St Bees Head is the great red headland that launches the Coast to Coast, and the only stretch of Heritage Coast on the English coast between the Welsh and Scottish borders. Its cliffs of deep-red St Bees Sandstone rise to about 90 m (300 ft) and run for some four miles, split into North Head and South Head (locally 'Tomlin') with the secluded shingle cove of Fleswick Bay set between them. The entire cliff line is an RSPB nature reserve — the largest seabird colony in north-west England, and famously England's only breeding colony of the black guillemot. On North Head, the most westerly point of northern England, stands St Bees Lighthouse: a coal-fired beacon was first lit here in 1718, and after a fire destroyed the wooden tower in 1822 the present stone tower was built, its light 102 m above the sea and the highest cliff-top light in England. The Coast to Coast traditionally begins on the beach below South Head, where walkers dip their boots in the Irish Sea and pick up a pebble to carry across England. IMPORTANT: the clifftop path between St Bees and Fleswick Bay has been closed since December 2025 following a cliff collapse, under a legal closure order currently extended to 29 January 2028 (or until repairs are complete), with an official signed inland diversion via Sandwith — check the National Trail interactive map before setting out.
Highlights
- England's only breeding colony of the black guillemot, best looked for around Fleswick Bay on early mornings in April and May
- The largest seabird colony in north-west England — guillemots, razorbills, kittiwakes, fulmars, puffins, cormorants, shags and herring gulls packed on the ledges in spring and summer
- St Bees Lighthouse on North Head: the highest cliff-top light in England (focal height 102 m), a working unmanned Trinity House light descended from a 1718 coal-fired beacon
- Fleswick Bay, a hidden shingle cove between the two heads with a wave-cut platform, sea-polished pebbles and seams of colour in the sandstone cliffs
- The ceremonial start: dip your boots in the Irish Sea on the beach below South Head and pocket a pebble for Robin Hood's Bay
- Birkhams Quarry on North Head, still working the prized St Bees Sandstone above the coast path
At a glance
| Period | Natural landmark / lighthouse since 1718 |
|---|---|
| Stage | 1 — St Bees to Ennerdale Bridge |
Take care
- LIVE CLOSURE: the clifftop path from St Bees South Head to Fleswick Bay has been closed since December 2025 after a cliff collapse — a six-month legal closure and a signed inland diversion (via Rottington and Sandwith) are in force; follow the waymarked alternative and check the National Trail map before setting off
- The cliffs are high (about 90 m) and unfenced in places — keep well back from crumbling, undercut edges, especially in wind or wet, and keep dogs and children close
- Stage 1 is a long, exposed first day with limited water and patchy mobile signal once you leave St Bees village
- Strong onshore winds funnel along the heads; the open clifftop offers no shelter
History
A beacon has marked St Bees Head since 1718, when Trinity House commissioned the first light — a stone tower about 9 m tall topped by a great iron grate in which the keeper burned coal, built on land bought from Thomas Lutwidge. On a wild night in 1822 the wooden parts of the lighthouse caught fire and were destroyed, and the keeper's family was lost in the blaze. A new stone tower with oil lamps followed in 1823, and the present 17 m tower was completed in the 1860s under engineer Henry Norris. It was electrified in 1951, automated and remotely monitored in 1987, and converted to LED in 2021; it remains an active Trinity House light, though no keeper has lived here for decades. The surrounding cliffs have been quarried for their fine red sandstone since medieval times — Birkhams Quarry on North Head still extracts St Bees Sandstone today — and the headland gives its name to the village, the priory and the saint, St Bega, said to have come ashore on this coast.
Myth & legend
The priory below the headland long guarded the Bracelet of St Bega, an ancient arm-ring marked with a cross and said to be a heavenly gift to the saint. Locals swore their most binding oaths upon it in place of the Bible — perjury would invite swift divine retribution — and offerings were still made to it as late as 1516.
Geology
The headland is built of St Bees Sandstone — a deep brick-red, water-laid sandstone of Permo-Triassic age, roughly 200 to 250 million years old, laid down by braided rivers in a desert basin. Its very fine, even grain and flecks of mica (which give it a faint sparkle) make it a superb, easily-worked freestone, quarried here for centuries and still won from Birkhams Quarry. The same stone built St Bees Priory, Carlisle Cathedral and countless red Cumbrian buildings. The cliffs rise to about 90 m, with a wave-cut platform at their foot exposed at low tide in Fleswick Bay, where the sea has sculpted the rock into hollows and polished pebbles.
Wildlife & nature
St Bees Head is the only cliff-nesting seabird colony in north-west England and an RSPB reserve. From April it teems with guillemots, razorbills and kittiwakes crammed onto the ledges, with fulmars, puffins, cormorants, shags and herring gulls, and — uniquely in England — a small breeding colony of the black guillemot, best seen in the early morning around Fleswick Bay in April and May. Peregrines, ravens, sparrowhawks, tawny owls and rock pipits also breed on or near the cliffs. The clifftops bloom with sea campion, thrift (sea pink), kidney vetch and spring squill in early summer, and the sandstone ledges carry their own specialised flora. Grey seals and, in summer, passing porpoises and the occasional basking shark may be seen offshore.
