travel
Walking on the edge: a three-day hike along Cumbria’s rugged, overlooked coast
In the shadow of the crowded Lake District, this quiet coast path offers great views, breathtaking nature and a striking new hotel on the historic waterfront
TL;DR
- The north Cumbrian coast is presented as an "edgy" and overlooked region offering great views and nature.
- The England Coast Path (ECP) presents challenges due to coastal erosion, with sections sometimes being impassable.
- Maryport, the starting point, has Roman history evidenced by the Senhouse museum and is also noted for artists like L.S. Lowry and Sheila Fell.
- The walk features diverse coastal scenery, including kelp on beaches, sea kale, dunes, and various bird species.
- Workington and Whitehaven are significant towns along the route, with Whitehaven described as one of northern England's loveliest towns that hasn't "sold its entire soul to tourism".
- Whitehaven has a layered history as a former industrial powerhouse and a significant port in the transatlantic slave trade.
- The Edge hotel in Whitehaven is a new, striking development aimed at boosting tourism and supporting coastal activities.
- The final leg of the walk to St Bees Head offers spectacular views of coves, beaches, and cliffs, with wildlife encounters providing company.