West Cumbria Coast – Overview
The coastal region of West Cumbria has a fascinating industrial history, which can be discovered in local museums and heritage centres. Shipbuilding, coal and iron ore mining, steel making, and chemical manufacture have all been major employers, none of which exist any more.
The only major industrial employer now is the nuclear facility at Sellafield, near Seascale, though there are several industrial sites at Siddick, north of Workington.
Apart from the nearby fell walking in the Lake District, there are several intriguing old Victorian seaside resorts – Seascale, St Bees, Allonby, and Silloth, which have fine beaches and cater well for tourists and holiday makers.
Hadrian’s Wall extended in the West to Bowness-on-Solway, but there are other Roman remains to see, including the milefortlet at Crosscanonby, and the fort at Maryport.
Whitehaven is the main administrative centre for Copeland Borough Council, and Workington for Allerdale Borough Council.
Ravenglass
Ravenglass became an important naval base for the Romans in the 2nd century, GLANNAVENTA, though little remains of this now. The main street is paved with sea cobbles, which leads up from the shingle beach.
Places of interest – Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway, Roman Bath House, Muncaster Castle and Owl Centre.
Drigg
The dunes, along with those at nearby Eskmeals, are both Sites of Special Scientific Interest.Drigg is the site of the UK’s national low level radioactive waste repository.
Seascale

Places of interest: Grey Croft Stone Circle

Here also is the Sellafield Reprocessing Plant – a controversial site that converts the spent fuel from nuclear reactors worldwide into re-useable uranium, plutonium, and highly radioactive fission products that will have to be safely stored for thousands of years.
St. Bees

It has a long sandy beach, and is a popular holiday resort.
Nearby, the rocky promontory of St Bees Head, the westernmost point of Cumbria, is the start of the ‘Coast to Coast walk’.
Whitehaven

Places of interest:The Beacon, The Rum Story, The Harbour, St Nicholas Church & Gardens
Workington

Places of interest: Workington Hall, Jane Pit, Helena Thompson Museum.
Maryport

Like Whitehaven, it was a planned town with terraces of cottages built on a grid system, with employment centering on coal mining and ship building.
Places of interest: Lake District Coast Aquarium, Maritime Museum, Roman Museum
Crosscanonby


There is a wide range of habitats, all of which are fragile, including the sand dune coast, the salt marsh coast, the raised mires and the agricultural land. The area is renowned for its spectacular sunsets.
Allonby

It has a long sandy beech, with fine views across the Solway Estuary to the mountains of Southern Scotland.
Silloth

The clean air seems to have been the main attraction, clean air being rather a rare occurrence in Victorian Britain. The wide street planning, tree-lined cobbled streets and stunning promenade are notably of Victorian design.
Skinburness

The surrounding area is one of Special Scientific Interest, with miles of unspoilt coastline affording wonderful opportunities for walking and bird watching.
Anthorn

Much of this mossy land was drained in the 1800s for agricultural use, but mudflats and tidal sands still dominate the landscape. A number of species of birds can be spotted in the marshes.
Bowness-on-Solway

Aerial photos by Simon Ledingham.
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