Lakes, mountains and fells, historic houses. These are what Cumbria is best known for. But, with summer here and the kids off school, it’s the perfect time to explore some less well-known parts of the county - its beaches. One - Silecroft - has recently featured in The Times’ UK’s 50 best beaches for 2025. You’ll need a car to get there though. So we’ve picked a selection you can get to by bus and leave the car at home, from the Solway Firth in the north to the Furness peninsula in the south. And if you take a Stagecoach bus then up to three kids (aged 5 and under) can travel for free and it’s just £3 for a single fare for everyone else.

Silloth Photo: visitlakedistrict.com

Silloth beach

Bus route: 400 & 60
Bus stops: The Green, Silloth

Perched at the tip of the Solway Plain, Silloth is Cumbria’s quintessential Victorian seaside escape - think wide esplanade, colourful beach huts, and sheep grazing on green lawns just steps from the sand. For generations, it’s been the place where Cumbria comes for a break and remains perfect for families: the beach is flat, safe, and spacious - ideal for sandcastle sculpting and kite flying (it can get windy - very windy). Pop into the palm tree-lined promenade cafés for an ice cream or pasty, then take in the views of the Solway Firth, or enjoy a variety of events on The Green. Plus, with its miniature railway and funfair, it delivers seaside nostalgia. And you might spot some rare visitors: porpoises are sometimes seen not far from the promenade.

Timetable here

Beach Fishing Allonby Photo: cumbria.com

Allonby beach

Bus route: 60
Bus stop: Allonby

Allonby Bay's five-mile stretch of beach is a triple mixture of sand, shingle and pebbles, attracting anglers and water-sport enthusiasts as well as daytrippers while offering spectacular views across the Solway Estuary and towards the Lake District, Scottish fells, and even the Isle of Man on clear days.

The area lays claim to a Roman past and was a fashionable resort in the 18th century. Its more recent fame is as the home of the Allonby Whopper at Twentyman's ice cream parlour. And its importance as a feeding ground for seabirds saw it designated a Highly Protected Marine Area in 2023.

Timetable here.

Grune Point Photo: Stagecoach

Skinburness beach and Grune Point

Bus route: 60
Bus stop: Skinburness

Just a mile north of Silloth, Skinburness offers similarly wonderful sea views as its near neighbour. The surrounding area is one of Special Scientific Interest, with miles of unspoilt coastline affording wonderful opportunities for walking and bird watching. Further north again, Grune Point is a shingle beach about one mile long, with its western side exposed to elements on the Solway. It's another prime spot for wildlife but high tides can flood local roads. Heed those warning notices.

Timetable here.

Whitehaven Beach Photo: Stagecoach

Whitehaven beach

Bus route: Multiple buses into Whitehaven
Bus stop: Lowther Street

Whitehaven has some stiff global competition - its namesake is off the coast of Queensland in north-eastern Australia. But while it might not have the glamour, Whitehaven combines gritty heritage with dramatic coastal walking - all the way to St Bee's Head with its own popular beach and a RSPB Reserve - and it's right next to Cumbria’s only working harbour and the award-winning Beacon museum. Search for fossils in its sand and small pebbles and, later on, head into town for craft beer at micro-pubs and seafood starters in smart restaurants. You can also be assured that, unlike Down Under, you won't get the result "Whitehaven beach shark" in a Google search.

Timetable here

Grange over Sands Photo: Stagecoach

Grange-over-Sands
Bus route: 530 & X6
Bus stop: Grange-Over-Sands

While Grange-over-Sands beach is not actually a beach as such, visitors can enjoy the Edwardian promenade that runs alongside a vast area of saltmarsh. The saltmarsh itself is not suitable for walking due to the perilous quicksands; however, a stroll along the promenade is highly advisable. The views across Morecambe Bay are delightful, and there are numerous benches for relaxation, along with a café for refreshments, making it an excellent location for families with children.

Earnse Bay Photo: Stagecoach

Walney Island (Earnse Bay)
Bus route: 1 & 2
Bus stop: Earnse Bay

Earnse Bay, commonly referred to as West Shore, is a beach composed of sand and shingle situated on the western side of Walney Island, close to Barrow-in-Furness.

This beach provides sweeping vistas of the Irish Sea, the Isle of Man, and the mountains of the Lake District, with wind farms visible in the foreground.

To the north, the beach is bordered by grass and a system of sand dunes that create a nature reserve. It is a favourite location for windsurfing and kitesurfing, featuring a kite surf school on the premises.

Timetable here