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Top Ten Hidden Gems - Four day itinerary around the edge of Cumbria

Cumbria is the home of more hidden gems than you realise – with a great deal of those gems dotted around its edge. To help you plan a visit that’s a break from the norm’, we’ve picked ten hidden treasures for you to discover during a four-day visit. Are you up for the challenge?

 

See how many you can tick off the list, with plenty of opportunities to reflect, recharge, reconnect, rediscover and reinvigorate along the way. This is your starting point for an alternative Cumbrian getaway. (Just be sure to get up nice and early each day to fit it all in!)

 

DAY 1

ARNSIDE & SILVERDALE AREA OR OUTSTANDING NATURAL BEAUTY

 

The perfect blend of coast and countryside is the order of the day in the Arnside & Silverdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Not contained by a boundary like a nature reserve, the area is a collection of lovely villages, woodland, stunning views across the landscape, both inland and out to sea. With an abundance of fascinating wildlife and beautiful walks right on the edge of Morecambe Bay, this is one of Cumbria’s best-kept secrets – and it’s all cared for by the Arnside & Silverdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Partnership, which is dedicated to keeping a watchful eye over one of the county’s prettiest pockets.

HOAD HILL AND ULVERSTON CANAL

Watching over the town of Ulverston like a faithful guardian, the Sir John Barrow monument stands proudly at the top of Hoad Hill, with 360 degree views of Morecambe Bay, the Furness Fells and South Lakeland mountains. Just a minute’s drive from the A590, reaching the top is a simple job of parking the car and following your nose. At the bottom of the hill is the Ulverston canal, which stretches out away from Hoad Hill towards the Levens Estuary and the bay, with a 30 minute walk taking you along the now disused canal right onto the pebbly beach. Conveniently, there’s a great pub right at the end – The Bay Horse, where a refreshing drink awaits.

THE COAST ROAD

For a coastal visit without the crowds, Cumbria is the perfect place to be wherever you decide to pull-over for some fresh sea air. However, the entire stretch along The Coast Road between Bardsea and Roa Island is among the most varied. Find out more about this area in this dedicated blog. With long, pebbly beaches and masses of wide open space at low tide, there are woodland walks, long meandering strolls on the sand to be soaked-up for several miles. Ample parking at Bardsea means you’ll never struggle to find somewhere to leave the car, with essential stop-off points along the route including Birkrigg Common for views across the bay, Sea Wood for a leafy adventure, Conishead Priory and a series of small villages all the way to Rampside, where you can take a small ferry over to Piel Island to explore a 14^th century ruined castle.

THE DUDDON ESTUARY

The Duddon Estuary separates the north western edge of the Furness Peninsula with the start of around 100 miles of Cumbria’s stunning west coast. At the end, the ten-mile long Walney Island offers two nature reserves and a beautiful beach at Earnse Bay. Further along the estuary’s edge is another lesser-known gem, Roanhead beach and the Sandscale Haws nature reserve right next door, offering an exciting blend of sand dunes and wildlife. After gazing across the estuary towards Haverigg, follow the coast all the way around until you reach its coast, offering more sand dunes at one of the UK’s cleanest beaches. It’s close to the RSPB’s Hodbarrow Nature Reserve and a short distance from yet another must-visit stretch of beach; Silecroft, with plenty of opportunities for long walks, best enjoyed at low tide at this official Site of Special Scientific Interest.

DAY 2

RAVENGLASS TO WHITEHAVEN VIA ST BEES HEAD

This stretch of Cumbria’s coast offers yet another varied experience, from the small harbour village of Ravenglass right up to the larger harbour town of Whitehaven. Ravenglass itself is the Lake District’s only coastal village, with its pretty coastline, the narrow gauge Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway and Muncaster Castle all on its doorstep. Travelling north, the St Bees Heritage Coast gives you the chance to walk along the top of towering red sandstone cliffs with stunning views across the Irish Sea and a thriving birdlife community which is overseen by the RSPB. Meanwhile, Whitehaven’s harbour dates back to the 17^th century and is now the scene of a new marina and The Beacon Museum, which traces back over hundreds of years’ worth of history.

