The Stone Roses legend Ian Brown famously said: "Manchester's got everything but a beach". And while that's true, fortunately you don't have to travel too far to be able to reach one along the north west coast.
Blackpool seafront and the shores at Merseyside are obvious choices for a change of scene from Manchester, however there is a stunning beach within the Lake District in Cumbria that is lesser-known. Just a two-hour drive away, near Barrow-In-Furness, lies Sandscale Haws Beach aka Roanhead Beach - a hidden treasure nestled within a nature reserve, which boasts an array of wildlife alongside panoramic views of Lakeland fells.
It is a paradise for nature lovers to explore all year round, but is also the perfect beauty spot to relax and unwind, taking in the fresh air. If you wander through the sand dunes in summer, you can enjoy orchids, bees, and butterflies and if you head there on a windy day, you can experience the shifting sands.
READ MORE: The reservoir walk just outside of Bolton with stunning views
Sandscale’s dunes are constantly changing, with the oldest dunes dating back to around 400-years-old. Each winter, the landscape, which is protected by The National Trust, faces a constant battering by the winds and sea, which builds the sand up and blows it along the beach to create new dunes.
Conservation rangers carry out work to protect the moving shoreline, as while the coastal dunes of England and Wales are internationally important habitats for wildlife, they are one of the most threatened habitats in Europe for their biodiversity. The National Trust project involves work to stop the whole of the sand dune system from turning into grassland, which helps rare pioneer plants to grow and provides a place for insects and animals to burrow.
The quiet beach is a great day out for the whole family, where children can scout out pools left behind at low tide full of shrimps, young flounder fish, and shore crabs in summer. And for short periods in the warmer months, visitors can see crabs without their shells (peeler crabs).
Sandscale is also home to a large population of natterjack toads - one of the UK’s rarest and most protected amphibians. For those that like to get off the beaten track, you can also head along the beach towards Sandscale’s lowest point - Lowsy Point and Scarth Bight Bay - where you can take in views of Walney Island, which is known for a colony of hundreds of grey seals.
Lowsy point is the lowest-lying part of Sandscale hence its name, which means ‘low sea’. Meanwhile, the saltmarsh at Scarth Bight Bay is a wonderful place to look out for wading birds in the winter.
Away from the beach, there is a series of grasslands and woodlands, which when dried out in summer, have an abundant mix of wildflowers, including lousewort and yellow iris. The pools that remain there are also alive with dragonflies and damselflies.
A local who has been visiting Sandscale for years says it is like being abroad. Going by the name of vBog on Tripadvisor, they wrote on the travel platform: "Been going to this beach for over 30 years, it is always a great sight on a summers' day to walk onto an empty beach, you will think you are abroad it's a beautiful little place".
User Anon186402 said: "We came across this gem by accident and it was a beautiful September day. Really empty, vast sands and beautifully peaceful" while Nim C described it as a "little diamond".
Account tarangelaben says you can make 'a day of it' at the beach, which they also said was incredibly clean, adding: "The mountain backdrop is stunning".
How to get there
The National Nature Reserves car park is along minor roads to the west of Dalton-in-Furness, signposted for Roanhead off the A590. Follow Oak Lea Road, then left on Hawthwaite Lane. Buses serve Dalton from Barrow and Ulverston; Dalton station (3 miles away) is on the Manchester and Lancaster to Barrow line.
Read more of today's top stories here.
READ NEXT:
- 'Sleepy' village 90 minutes away from Manchester has become a UFO hotspot
- Best parks in Manchester to enjoy the glorious sunshine
- The magical Derbyshire gorge walk which feels like somewhere from a fairy tale
- The country park offering woodland walks and lakeside views in Stockport
- The moorland hike near Manchester with stunning views over the Lancashire countryside
