Beach & Coastline

St Bees Beaches and Coastline

St Bees Bay extends in a long sweep from the promenade at the foot of the South Head to Seamill lane, about a mile away.

Main Beach

The beach at low tide is a vast expanse of red sand which is accessible at all times except for 2 or 3 hours on either side of high tide, when only the shingle is clear of the water. The main beach is well served with car parks, play areas, cafe and toilets.

Car Parking

There are two public car parks in the village, but walkers driving to St Bees to walk the CtoC walk should note these are not long stay.

Dogs

Dogs are generally welcome in St Bees but local council regulations require them to be on a lead in all public areas. So far, the beach is exempt from this regulation. It goes without saying that you are expected to clear up after your dog, including on the beach. Please do not rely on the tide to do this clearing for you. We do not wish to lose the freedom to let dogs run on the beach.

Medical Facilities

A defibrillator is located on the east wall of the toilet block by the main car park. See Medical Facilities for more information.

Toilets

The village is unfortunately not well equipped with public toilets, with there being only one located by the Main Beach car park. There is also a Dog Toilet adjacent to it!

Playgrounds

At the Main Beach there is a recently fully redesigned Playground. There is also a smaller one adjacent to the Village School playing field on Outrigg.

Walks , including Coast to Coast walk

Spectacular cliff walks can be accessed from the north end of the main beach. This is also the start (or less commonly the end) of the Coast to Coast walk.

Seamill Beach

The beach can be accessed by a lengthy walk from the main beach or from Seamill lane. Seamill Lane is recommended only for pedestrians due to the narrow single lane and difficult railway underpass. Difficult for large cars and impossible for some larger vehicles. Headroom 1.9M.

There are no facilities at this end of the beach.

Access to the beach itself from the car park is across a boulder area which can be difficult for some.