live in a small village but I'd like some shops within walking distance (up to 20 mins or so). We like the idea of being near the water! Need good access to green spaces as we both like walking, and don't want to have to drive to take our doggy friend out for a walk.

Any opinions would be greatly appreciated, as we're getting heartily sick of trawling through RightMove and Googlemaps without really knowing what we're looking at!!

Also open to other areas of Liverpool but security is paramount as I was burgled (and attacked as part of this!) when I lived in another big city so I'm a bit paranoid about it!

I loved Chester when I used to live there.

I'd go for Neston personally. The commute is fine

Parts of Crosby and Blundellsands are very nice.

In case it makes a difference to you one way or the other, Wirral has 11+ and some grammar schools, south Wirral doesn't. But there are good comprehensives in both areas.

The Dee side of the Wirral is all nice, west kirby/hoylake too. There are nice parts on the other side of the motorway too though, depending what you're looking for. Port sunlight and parts of bebington, Raby, Thornton Hough for example. I also would have thought Willaston more expensive than eg West Kirby, IIRC a lot of overpriced property there

Where is the place you go to get nice ice cream? I thought it was Parkgate. I remember Heswall being nice.

And if you're getting train to work its a really easy commute from top half of Wirral to Liverpool. Neston etc is trickier

I moved to Oxton Village 5 yrs ago and love it here. It takes us 5 mins to drive to Birkenhead train station (3 of them) and then 5 mins into Liverpool (or 10 mins drive under the tunnel).

Oxton Village isn't a village at all, but it's a lovely area near to Birkenhead but far enough away ....

We live 20 mins walk away from school, swimming, brownies etc and 5 mins away from butcher/grocer/restaurants/pubs etc.

May not be what you are looking for but works well for us.

We were told Crosby was nice before we moved - I thought it was a bit grim tbh. Ended up just outside of West Kirby then Greasby then Parkgate. All easy to Liverpool - under 30 mins even in rush hour. Public transport better from WK (train) and Greasby (bus). Parkgate has to be car because the station isn't on the same line to Liverpool and you have to change.

Crosby is NOT grim . And you'd be near me, which is a massive plus point, obviously.

There might be the odd bit of Crosby that's a bit grim? Maybe? Same as parts of anywhere you care to mention can be a bit grim. But lots of it is really nice. Many other of the places mentioned conjure up worse images of grimness in my mind.

Crosby is marvellous! And not grim at all. We have a lovely beach easy train access to Liverpool 20 mind. And BOF lives here as well!

And you! And bottleofbeer. I'm sure there are others.

I'm half wondering if I know any of you, having grown up not a million miles away.

I find Waterloo a bit grim, but most of Crosby fine. If it were me, I would go south or west wirral. The villages near Neston like Burton, Puddington, Thornton Hough are lovely. West Kirby has very easy access to town though and grammar schools.

Waterloo is less posh, but it has all the facilities. Walking distance to the beach, the train, the shops, the cinema. The Crosby end is more salubrious than the Seaforth end, and there are some beautiful houses.

as someone who lived in the north west for 20 years, i can agree with others, crosby is NOT grim!

Stay on the Liverpool side if you're working in the city centre, otherwise you'll spend half your working day complaining that the trains are late/ferry cancelled/crash in tunnel.
Crosby is mostly nice, formby is lovely but £££ in places.

Thanks everyone so far Are there any areas apart from Crosby and Formby in the city that we should consider?

Part of the dilemma is that we have family on the Wirral side who would be happy to help with childcare. Obviously this would be quite a bit trickier if we lived in the city itself, but would it be negated by the shorter and cheaper commute..?

yes, formby is nice, good schools too. i grew up in formby.

I'm from Crosby. Although there are some excellent houses in Blundellsands, much of the town has gone downhill in recent years e.g. Moor Lane area. Definitely go for the Wirral which is on the up, still easy to get into Liverpool from and full of nice residential areas.

Lots of Crosby people on here!