About WalkHilbre
A local project dedicated to the safety, ecology and history of the Hilbre Island archipelago in the Dee Estuary.
Our mission
WalkHilbre was born from a simple observation: the walk to Hilbre Island is one of the most beautiful experiences in the UK, but it can be dangerous for the unprepared.
Our mission is to make tidal data, crossing windows and educational content easier for everyday walkers to understand. We bridge the gap between harmonic tide predictions and the practical decisions a visitor needs to make before crossing.
How the tracker works
WalkHilbre processes live and forecast information from several sources:
- NTSLF Hilbre predictions High and low water times and heights fetched directly from the National Tidal and Sea Level Facility at the National Oceanography Centre.
- Harmonic tide modelThe continuous curve and fallback tide calculations calibrated for the Dee Estuary.
- Environment Agency sensorsObserved water levels used for surge calibration.
- Open-Meteo APIWeather forecasts proxied through the WalkHilbre API.
- LiDAR and Carto mapsPrecomputed inundation overlays and route context.
Transparent data sources
WalkHilbre fetches NTSLF Hilbre high and low water predictions directly from the provider. NTSLF publishes them in GMT and Chart Datum without meteorological effects. WalkHilbre converts them to local Europe/London display time and derives the calculated crossing windows from adjacent high waters. The separate continuous curve adds observed and weather context, with the calibrated harmonic model retained and clearly identified as a fallback.
Responsible tourism
The Hilbre Islands form a Local Nature Reserve within the internationally protected Dee Estuary. The estuary includes SSSI, SPA, SAC and Ramsar designations, whose legal boundaries and protected features are not identical. Respect wildlife, keep dogs on short leads, take litter home and remain on established paths.
Respect wildlife
Take litter home
Stay on paths
The creator
WalkHilbre is a personal project maintained by a local enthusiast and developer. It is not affiliated with Wirral Council or the RNLI, though it supports and links to their official guidance.