Liverpool and Lost

Today we went to Liverpool! Me, Mum and Grandma. Our prime objectives were to find our way (by road) to Albert Docks, to then find the Liverpool Tate Gallery, then to see Antony Gormley’s “Field” (of little clay men). To then go and see one or both of the Cathedrals would be a bonus.

So off we set, armed with some cash, a couple of Multimap print-outs with directions to the Tate, an ancient AtoZ of Liverpool, and a more up-to-date map of Britain with large scale city centre maps; and trundled off across the M62 to Liverpool.

That was the easy bit.

Coming to the end of the M62 we were faced with a dilemma. Do we follow Multimap’s directions, or do we trust the Liverpudlians and follow the road signs – as Albert Dock seems quite prominent on them?

Mum’s instinct is to go with Multimap, but as I’m navigating and can read maps and road signs a bit better than tiny printed extremely exact directions (200m, turn left...) I opt for the road signs. They seem fairly easy, until we round a large sweeping bend having been told that apparently we should be in the right-hand lane, and discover that Albert Dock is the next exit on the left, and approaching extremely quickly. Mum is unable to get across three lanes of fairly heavy traffic and we find ourselves heading towards the Wallasey Tunnel...

Sigh.

£1.20 later we decide we really really need to stop. So, mum’s instincts take us up towards Wallasey, and beyond, to a small shopping centre which has all the facilities we need: café and toilets. (And, usefully, a stall which did watch repairs, which I took advantage of and got my watch working again! It’s not worked for 3 years now, I’ve just never got around to getting a new battery for it...)

Then we studied the map properly, and decided it would be easier to go through the Birkenhead Tunnel to get back closer to Albert Dock. Much stress later, we arrived at the Dock, all in one piece, very thankful, and ready to find the Tate.

And it was certainly worth it! If you ever get chance to see Field, go see it. It is very eerie... all those little eyes looking up at you from everywhere you look. The brochure says something along the lines of it makes you the subject, rather than them...

A cup of tea and a piece of cake later, courtesy of the Tate Café, we decided that there was still time to try and find at least one of the Cathedrals. Which we did! Hurrah for sunshine and beautiful things.

Finally, in much better spirits, we headed off home. A Grand Day Out.