Biggar Bank Beach (Cumbria)

Biggar Bank beach is on Walney Island, the beach a mixture of smooth pebbles and sand, backed by sand dunes and grass. Facilities include car parking and toilets.

Sandy Gap beach is part of the long sandy beach on Walney Island. Facilities include parking and toilets, although other facilities can be found nearby in Vickerstown.

Earnse Bay beach is also known as West Shore beach and is part of the long sandy beach on Walney Island. The beach is backed by grass and a large sand dune system forming a nature reserve to the north. Popular kite surfing and fishing beach. Facilities include parking and toilets.

Barrow lifeboat station is located on Roa Island and the first station was constructed in 1864. The station now hosts 2 boatrs, an all weather and inshore lifeboat. Access to the station’s viewing gallery depends on when the station is manned.

Piel Castle also known as Fouldry Castle, is located on Piel Island, 1 km off the southern tip of the Furness Peninsula, protecting the deep water harbour of Barrow-in-Furness. A well preserved keep and two baileys remain today. In 1212 a wooden tower was built when the monks of Furness Abbey needed to store provisions there. The abbey engaged in much trade through Piel Harbour and further fortified the site soon after the Scottish invasions of 1316 and 1322. In 1327 Edward III gave Furness Abbey a license to crenellate the tower and a motte and bailey castle was built. The castle was a concentric fortification with a keep and three towers surrounded by a ditch. It was dismantled in 1403 but then partly rebuilt some years later, but was in ruins by the 16th century. Managed by English Heritage and accessible only via a small boat ferry.

Furness Abbey is now just the remains of the abbey including much of the east end and west tower of the church, the ornately decorated chapter house and the cloister buildings. Managed by English Heritage, an exhibition and display on the history of the abbey in the visitor centre.

Newbiggin beach is a sand and pebble mix with rock pools. The beach sits opposite Morecambe in the large tidal sands of Morecambe bay. Newbiggin beach is a good beach for walking the dog and investigating the rockpools.

Roanhead beach is a sandy beach with large areas of sand dunes situated three miles north of Barrow-in-Furness. Strong currents make it unsuitable for swimming but the sand dunes and coastal scenery is very good. Parking.

Aldingham beach is a shingle and pebble beach at high tide but at low tide reveals a large area of sand looking. On the east coast of the Furness peninsula with views over Morecambe Bay and backed by the small village of Aldingham.