St Bees offers a range of travel experiences: the Coast to Coast Path begins on the cliffs of St Bees Head; seabirds, a long sandy beach and St Bees Priory also shape the choice of things to do. If you are looking for a hotel in St Bees, you can first decide whether hiking, wildlife watching, the beach or history should shape your stay. The specific distinctions can help you weigh your options: the long-distance trail is described in terms of its total length, the view as far as the Isle of Man depends on clear visibility, and exploring the rock pools depends on low tide.
St Bees Head: Seabirds and Views
St Bees Head is home to the only cliff-nesting seabird colony in north-west England. St Bees Head is also England’s only breeding site for the razorbill. Its uniqueness is evident on two levels: in the regionally unique colony and in the country’s only breeding site for this bird species. Three viewpoints offer views of the seabird colony; in clear weather, the view extends as far as the Isle of Man. If long-distance views are important to you, take this condition into account when planning. The viewpoints combine views of the colony with the possibility of seeing as far as the island.
Hiking: Start of the Coast to Coast Path
The Coast to Coast Path begins on the cliffs of St Bees Head. At 190 miles (306 kilometres) long, it is a National Trail that passes through landscapes in northern England. St Bees is therefore the starting point of this named long-distance trail. Another specific route detail concerns the section from St Bees to Ennerdale Bridge: on this section, the route follows the King Charles III England Coast Path for about 4 miles. These figures refer to different things. The 190 miles describe the total length of the Coast to Coast Path; the roughly 4 miles indicate how long the section to Ennerdale Bridge follows the King Charles III England Coast Path. The smaller figure is therefore not the total length of the section between the two places. This distinction helps you tell the full long-distance trail apart from the specific connection between this section and the coastal path when planning.
Sandy Beach and Tidal Pools
The beach at St Bees is about a mile long and sandy. At the beach, you can build sandcastles and paddle in the shallow water. At low tide, you can also explore the rock pools shaped by the tides. The coast therefore offers a range of activities, with one specific condition for exploring the rock pools: if you want to explore them, plan your visit around low tide. This sets that beach activity apart from simply viewing the coast, for which no such tidal condition is mentioned.
St Bees Priory and the St Bees Man
St Bees Priory was founded in 1120. Visitors enter the priory through a magnificent Norman west doorway. The priory has panels and artefacts about the crusader known as the St Bees Man. The name refers to the nearly intact body of a medieval knight, discovered in 1981. The priory brings together two distinct aspects: the Norman doorway as an architectural detail, and the panels and artefacts about the history of the St Bees Man. The year 1120 refers to the priory’s founding; 1981 marks the discovery of the body. Those interested in history will find both an architectural connection and a link to medieval archaeology here.
Discover more destinations: Newby Bridge, Temple Sowerby, Kirkoswald, Garrigill, Kirkby Thore, Levens, Torpenhow, Kirkby Lonsdale
For the main travel overview: Cumbria.
