Wirral/Merseyside/Liverpool Skaters (England UK)

[Rods]

In almost 5 months of skating I've only met one other adult skater in my area (and he was a visitor!) so I'm not hoping too much from this post - but if you don't try, you don't get, so here goes:

Are there any "Adult" skaters in the Wirral, or Merseyside, or Liverpool areas who'd like to meet-up for an informal group skate on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon?

A sort of informal Friday Night Skate sort of thing (very sort of:)). This would be a skate beside the estuary of the River Dee and the Irish Sea on the Wirral Peninsula. It's a picturesque and flat route, mainly along the promenades beside the beaches (my regular route). The idea would be to start beside the Marine Lake in West Kirby and finish there (this is convenient for parking, shops, or coming by public transport - the West Kirby railway station and local buses are only about 300 metres away) and to skate around the western end of the peninsula, skating through West Kirby, Hoylake and Meols. One and a half to two hours at an easy pace (with a stop or two).

Anyone interested? There do not seem to be any Friday Night or Sunday Stroll type skates in the North West. Otherwise I'd go on them!

Currently, I believe I Am the local skating community here - if I'm not, please get in touch.

This is for Adults only. If you are underage please do not reply (sorry). I'm a 61 year old skater but my age should not imply that I'm slow or unfit.

Anyone interested? Please either e-mail me from this forum, or send a Personal Message, or just post here. It's a very pleasant flat route (although I could throw in the Hill from Hell, but I won't). Here's a picture below of the prom at West Kirby.
Cheers,
Rods



http://p.vtourist.com/447242-Travel_Picture-West_Kirby.jpg

Photograph: Sandra Smith
http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/e376/4a075/?frdir=yes

[Davey_Speedstar]

Rods

There a group of skaters in Manchester who have been skating the Fallowfield Loopline on Sunday afternoons.

They have a group on FaceBook - If you're not signed up to that yet then you should be!!! Search me out from the FaceBook link on my website and I'll put you in touch with the group

Dave

[Rods]

Dave,

Many thanks for this info on Manchester. I'll contact you.

I'm wondering whether this thread might be better on the newly created Group Skates? Anyway, thanks for your reply - I didn't expect much local interest - but I appreciate the knowledge zooming across the country from Kingston upon Hell's Slalomland.

Cheers,
Rods

[oldiesk8er]

Rods,

I identify with your skating experience exactly. In my area (Glasgow) you hardly ever see another recreational/fitness skater and I am considered to be some sort of ancient oddity that should be locked up. This in a city that boasts of having one of the worst health records in Europe. Why? Because of lack of exercise. You couldn't make it up.

Don

[Rods]

oldiesk8er,

All those Mars Bars in batter that are supposedly consumed in your part of the country too :)! I think they could popular here, too.

Rods

[oldiesk8er]

oldiesk8er,

All those Mars Bars in batter that are supposedly consumed in your part of the country too :)! I think they could popular here, too.

Rods


The difference is we like a can of Irn-Bru and a cigarette to go with our deep fry Mars Bar while we are sitting in front of the Tele every night.

Don

[Davey_Speedstar]

Looks like there are mature skaters are all over the North West:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/lancashire/6951133.stm

As heavily featured on faceBook:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2344446201

[Rods]

Davey,

Who would have suspected Ormskirk at midnight to be in the vanguard of a revolution... :)

Rods

[TimeKeeper_CYMRU]

In part . . . .

Are there any "Adult" skaters in the Wirral, or Merseyside, or Liverpool areas who'd like to meet-up for an informal group skate on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon?

Rods
My geographic knowledge of the North West Coast is just a touch iffy!

If you consider the Flyde Coast to be within your area then may be contact with the Group of Flyde Coast YMCA's (http://www.fyldecoastymca.org) would open some doors for you.

The Southport YMCA (81 Hoghton Street, Southport, Merseyside, PR9 0PR) have secured sufficient Big Lottery funding, to support the employment of a full-time roller skating coach. It is my understanding that 'Ben' is kept busy teaching basic skating to all comers.

