St Bees Head (1 Viewer)

[ickle_vicki]

Hi

I'm going to be near to St Bees Head in the first 2 weeks of July, so i have a few questions.

Will i still be ok to see the birds that are generally listed - puffin, black gullimont, razorbills, gannets etc?

How far is it to walk from a carpark and what sort of walk is it?

also , random question but are there toilet facilities at the carpark as i will have and elderly passenger who needs access to toilets.
Thanks

Vicki

 

[Sleeper]

Hi Vicki

In my opinion this is not a walk for an elderly person that will need a toilet. Dependant on your parties fitness I would suggest caution as the terrain is sometimes quite demanding due to the fact you are on a cliff face. The heat factor can be a problem as there is nowhere to shelter in shade.

If you are parking in the car park where the info centre is then there are toilets but there is quite a climb and to see the nesting birds is a fair walk probably about 5-6 mile all round. You will climb approx 7 feet to 322 feet.

I might suggest, if you are going, to park in the village of sandwith and drive up the lane to a farm where you can park as you will be a lot nearer the bird watching platforms and lighthouse. I am not sure of the toilet situation there though.

I go about June 20th each year but last year I never saw any black guillemot but did see B Owl, yellowhammer,Puffin,peregrine and Raven along with Whitethroats and even a mole!

I always enjoy the experience but do not think that this is a RSPB reserve with hides and shops and toilets.....it is not it is a cliff face with a few open wood platform viewpoints. Hope you find this of some use.

 

[salty]

as mentioned it can be tricky walk for a youngster, but a complete nightmare for older folk.

there is toilets and and a cafe in the carpark, but the walk itself, along the cliff face is steep and unforgiven under foot. a few people have fell over the side before! - no handrails etc, and the breeze from the sea can catch you out at times.

just thought id warn you.

 

[brianfm]

Hi Vicki

Definately agree about the nature of this walk. Your passenger will need to be reasonably fit. I agree with Stephen that your best bet would be to approach from Sandwith rather than St Bees. Only toilets are at the pub in the village which is often shut when you would expect it to be open in my experience. Not that I spend a lot of time in it, but I have relatives who live in Sandwith village. There is a private road from the village that leads to the light house. Not that far to walk from there. Sign up to say private road but my experience is that the sign is ignored by lots of people but dont say I told you that! Or You could take the first right turn off that road up to the Quary and park at the Quary cottages. My cousin lived there until recently and no one would bother about you parking there, lots of people do, but I think it would add over a mile each way on to your walk. Nice safe, if you stick to the path, walk though. There is quite a steep climb as you pass Fleswick Bay though. Actually I am going through there on the 15th July to stay with my cousin for a few days. You will be away by then I expect. I may be just a little late for the cliff nesters but I was going to take a look anyway. Wonder if anyone could enlighten me on that one. I would love to see Black Guillemott. Not many pairs there mind. I seem to remember being told on the forum that there were no more than 5 pairs.

Can be a lovely walk on a nice day. Hope you make it.

 

[Stephen Dunstan]

If you have an elderly companion can I suggest that you could do a lot worse than view from the car park if you have a scope. I have seen Black Guillemot from there, you would need to be fortunate but if there are still auks around some will pass here on feeding trips.

If you want to see Gannets they don't nest at St Bees so you would have almost the same chance at any other point along the coast. By then Storm Petrels could also be present in good numbers off Workington, which is only just to the north.

Stephen.

 

[ickle_vicki]

Thanks for the replies, but the elderly person will certainly not be up for walking anyway! lol

Its just that she will be left in the car etc and i was wondering if she'll b ok for toilets whilst the rest of us go.

This year i am determined to see Puffins, none of us have ever seen any yet