Section 9 of 218, King Charles III England Coast Path
St Bees to Silecroft
23.2 miles (37.4 km). About 8 hours, challenging.
Start: NX 960 117. Finish: SD 121 810. OS grid.
Take it with you: download this section's GPX file (it opens in OS Maps, Komoot, Outdooractive or a GPS unit) or open the start in OS Maps.
Warning: Diversion in place. Part of this route is closed or diverted for now. In Suffolk, the National Trust says the path across Dunwich Heath and its beach is closed after a wildfire, with no pedestrian access. In Somerset, the council says three short sections near the Bridgwater Tidal Barrier (Pawlett, Chilton Trinity and Express Park) are closed for construction works, and a long-term diversion is in place around Hinkley Point C. Source: somerset.gov.uk.
Up and down
About 563 m of climbing and 561 m of descent; highest point 113 m.
Getting there
The section starts at St Bees.
- Bus stop
- Station Road, 610 m from the start. Directions NX 966 118
- Car parks
- Beach Car Park (pay), 130 m from the start. Directions NX 961 117St Bees Beach Car Park (pay), 160 m from the start. Directions NX 961 119Car park (pay), 190 m from the start. Directions NX 961 117
Getting back
The section finishes at Silecroft.
No bus stop or station within a kilometre of the finish. Nearest: Silecroft station, 1.3 km away (Directions); the bus stop at Hodgsons Green (W bound), 1.6 km away (Directions).
Planning the King Charles III England Coast Path
- Planning the whole trail: nationaltrail.co.uk.
What to expect
Underfoot: paved or flagged 20%, grass 18%, gravel and tracks 18%, earth, rock and mud 8%; the rest (37%) isn't recorded.
About 16% on roads with traffic.
On the way: 21 kissing gates, 15 gates, 11 flights of steps.
Steepest climb: about 88 m in a kilometre (1 in 11), starting 0.1 miles in.
From OpenStreetMap, where mappers have recorded it: check before you go.
Walked it? Log it
Something wrong or missing?
Tell us what to change about this section: a wrong distance, a moved start, a path that's closed.