St Bees

A small town on the Cumbrian coast, in Copeland, St Bees is a beautiful haven for the beach-inclined.

St Bees beach (Image: NQ)

Easily accessible by train on the Cumbrian Coast Line from Carlisle and Barrow, a great day out can be had in St Bees, either rock pooling, building a sandcastle, or taking a lengthy walk in the brisk sea air along the beach.

Walney Island

The southernmost part of the county, Walney Island is home to a beautiful and rather isolated area of the coast of Cumbria.

Walney Island (Image: Visit Cumbria)

To the south there is also South Walney Nature Reserve, where a seal colony can be seen during high tides.

Seascale

Not too far from St Bees, Seascale has a rich history with the nuclear power station, now a decommissioning plant – Sellafield – almost next door, but far enough to be removed from the industrial landscape.

Seascale (Image: Visit Cumbria)

Here, a quiet town by the beach is a welcome solace, and one of the best ice cream parlours in the county is here too.

Silloth

Once the tide is in there is not much in the case of sandcastle building, but a walk along the promenade is well worth it.

Silloth promenade lifeboat slip (Image: Renata Edge)

It’s also perfect to skate on, and the nearby park, which has won awards every year, is a great picnic spot.

Whitehaven

You don’t need to get sand between your toes to appreciate the coast, and Whitehaven Harbour offers plenty of sights.

Whitehaven (Image: Visit Cumbria)

The town’s rich history revolves around its coastal placement on the globe, and it can be best seen at The Rum Story and The Beacon Museum.

Nethertown

Likely not on anyone’s top places to visit for the coast, but Nethertown is home to the least used station in the county, which if anything serves as a point of interest in itself.

Nethertown (Image: Camera Club)

You can take a train from Carlisle to Braystones (by request), and enjoy a fairly bracing walk up the beach to Nethertown station, amusingly situated almost precariously on a grass verge, and put your hand out for the oncoming train to stop and take you back to the big city.