A beach in the Copeland district of Cumbria has been crowned one of the 'best beaches in the UK' by travel experts.

Experts at Conde Nast Traveller "searched high and low to bring you our expert pick of the best UK beaches", and deemed one in Cumbria worthy.

The beach in question, St. Bees beach, was ranked 27th on their list.

Facing off heavy competition from Cornwall to Scotland, St. Bees was given high praise indeed.

Conde Nast Traveller said: "A truly beautiful stretch of shingle and sand backed by a series of low cliffs, St Bees is an excellent place to go for a quiet day of contemplation.

"There are a fascinating array of shells and stones to pick through here, many of them caused by the continual erosion of the cliff face.

"It also marks the start of Wainwright's Coast-to-Coast route, which stretches from here to Robin Hood's Bay, in North Yorkshire."

The beach is split into two distinct sections, both allowing dogs year-round.

Main beach – at the north end

The beach has a vast expanse of red sand which is exposed except for about 2 hours on either side of high tide. 

The Main Beach has a long concrete promenade with level access from two large car parks.

There is a large play area, a traditional beach cafe/shop with commanding views over the beach, and public toilets managed by the council.

Seamill lane beach – at the south end

Seamill Beach can be accessed from the main beach by walking along the sand, or if the tide is in, along the golf course cliff paths. 

At Seamill there is a small car park, but access is limited at the railway underbridge – headroom 1.9m.

There are no visitor facilities at this end of the beach. 

News and Star: The bay at St. Bees is a long stretch of sand split into two (getty)The bay at St. Bees is a long stretch of sand split into two (getty) (Image: Getty)

About St. Bees

The village’s history goes back over 1,000 years.

It has a Norman Priory dating from 1120 dedicated to Saint Bega - Cumbria's own local saint - who is said to have landed from Ireland about AD 850.

There is also an independent school founded in 1583 by the dying Archbishop of Canterbury, Edmund Grindal.

St Bees is only a few miles from the Lake District National Park, now a UNESCO World Heritage site, making it an ideal base to explore the Western Lakes and the Cumbrian Coast.