SOLWAY COAST AREA OF OUTSTANDING NATURAL BEAUTY

Taking in the coastal village of Bowness-on-Solway and the stunning Solway Firth, the Solway Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is tucked-away in the farthest reaches of Cumbria, in the north west of the county, tucked underneath Scotland. If that’s not enough hidden beauty, then you’ll be pleased to know that the Bowness on Solway nature reserve can also be found here and is home to a diverse range of habitats which guarantee something new to see each time you visit, at all times of year. You can also find Allonby beach nearby, which is one of the most beautiful in the county, offering unforgettable views of both Scotland and the Isle of Man. Be sure to experience it at sunset!

DAY 3
 

BRAMPTON

North Cumbria’s market town of Brampton is perhaps Cumbria’s most hidden of gems in the town-stakes, circled by miles of fields and creating a real sense of peace and tranquillity. Brampton is only a short journey to part of Hadrian’s Wall, while the town itself is no stranger to fascinating history thanks to its two churches - St Martin’s with its sparking stained glass windows, and the Old Parish Church, was rather cheekily built by using stones from a certain nearby wall… Find your way around thanks to plenty of walking routes including Gelt Woods and a nearby RSPB reserve. Just a couple of miles away is Talkin Tarn Country Park, with a 65 acre lake surrounded by 120 acres of sprawling woods and farmland. Delve deeper into the surrounding area by venturing into Miltonrigg, Rowbank and The Mote/Ridge Woods.

NORTH PENNINES AREA OF OUTSTANDING NATURAL BEAUTY

Another part of Cumbria that is something of an undiscovered gem to a lot of visitors is the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, which sits up against Cumbria’s north eastern edge. Easy to get to thanks to great road and rail links, this is an official UNESCO Global Geopark with beautiful landscape of moors, dales and meadows waiting to be found. The North Pennines is also the home of no less than 16 Dark Sky Discovery Sites. With woodland providing a haven for wildlife, you can also find England’s highest town here. Alston is surrounded by rolling countryside ensuring you’re in for a visual treat no matter which direction you approach from. While Cumbria is famous for railways like the one to be found in Ravenglass, did you also know that Alston is the home of the South Tynedale Railway? Leave the car and enjoy a five-mile trip through what is undoubtedly one of the jewels in Cumbria’s crown. Venturing deeper, you’ll find Tindale, Midgeholme and Gilsland which shares a border with Northumberland.

DAY 4
 

KIRKBY STEPHEN

The small town of Kirkby Stephen offers a real chance to live like a Cumbrian. This tight-knit community is immersed in farming heritage and offers plenty of opportunity to learn more about its history thanks to an interactive town trail which sheds light on its traditional buildings, including its historic Parish Church complete with saxon artifacts. Stretching along the banks of the River Eden, there’s also a poetry path telling stories from a farmer’s point of view, literally carved in stone along the route. Waitby Greenriggs nature reserve is set in a former railway cutting where wildflowers are in abundance, while the Smardale Gill nature reserve consists of welcoming and ancient woodland with lovely pathways to follow. Legend has it that the father of King Arthur lived at Pendragon Castle in the Mallerstang Valley, while the 1,000 year old Brough Castle once formed part of the Roman fort Verteris, to defend the surrounding area from invasion.

SEDBERTH & THE HOWGILLS

 

Nestled in an area as rugged and wild as it is beautiful, the book town of Sedbergh sits in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, with cobbled streets and stunning architecture complimented by the backdrop of the Howgill Fells. Here, you’ll find a favourite beauty spot with the locals in the shape of Cautley Spout, thought to be England's highest waterfall. Learn about the local wool trade at the Victorian Farfield Mill and for an adventure even further off the beaten-track, follow the “Coal Road” from Garsdale to Dent. Back in Sedbergh, explore the town’s many book shops and be sure to enjoy a locally produced feast at a local pub – you don’t have to go far to find one!