Discover St Bees

St Bees brings together the coast, a starting point for walks, a sandy beach and the historic church of St Bees Priory. The Coast to Coast Path begins at St Bees Head; cliffs and viewpoints bring the seabird colony into view. The beach, about a mile long, offers different possibilities from the longer walking routes, while St Bees Priory adds a historical and cultural dimension. When looking for a hotel in St Bees, you can first decide whether you would like to focus your stay on walks, nature watching, the beach or history.

Cliffs, seabirds and viewpoints at St Bees Head

St Bees Head is home to the only cliff-nesting seabird colony in northwest England. St Bees Head is also England’s only breeding site for the razorbill. The colony is a regional feature, while the razorbill’s breeding site is unique in the whole of England. From three viewpoints at St Bees Head, you can look out over the colony; on a clear day, the view extends to the Isle of Man.

Walking: Coast to Coast Path and coastal path

The Coast to Coast Path begins on the cliffs of St Bees Head. A National Trail, it is 190 miles (306 km) long and passes through landscapes in northern England. The section between St Bees and Ennerdale Bridge runs along the King Charles III England Coast Path for about 4 miles. The two distances have different points of reference: the first describes the entire long-distance trail, while the second refers to the part of the section that follows the coastal path. For planning, the measurements answer two different questions: How long is the long-distance trail overall, and which coastal path does the named section follow?

Sandy beach, shallow water and rock pools

St Bees’ sandy beach, about a mile long, offers a different focus from the walking route at St Bees Head. Here you can build sandcastles and splash about in the shallow water. At low tide, you can also explore the rock pools shaped by the tides. Plan this activity with the tide times in mind.

St Bees Priory and the St Bees Man discovery

St Bees Priory was founded in 1120; its entrance is through a magnificent Norman west portal. A west portal is located on the west side of the church; Norman describes the architectural style of the entrance. St Bees Priory also has panels and artefacts about the crusader known as St Bees Man. St Bees Man refers to the almost completely preserved body of a medieval knight, discovered in 1981. The portal and the discovery represent two different historical perspectives: church architecture and medieval archaeology.

Discover more destinations: Dockray, Dufton, Grange Over Sands, Seascale, Wetheral, Askam-In-Furness, Kirkby Lonsdale, Portinscale

For the regional travel overview: Cumbria.