The view
From the clifftop the view is immense: the Irish Sea filling the western horizon, with the Isle of Man often visible and, on the clearest days, the hills of Scotland and the mountains of Ireland. Look back south over St Bees village and beach; ahead the red cliffs curve away towards the white lighthouse on North Head. Fleswick Bay, dropping between the heads, is a hidden gem of red rock and shingle. Eastward, beyond the coast, the Lakeland fells you are about to enter pile up on the skyline.
Photography
The classic shot is the white lighthouse against the red cliffs and blue sea from the coast path on North Head. Fleswick Bay rewards a scramble down at low tide — the colour-banded sandstone, the wave-cut platform and the framed view out to sea. Seabirds crowd the ledges from April to July (use a long lens and never disturb them). Sunset over the Irish Sea, with the Isle of Man in silhouette, is superb. Spring squill and thrift make a foreground for clifftop compositions in May and June.
When to visit
The seabird spectacle runs roughly April to July, peaking May–June; black guillemots are easiest in April–May around Fleswick Bay. Clifftop flowers (thrift, sea campion, spring squill) flower May–June. The light is at its best for photography around sunset. Note that the official cliff path has been closed since December 2025 (cliff collapse) with an inland diversion in place — confirm the current status before relying on the clifftop route. Winter brings gales straight off the sea and a bleak, exposed headland; the lighthouse and cliffs are dramatic but the walking is bracing.
Getting there
St Bees village, just inland of the head, has its own station on the Cumbrian Coast Line (Northern), with a roughly hourly service to Carlisle and to Barrow-in-Furness, some trains continuing to Lancaster and Preston — the usual rail approach for starting the walk. The beach car park at the slipway, where the walk traditionally begins, is a few minutes from the station; parking in the village is limited. There is no vehicle access onto the head itself.
Where to stay
St Bees village has B&Bs, guesthouses, pubs and nearby campsites geared to Coast to Coast walkers — most people spend the night here before Stage 1. Book well ahead for the peak April–September season, when the start-line beds fill fast. Whitehaven, a short hop up the coast line, offers more options. Baggage-transfer services for the whole route will collect from St Bees accommodation.
Food & water
Fill up in St Bees village (cafes, pubs, the station area) before setting off — there is no drinking water on the head, and Stage 1 over Dent Fell to Ennerdale Bridge has only intermittent water once you leave the village. Sea spray and exposure make it easy to underestimate how much you need on a warm, windy first day.
Safety
The cliffs are high and unfenced in places and the sandstone is friable and prone to collapse — the path north of St Bees has been legally closed since December 2025 after a cliff fall, so follow the signed inland diversion and never approach undercut or crumbling edges. The clifftop is fully exposed to wind with no shelter, and mobile signal is patchy beyond the village. Keep dogs on leads near the edge and during the seabird breeding season. In an emergency dial 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard (cliff/coast incidents) or Police, then Mountain Rescue; for non-urgent medical advice call NHS 111.
Accessibility
The clifftop path is a rough, unsurfaced route with stiles, steps and steep ground down to Fleswick Bay, and is not wheelchair- or buggy-accessible; the current cliff closure adds a road-based inland diversion. The beach at the slipway (the ceremonial start) is reached from the village car park. The lighthouse is a working light and is not open to the public. Keep to the waymarked diversion while the cliff path is closed.
Visitor tips
Begin the walk the traditional way: dip your boots in the Irish Sea on the beach below South Head and pick up a small pebble to carry across England and throw into the North Sea at Robin Hood's Bay. While the cliff path is closed, follow the signed diversion rather than risking the unstable edge — and check the live National Trail closure page the night before. If birds are your thing, an early morning at Fleswick Bay in April–May gives the best chance of England's only black guillemots. Don't confuse St Bees Head (the cliffs and lighthouse) with St Bees Priory in the village.
Listen: the audio guide
The full narration of this stop's audio guide, in text.
