Frankby boasts plenty of countryside charm that tourists and locals love (Image: Andrew Teebay)
A picturesque village home to a brilliant award-winning pub with a huge beer garden also boasts plenty of picturesque walks and a hall straight out of Downton Abbey. Frankby in Wirral has plenty of rural charm with stunning countryside views and local farms, and there’s truly something for everyone.
The Farmers Arms, a popular place to drink and eat, has earned rave reviews from residents across Wirral. This standout landmark on the tranquil road boasts breathtaking views, a vast beer garden, and all the hallmarks of a traditional country pub. Previously contending for the Great British Pub Awards, The Farmers Arms has been a cornerstone of the community for over a century.
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The cosy pub has a real fire inside (Image: Andrew Teebay Liverpool Echo)
Inside the pub, Paul from DGB Hospitality group told the ECHO: “This pub has been here for about 175 years, in a much smaller guise originally, but it’s expanded over time. It’s a big business and we have a big beer garden now but we’re sort of at this end of the road on our own – it’s become a big landmark for Frankby.”
He added: “It’s definitely a destination. There’s not really many footpaths so people are either going to Royden Park and then coming to us afterwards or they’re just heading straight here.”
Royden Park is the perfect place for a stroll (Image: Andrew Teebay Liverpool Echo)
Paul said Wirral has a lot of charm from its beaches to country parks, but the pub is very lucky to be located next to Royden Park. He said: “Royden Park is beautiful, you have the Hillbark Hotel here and ourselves, so there’s a few things to attract people.
“It’s just a lovely place to be, being so close to a major city you don’t get a lot like this, so it’s quite unique. I live in Liverpool but you come here and there’s horses coming up to you, people riding horses – you don’t see that on the Strand, it’s very different in that sense.
“I love Sunday’s and I think the perfect Sunday is to go to Royden Park, there’s a train track for the kids, it’s a lovely walk to take the dogs and you can pop in here for a Sunday lunch and pint afterwards.”
Frankby is also well known for the 1846 built Frankby Hall, which looks straight out of Downton Abbey or a similar period drama. For generations it was home to the Roydon family and you can still take a look at the fascinating building inside the grounds of Frankby Cemetery.
Departing from Hill Bark Road, you’ll find yourself strolling up the daffodil-lined entrance to Royden Park. The estate, which includes the park and Thurstaston Common, was once the property of Sir Earnest Royden.
After his death in 1961, his executors transferred the estate to Hoylake Urban District Council, and it was opened as a public park. Following local government reorganisation in 1974, the site is now under the management of Wirral Council.
Hillbark Hotel & Spa is a must-visit if you’re in the area (Image: Andrew Teebay Liverpool Echo)
The historic Hillbark Hotel and Spa, once a grand residential home, has been meticulously restored to its original splendour by Contessa Hotels after serving as a residence for the elderly. The transformation, which began in 2002, resulted in a prestigious five-star rating from the AA Tourism Authority in June 2012, making it the UK’s smallest hotel to boast such an accolade with just 17 bedrooms.
Its dining experience is equally impressive, having earned three rosettes. Visitors are greeted by the hotel’s magnificent exterior and can enjoy an array of luxurious amenities including exquisite bedrooms, a library room, and a wine cellar restaurant.
The Cellar Restaurant provides an exquisite dining experience (Image: Andrew Teebay Liverpool Echo)
Owner Craig Barker expressed his pride to the ECHO, saying: “The building has been restored to how it was when it was a house, so when you come here it doesn’t feel like a corporate hotel, it feels like it always did as a house.”
He added: “We’re proud of any accolade that we get but to get five stars on 17 bedrooms is fantastic. We have become a destination hotel and Royden Park that we’re in the middle of is beautiful.”
On top of welcoming outsiders, the establishment is keen on local appeal, according to Craig: “The building is open to anybody from teas and coffees to the spa, dining, events, just coming in for a drink, visiting the two restaurants and as we’re coming into summer now, people will be coming in just to sit on the terrace and have a glass of wine or an afternoon tea outside.
“It’s great in the summer because of the terraces outside and it’s great in the winter with all the fireplaces. It fits everything. Every month, we do the Hillbark walk from here which goes all the way down to the beach and then you walk all the way back to the building through the countryside and farmlands. It’s a beautiful part of the world.”