Southport YMCA was one of the prime movers in organising the recent (04 June 2007) North Region Inline Marathon, see here (http://www.ymca.org.uk/pooled/articles/BF_NEWSART/view.asp?Q=BF_NEWSART_190111#http://www.fyldecoastymca.org/southport)

Maybe contact with Southport YMCA, details on this page (http://www.fyldecoastymca.org/southport) will put you in touch with the wider roller skating community in that area.

Enjoy

John
www.brsf.co.uk

[Rods]

Hello John,

Many thanks for replying with this info. Everything is useful.

My geographic knowledge of the North West Cost is just a touch iffy!

Mine even more so. I'm ashamed to say I didn't know where the Fylde Coast was! But I do now. I'm afraid Blackpool and its environs is not local enough, or even Southport. But this knowledge may still come in useful.

Cheers,
Rods

[dodgy]

Hi Rods

Never been to West Kirkby but that prom looks v tempting.

There are 3 or 4 regular skaters in Southport if you fancy popping over to this neck of the woods sometime. There's about 4 miles of pretty decent tarmac alongside the coast road & in the evening there's a nice quiet car park to slalom in if you're that way inclined.

[Rods]

Never been to West Kirkby but that prom looks v tempting.

There are 3 or 4 regular skaters in Southport if you fancy popping over to this neck of the woods sometime. There's about 4 miles of pretty decent tarmac alongside the coast road & in the evening there's a nice quiet car park to slalom in if you're that way inclined.
Yesterday 05:22 PM


Hi Dodgy,

Thanks for replying. I'll have to have a rethink on Southport and perhaps skate over some time.

I've been in contact with the skater who is organising the Fallowfield Loopline Skate in Manchester (again this is a bit too far for me) that Davey Speedstar mentions earlier in this thread - although I expect it's been rained off today. I know Rhineblaze, who's organising it, is having a similar problem finding local skaters.

It occurs to me that Liverpool might be a good meeting point at some time in the future for a group. I did ask sometime ago if the Albert Dock was good for skating around? No one replied. Perhaps a route from the Pier Head to Otterspool (I don't really know this very well, except I think it is flat) although it's unlikely to be as pleasant as Southport or West Wirral (no offence to city dwellers here but perhaps someone might know). Obviously this is definitely a minority sport (although looks like there is quite a lot going on in Southport, re: TimeKeeper_CYMRU's post).

Davey speedstar wrote:
Looks like there are mature skaters are all over the North West:


Dave with his confidence boost :). Not on the banks of the Dee, Dave, but I've just found a West Kirby video (that doesn't feature windsurfers - well, it is in the local supermarket carpark) made recently to help get a local skatepark built (as usual, no adult skaters here - mainly skateboarders with two young aggressives). But think it fits into this thread. And a good choice of music being made: Guns n' Roses.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4W3Rmg8UNxM

Rods

[Rods]

I started this thread almost two weeks ago, thinking I probably wouldn't get one reply. I'd like to thank you guys who by contributing your words gave me some confidence. And I've had a positive response (off-thread) from a skater in Liverpool.

Cheers,
Rods

[Davey_Speedstar]

The blog looks really good, in fact it looks so much more than a blog - and you've linked my site!!! Thanks very much!!!!

I hope to get over sometime soon

[Rods]

Dave,

Many thanks for the plaudits! It's just one of the Google blogs, though. And in spite of my giving it a title, it's still (only at the moment, let's be positive) just me skating along the prom (got to laugh, really)! I do get addicted to creating blogs and sites though.

Do hope you can come over sometime. Had a thought it would be possible to have a paddle (sans skates) halfway through the skate - is this creativity applied to the route going too far? Yes, but it's a thought. It could then become a real suicide skate:

In today's Daily News:
SKATERS DROWNED!
"We were led into the water by the organiser who'd lost his bearings" says, traumatised inline skater from Birkenhead. Read more...

I'd better stop before I put anyone off from ever joining me. It is a real pleasure to skate beside the sea, though, whether alone or with someone. Dodgy's route in Southport sounds good, too.

