From England’s largest lake to miles of golden beach – see the best the Lake District has to offer
From England’s largest lake to miles of golden beach – see the best the Lake District has to offer
Silecroft Beach
50 minutes from the shores of England’s largest lake and you’re on the vast and exhilarating Silecroft Beach - stretching for 3 miles at the foot of Black Combe on the Western edge of the Lake District.
Make the most of the sandy beach at low tide, (you can horseride here with Cumbria Heavy Horses or Murthwaite Green Trekking Centre – it’s the beach that features on the credits for Countryfile). The beach is much loved by locals and remains a real insiders secret – we feel a little guilty talking about it. Everyone comments on the exhilarating feel-good factor it bestows.
Wildlife and the environment is of special significance here, it’s a Site of Special Scientific Interest, for the wildlife – it’s where the glaciers melted and the sea slices along the edge to form low cliff-edged dunes, a haven for birds, amphibians, lizards and voles. The water quality is rated ‘Excellent’ for swimming. It’s a popular wind-surfing destination too.
Offshore to the SW is the world’s 2nd largest Wind Farm – on track to be the largest very soon. It’s another eco credential.
It’s a must to check tide times as the sand is only uncovered at low tide – at high tide the water is up to the pebbles, (you can comb through Cumbria’s geological past by the variety of stones on the beach).
Facilities wise there’s a small public loo on the carpark right on the beach. A cafe is in the pipeline but we’d say take a picnic as there are very few cafes and shops on the route.
In itself the journey there is very scenic, skirting along the Cumbrian south coast, over the Duddon Estuary, and through the lesser known Southern Lake District. It’s a bit of a roller coaster, swooping valleys and fell top ascents, but is main road all the way to the village itself.
Sat Nav for the car park on the edge of the beach: LA18 4NY