St Bees is the only heritage coast between Anglesey and the Scottish border and contains dramatic cliffs, composed of striking red sandstone, that provide fantastic views north to Scotland and across to the Isle of Man.

A cliff-edge path forms part of the Cumbria Coastal Way and Wainwright’s Coast-to-Coast walk, meaning it is the perfect place to explore on foot. On their way, many of the paths pass the remains of several old mines and quarries, which were once the lifeblood of the region. Mining shafts followed coal seams out to sea, often as far as 5 miles, including Saltom Pit, which was the world’s first undersea mine shaft.

The long stretch of beach is home to a variety of shellfish, crab and mussels, meaning much of it has been declared a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). The beach is also strewn with gemstones, making it popular with rock hunters.

St Bees contains an RSPB nature reserve, which offers several viewing spots, where visitors can observe nesting colonies of Puffins, Razorbills and Britain’s only colony of Black Guillemots.