Wild Cumbria Coastline
Come to coastal Cumbria and you won't be disappointed, as mile after mile of unspoilt beaches lay in wait for the eclectic explorer, the born-to-be-wild beachcomber and the sand-in-the-shoes stroller.
From Silloth-on-Solway in the north, to the Duddon Estuary and Morecambe Bay in the south where the lakes meet the sea, you can discover a patchwork of different landscapes, each benefiting from the glorious and unique backdrop of the Lakeland Fells. Whether you wander wild across salt marsh flats, tidal estuaries or golden sandy beaches, or retreat to the cliff tops or secluded dune systems, you will learn how the pristine nature of our coast has made it home to rare species across the spectrum that flora and fauna encompasses.
Spectacular sunsets are the trademark of the Solway Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, as the sun descends over the wetlands and tidal flats. Rare species of butterfly, moth, dragon and damselflies inhabit the raised lowland peat bogs in locations such as Bowness Common, Glasson Moss, Wedholme Flow and Drumburgh Moss - places that store a climatic secret stretching back millennia beneath their surface.
Hidden gems and wonderful wildlife await explorers of Cumbria's Colourful Coast - a stretch of coastal path joining myth-and-legend-fuelled St Bees with the historic, port of Whitehaven - a place to rumble if you relish tales of swashbuckling pirates, mariners and sugar and spice traders. This coastal path will take you to the dizzy heights of walking on 90-metre high, red sandstone cliffs, which host the largest sea bird colony on the west coast of Engand. More than 5000 pairs of sea birds nest here each year, including guillemots, razorbills, kittiwakes and fulmars. Train your eyes carefully and you might even spot some puffins!
A quarter of the UK's breeding natterjack toad population can be found on the Duddon Estuary at Haverigg and Sandscale Haws, this rare species relishing the unspoilt sands and dune system. Our industrial past performs an important function for the wildlife of the present, as nesting species of tern and grebe find it's a case of location, location, location when they opt for the flooded mines of Hodbarrow Lagoon at Haverigg. The spring return of large numbers of lesser black backed and herring gulls can also be witnessed at the South Walney nature reserve in Barrow-in-Furness, or by taking the small ferry to Piel Island. And for stunning views climb the sand dunes at North Walney or Sandscale Hawes National Nature Reserves, you'll most definetely be rewarded!
Fascinating marine life cruises our clean coastal waters and there is the option to explore this wildlife world by boat from Whitehaven. If you are alert, you will see the huge (but shy) basking shark, common and Atlantic seals, porpoises and even the occasional dolphin.
You can watch the tide galloping in at a horse's pace if you adopt a suitably safe position from which to see the tidal bore at Arnside, or can gallop on a horse across the sands at Silecroft. A more sedate view of the seaside can be enjoyed from Edwardian Grange-over-Sands, but if you wish to taste the seaview, be sure to tuck into some Morecambe Bay or Solway potted shrimps, or the catch of the day landed on the dock in Maryport.
Taking to two wheels will allow you to explore the Lake District coast via the Cumbrian Coastal Way and the Route 72 cycle route. If you prefer an adventure of longer duration, walk the Coast to Coast Walk or pedal the Sea to Sea Cycle Route, both of which take you from the West Coast to the East Coast, providing an array of wildlife spotting opportunities en route.
Adventurous and active coastal admirers can surf at Allonby, kite surf on Walney Island, water-ski at Haverigg, or join the Queen's Guide, Cedric Robinson, on one of his regular summer walks across Morecambe Bay and the Duddon Estuary.
We can boast a coast to rival any and the beauty is that so few people know about it, so you can roam free, be wild and let off steam without fear of crowds, traffic and mass commercial development. Any wild child is welcome - whether 9 or 90!
Wild Experiences
Find events and activities in Cumbria's Wildlife world over the coming months!