Planning aid, not a safety clearance. Check the Dee Lane board, official tide table and conditions yourself. Do not cross if unsure.

Checking the tide

Fetching tide and weather for the Dee estuary.

Caught by the tide? Call 999 and ask for the Coastguard. Do not cross a filling channel.

01 / Plan

Plan the crossing

Choose a day for tide times and calculated crossing windows.

Crossing outlook for today

Set off windowOn the islands, heading backDark

Check a crossing time

Choose a time for a calculated crossing plan and a separate AI weather note. AI never sets the status or tide deadlines. Check official sources yourself.

3 of 3 free briefings left today.

02 / Route

The crossing route

Dee Lane → Little Eye → Middle Eye → Hilbre. Never walk direct or from Hoylake.

Follow the Council's route guidance, not the map line alone. The line was validated with a GPS walk, but is not ranger-approved. Do not rely on GPS to avoid channels.

Loading radar… · arrows show wind estimates (mph)wind layer in map menu (mph)

Weather data by RainViewer. Past observations only, not a rain forecast.

Follows your phone's position on the map and shows when you move away from the indicative line. Check your surroundings.

Indicative line, about 2 miles each way. Allow 45–60 minutes.
Direct line: soft sand and deep gullies. Do not take it.
Hoylake gutter and Dee channel: deep, fast-filling water. Do not enter.

03 / Conditions

Conditions on the sands

Onshore wind can bring the tide in early; fog can hide the islands and shore.

Compare with the Met Office forecast

04 / Prepare

Before you go

Confirm the times, check your kit and know what to do if caught by the tide.

Check against the official times

The tide times above come from a live ocean model, which can be several minutes out in the estuary. Before you go, compare them with the official prediction or the board at Dee Lane. If they differ, enter the official high water times here and the windows will recalculate.

Official high water

First high waterSecond high water

No manual times entered. Windows use the live tide feed.

Official predictions: Admiralty EasyTide · National Tidal and Sea Level Facility · Friends of Hilbre crossing guide

Before you step off the slipway

I know the time I must leave Hilbre, and I've set a phone alarm 30 minutes before it.
I've checked the crossing board at Dee Lane slipway.
Boots or wellies on. The rocks have weed, barnacles and broken glass.
Water, food and a layer. There are no shops or fresh water on the islands.
Phone charged, and someone on shore knows when I'll be back.
Dogs on leads. The islands are a nature reserve with seals and nesting birds.

If you're caught by the tide

Call 999 and ask for the CoastguardDo not try to wade or swim back. Get to the highest point of the nearest island and wait. It is far safer to be stranded for a few hours than to cross a filling channel.Crossing advice (10am–4pm, 7 days): Wirral Country Park, 0151 648 4371