The land ends here, and your walk begins. Red cliffs plunge some three hundred feet into the Irish Sea, seabirds scream and jostle on the ledges below, and a white lighthouse stands sharp against the sky. Fill your lungs. This is the edge of England, and the first step of a very long line eastward. St Bees Head is the only stretch of Heritage Coast on the entire English shoreline between Wales and Scotland — a wall of warm red St Bees sandstone rising to around ninety metres, three hundred feet, above the waves. Two great promontories, North Head and South Head, reach out into the sea, and between them they cradle a hidden shingle cove called Fleswick Bay. The whole cliff is an RSPB nature reserve, the largest seabird colony in north-west England, and the only place in the country where the black guillemot comes to breed. Crowning North Head stands St Bees Lighthouse: a beacon has burned on this spot since 1718, and the present tower of 1822 throws the highest cliff-top light in all England, a hundred metres and more above the sea. For the Coast to Coaster, this headland is the starting gun — the last of the land before a nation's width of fell, dale and moor. Stand a moment and take the measure of it: the sea at your back, the mountains still hidden inland, and the whole long walk laid out only in your imagination. Here is what to look for. First, down on the beach below South Head, find the water's edge and the great starting ritual: dip a boot in the Irish Sea and choose a single pebble to carry across the country. Second, look closely at the rock, that deep, iron-red sandstone, laid down in desert conditions hundreds of millions of years ago and quarried to build half the churches and farms of this coast. Third, watch the cliff faces in spring and summer, when the ledges swarm with guillemots, razorbills, kittiwakes and fulmars — and scan the lower rocks for the black guillemot, small and dark with a bright white wing-patch and startling red legs. Fourth, seek out the descent to Fleswick Bay, the secret shingle cove between the two heads, its beach scattered with polished pebbles and semi-precious stones. Fifth, walk up to the lighthouse on North Head — and go carefully, for this is a soft, actively eroding coast where the clifftop path is occasionally re-routed inland. Check the current National Trail map before you set off, and always keep well back from any crumbling edge. There is a quiet ceremony to this place that binds the whole walk together. Down on the shingle, walkers gather at the start of their journey, wet a boot in the Irish Sea, and stoop to pick a pebble from the beach — nothing special to look at, just a stone that fits the hand. That pebble rides in a pocket or a pack for the entire crossing of northern England, over the Lakeland fells, across the Yorkshire Dales, over the North York Moors. And then, days later, on the far side of the country at Robin Hood's Bay, its bearer walks down to the North Sea and throws it in — one small stone carried from sea to sea, and a whole nation walked between the two. From here the trail turns inland and sets its face toward the mountains. Ahead lie the green fells and high passes of the Lake District, and in time the slate country of Honister, where England's last working slate mine cuts into the flank of the pass. Take one last look back at the sea. You may not see it again until the other coast. Walk safe.
Common questions
How old is St Bees Head?
St Bees Head dates from the Natural landmark / lighthouse since 1718 period.
How do I get to St Bees Head?
St Bees village, just inland of the head, has its own station on the Cumbrian Coast Line (Northern), with a roughly hourly service to Carlisle and to Barrow-in-Furness, some trains continuing to Lancaster and Preston — the usual rail approach for starting the walk. The beach car park at the slipway, where the walk traditionally begins, is a few minutes from the station; parking in the village is limited. There is no vehicle access onto the head itself.
Is St Bees Head accessible?
The clifftop path is a rough, unsurfaced route with stiles, steps and steep ground down to Fleswick Bay, and is not wheelchair- or buggy-accessible; the current cliff closure adds a road-based inland diversion. The beach at the slipway (the ceremonial start) is reached from the village car park. The lighthouse is a working light and is not open to the public. Keep to the waymarked diversion while the cliff path is closed.
When is the best time to visit St Bees Head?
The seabird spectacle runs roughly April to July, peaking May–June; black guillemots are easiest in April–May around Fleswick Bay. Clifftop flowers (thrift, sea campion, spring squill) flower May–June. The light is at its best for photography around sunset. Note that the official cliff path has been closed since December 2025 (cliff collapse) with an inland diversion in place — confirm the current status before relying on the clifftop route. Winter brings gales straight off the sea and a bleak, exposed headland; the lighthouse and cliffs are dramatic but the walking is bracing.
Is there food and water at St Bees Head?
Fill up in St Bees village (cafes, pubs, the station area) before setting off — there is no drinking water on the head, and Stage 1 over Dent Fell to Ennerdale Bridge has only intermittent water once you leave the village. Sea spray and exposure make it easy to underestimate how much you need on a warm, windy first day.
Where can I stay near St Bees Head?
St Bees village has B&Bs, guesthouses, pubs and nearby campsites geared to Coast to Coast walkers — most people spend the night here before Stage 1. Book well ahead for the peak April–September season, when the start-line beds fill fast. Whitehaven, a short hop up the coast line, offers more options. Baggage-transfer services for the whole route will collect from St Bees accommodation.
What should I know before visiting St Bees Head?
Begin the walk the traditional way: dip your boots in the Irish Sea on the beach below South Head and pick up a small pebble to carry across England and throw into the North Sea at Robin Hood's Bay. While the cliff path is closed, follow the signed diversion rather than risking the unstable edge — and check the live National Trail closure page the night before. If birds are your thing, an early morning at Fleswick Bay in April–May gives the best chance of England's only black guillemots. Don't confuse St Bees Head (the cliffs and lighthouse) with St Bees Priory in the village.
Is St Bees Head safe to visit?
The cliffs are high and unfenced in places and the sandstone is friable and prone to collapse — the path north of St Bees has been legally closed since December 2025 after a cliff fall, so follow the signed inland diversion and never approach undercut or crumbling edges. The clifftop is fully exposed to wind with no shelter, and mobile signal is patchy beyond the village. Keep dogs on leads near the edge and during the seabird breeding season. In an emergency dial 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard (cliff/coast incidents) or Police, then Mountain Rescue; for non-urgent medical advice call NHS 111.
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