Hidden Gems to find in St Bees

The coastal village of St Bees is a hidden gem in itself, being one of the smaller, lesser-known villages in Cumbria. However, during the summer months the village does become a popular tourist destination due to its sandy beaches. Here are a few hidden, quaint places to seek out during the busy time in and around St Bees…

  • Fleswick Bay and the smugglers cave

Fleswick Bay is a secluded little pebbled cove where climbers often meet to scale the cliffs. This hidden beach is often quiet, as it is only accessible via walking over the cliff tops and is often steep and slippery. Your effort to reach the beach is rewarded with smugglers caves, semi-precious stones hidden amongst the pebbles and, if you’re lucky you may spot a basking seal or rare black guillemot! The smugglers cave you will find here was used in the 19th century to store illegal goods; you can learn more about this by visiting the Rum Story attraction in Whitehaven. You may notice signatures carved into the walls by smugglers dating back hundreds of years! You may be able to find your own hidden treasure buried amongst the pebbles, with semi-precious stones often washing up here.

  • Stanley Pond

Stanley Pond is a lake and wildlife refuge for many local species of birds and mammals. The pond can be found on the Coast to Coast path between the Stanley Cottages and Linethwaite. The pond was created in 1792 following an unexpected subsidence of the linked Scalegill colliery. The collapse caused a great cascade of water to explode from beneath the ground, leaving a large water-filled hole, which became Stanely Pond.  The pond is literally a hidden gem and is covered in reeds and sedges; it is difficult to see and can only be spotted by crossing a small bridge at the side of the nearby field.

  • Rottington Beck

At Christy Meadow Bridge nearby the small hamlet of Rottington in St Bees, the picturesque Rottington Beck flows through fields creating a beautiful, lesser-known picnic spot! The water meanders through lush countryside and is the first beck encountered by hikers on the Coast to Coast route, making it easily accessible to walk to on the footpath from St Bees.

  • Fairy Rock

In the nearby town of Whitehaven, Fairy Rock is a hidden gem sitting on the coast and is associated with local legends claiming that the grottoes in the rock were once the home of fairies who wore white robes and danced in the moonlight, luring handsome young men to dance with them. At the base of Fairy Rock, there are ruins of the ancient engine house Saltom Pit, which was the first large-scale mine ever, sunk below sea level.

  • Mildred Gales Burial Site 

Hidden in St Nicholas’ Churchyard in Whitehaven rests the remains of American president George Washington’s grandmother, Mildred Gale. Mildred was born in Virginia and moved to Whitehaven by boat in 1701 when she married a local businessman. Her exact grave site is unknown, but we do know it is somewhere in the churchyard. There is a plaque within the grounds marking the site as her burial place with an image of the Union Jack and the Stars and Stripes flags intertwining to represent the close connection between the two countries.