#Spike island free#

We got the 1pm boat across and the 4.30pm boat back.Īll in all an excellent very well organised visit which I could certainly do again in the future. Used as an Island prison, fortress, monastery and home, today visitors can meet captains and convicts and sinners and saints as you uncover 1300 years of Irish history. The island has a dark and fascinating past. Regarding tour time each tour last 3.5 hrs. Spike Island stands tall in Corks natural harbour just 15 minutes ferry ride from the beautiful heritage town of Cobh in County Cork. There is so much to see here that the time flew by and we did not have the time to enjoy either of the 2 looped walks around the island.

There is also a cafe, gift shop and children’s play park inside the fort. Inside Fort Mitchel, you get to visit the 1950’s punishment block, a number of bastions with great views both back to Cobh and out to sea, an Armoury, the modern prison cells from when the jail closed for the last time in 2004 and much more. The tour ends at top of hill just outside fort Mitchel. We did the guided tour and found it to be a great way to get a overview of the island, it’s history and off course the prison. This guide is optional and lasts 40 mins. It was the turn of the decade, the UK’s acid house era was three years deep, and the Roses who’d released their debut self-titled album a year earlier were. Once you arrive you are met by your tour guide. On 27 th May 1990, The Stone Roses played their seminal gig to 30,000 spaced-out revellers at Spike Island a man-made island in Halton, north-west England. The journey across is between 10 and 15 minutes depending on tides. We booked tickets on line and then exchanged them for paper tickets at the kiosk right beside where the boat departs from.

#Spike island free#

We used the free car park at the Cathedral for parking and from here it’s about a 10 minute walk down to the harbour.

We visited here at the start of April 2023.

I have visited Alcatraz and I can now say that the Spike Island tour makes for a equally enjoyable tour which is high praise indeed. I have gone into detail below but as a quick summary this is an excellent half day tour suitable for all ages.