Best beaches in Cumbria

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Below are a list of the top 12 beaches in Cumbria as selected by the users of the Beach Guide website.

The current most popular beach in Cumbria is St Bees. If you would like to have your say on which are the best beaches in Cumbria just follow the link to the beach and vote by clicking the star ratings at the top right of the page.

  • 1. St Bees Beach

    St Bees © Reading Tom | BY-SA

    Stretching out below the dramatic headland of St Bees Head is a mile long sand and pebble beach. Stretching from South Head to Seamill lane, St Bees beach consists of a shingle bank which slopes down to an expanse of golden sand. The sand here is exposed at most states of tide except for a…

  • 2. Grange-over-Sands Beach

    Grange-over-Sands © Trevor Rickard | BY-SA

    Visitors to Grange-Over-Sands may be disappointed not to find a beach as such but they will find a lovely long promenade running alongside a wide expanse of saltmarsh. The saltmarsh itself is unsuitable for walking because of dangerous quicksands, but a walk along the promenade is highly recommended. There are views across Morecambe Bay, and…

  • 3. West Shore Beach (Walney Island)

    West Shore © Chris Upson | BY-SA

    Walney Island is an 11-mile long island in the Irish Sea, at the tip of the Furness peninsula. It is linked to the mainland town of Barrow-in-Furness by the toll-free Jubilee bridge.

    There are plenty of sandy beaches at the northern end of the island, including an area used by naturists north of Earnsie Point.

    Walney Island…

  • 4. Haverigg Beach

    Haverigg © Andy Deacon | BY-SA

    Haverigg beach is found at the mouth of the Duddon Estuary and has views over the Lake District fells. The shingle beach gives way to a vast expanse of sand, heading out towards the Irish sea. There are large sand dunes, covered in sharp sea-grasses. The long beach is clean and has, in the past,…

  • 5. Arnside Beach

    Arnside © Stephen Mckay | BY-SA

    The small, sleepy village of Arnside is in an idyllic setting on the river Kent estuary, in an area which has been designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The village and beach offer exceptional views over Morecambe Bay, with the hills and mountains of the Lake District in the background, and a picturesque viaduct…

  • 6. Silecroft Beach

    Silecroft © Perry Dark | BY-SA

    Set on the edge of the Lake District National Park, this gently shelving shingle beach extends in both directions as far as the eye can see. Low tide reveals a vast expanse of sand, suitable for kiting, horse-riding and other activities. The beach is quite popular with locals and day-trippers. Sea-anglers can often be seen…

  • 7. Bardsea Beach

    Bardsea © Steve Fareham | BY-SA

    This wide expanse of shingle and sand beach overlooks Morecambe Bay. The coast road between Ulverston and Barrow-in-Furness runs alongside part of the beach and there are plenty of free parking spots. A bus service runs from Ulverston, approximately 3 miles away. The beach is quite exposed to winds blowing from Morecambe Bay, so walks…

  • 8. Allonby Beach

    Allonby © Nigel Monckton | BY-SA

    The 5-mile stretch of beach around Allonby Bay is made up of sand, shingle and pebbles along the high tide mark. At low tide a vast expanse of sand is revealed. From the beach there are attractive views across the Solway Estuary and towards the Lake District and Scottish Fells. On clear days it is…

  • 9. Seascale Beach

    Seascale © John Lord | BY-SA

    The long, flat beach at Seascale has plenty of space to let off steam and makes a good starting point for walks inland. Visitors will find miles of shingle along the shore, perfect for a spot of beachcombing, with a vast expanse of clean sand exposed when the tide is out. Jutting out to sea…

  • 10. Ravenglass Beach

    Ravenglass © Nigel Chadwick | BY-SA

    The village of Ravenglass lies on the coastal estuary where the Mite, Irt and Esk rivers converge before draining into the Irish Sea. Ravenglass' beach is composed of a mixture of sand, mud and shingle, backed by a small grassy area at one end. Former fishermen's cottages run immediately alongside the length of the beach.…

  • 11. Whitehaven Beach

    Whitehaven © James T M Towil

    In Georgian times the settlement of Whitehaven was a bustling hub of mining and shipping. Salt and coal were exported from the town's harbour and rum and tobacco came into the country here. These industries are now long gone, but there is much in the area to remind visitors of the town's past. The small…

  • 12. Silloth Beach

    Silloth © Renata Edge | BY-SA

    The town of Silloth, on the Solway Firth, was once a Victorian seaside resort and it retains some attractive buildings. There is an interesting man-made harbour and a vast area of greenery known simply as The Green which is used to host a variety of events throughout the year. The docks here are over 150…