A paddler and a skater,
Rods

[Rods]

Yesterday (Saturday), there was a massive increase in the local skating population. I met by accident another skater (just back from the Pari Roller), with his son, and we skated along the prom beside the Marine Lake.

Plans are continuing to get a small group skate together, but now with the knowledge that I'm not the only grown-up skater on the Wirral!

Rods

[Rods]

West Kirby Suicide Skate Update:

This is very short notice but I thought I might as well post this:

Two of us are going to be skating the West Kirby Route tommorrow at 2.pm (Sunday 9th September). This increases the adult skating population here by 100%!

All details are on the blog (click below). All are welcome.

We hope to survive!

Cheers amigos,
Rods

[Rods]

We Skated the Route Today.

We did it! Many thanks to "intrepid" George, who by joining me on a two hour stroll and speed - which included a visit to a brass band, some flashy spins (George trying to psych me out), and passing wild eyed people as we passed by at a snails pace - was it the first time they'd seen grown men on blades? And on the prom, sir! Ye gads! - enabled this "skate" (I know we were only two) to take place.

And it is true, you stretch yourself more when skating with someone else as people here have suggested (although face down on the concrete as I tried to jump a step stretched my technique a bit too far).

I did finish in a dehydrated state as George drank all my water. But I think he was getting nervous I'd finish too fast for him to cope so I'm not saying any more about that.

First skate: 100% increase in usual skating population. A success!

Rods

[dodgy]

Hi Rods

Just to rub salt into your wound...I've just uncovered a posse of skaters (approx 50s/60s/70s! age group) in Southport that have been skating under my very nose for the last 6 months.

I bumped into them in Victoria Park where they all skate regularly every Monday & Wednesday mornings for 2 or 3 hours or so; so if you fancy a bit of company maybe it would be worth your while popping over sometime?

Southport - Skate capital of the North?

cheers. And all the best for the New Year!

[Rods]

Dodgy!

Obviously, Southport is the Mecca for skaters in the north. Sounds like there is almost a traffic jam! Thanks for this info.

I've been off skates for the last couple of months with an injury (a pulled quad muscle - not due to skating) then came back a few weeks ago with "new skates". As they were supposed to help me jump, I massively overdid the jumping the first day back (on concrete and just back from injury I really should have known better, but I felt good until the next morning!).

Anyway, I'm ready to put the blades on again. And this is my age group so my zimmer would not look out of place. If I can find the time I'd like to get over one morning. I'm sending you a pm.

Happy New Year to you.

Cheers,
Rods

[dodgy]

Sent you a pm Rods. Hope to see you in Sunny Southport soon!

BTW I noticed that there is a link to your blog on a Barcelona Skate website http://sat.org.es/bb/

who would have thought that we would be discussing Merseyside skating on an American forum & the Spanish are discussing skating on the Wirral?! ain't the internet wonderful :)

[Rods]

BTW I noticed that there is a link to your blog on a Barcelona Skate website http://sat.org.es/bb/

who would have thought that we would be discussing Merseyside skating on an American forum & the Spanish are discussing skating on the Wirral?! ain't the internet wonderful

Yes, Dodgy. I knew about the Spaish forum link because I suddenly had quite a few visitors from Spain. Some kind person also put a link on the Munich Blader forum and visitors from Germany were viewing the blog whilst I continued to skate here alone! I wish there was the same amount of interest locally. The Internet: baffling yet wonderful.

Rods

[Rods]

The West Kirby adult inline skating scene has resumed after its one month break (all activity was abandoned due to a heavy fall and a dislocated shoulder and a couple of broken back teeth of all the participents :mad:).

Yes, recreational rollerblading on the promenade, beside the estuary, can be seen again. This means - as still the only upholder of inline activity here - I'm back :). Still interested in seeing more locals or tourists on skates. So, this thread is still alive in 2008 and I'll be pleased to hear from anyone in the area who wants to stroll, speed or jump on the prom (yes, my one inch off the ground counts! :D). PM me or email me from the blog below.

Zoom...

Rods

[Rods]

Here's a reminder of the local skating environment:

http://p.vtourist.com/447242-Travel_Picture-West_Kirby.jpg