'You'll think you're abroad': The tranquil beach two hours from Manchester with panoramic views of mountains
The Stone Roses legend Ian Brown famously said: "Manchester's got everything but a beach". And while that's true, fortunately you don't have to travel too far to be able to reach one along the north west coast.
Conservation rangers carry out work to protect the moving shoreline, as while the coastal dunes of England and Wales are internationally important habitats for wildlife, they are one of the most threatened habitats in Europe for their biodiversity. The National Trust project involves work to stop the whole of the sand dune system from turning into grassland, which helps rare pioneer plants to grow and provides a place for insects and animals to burrow.
Lowsy point is the lowest-lying part of Sandscale hence its name, which means ‘low sea’. Meanwhile, the saltmarsh at Scarth Bight Bay is a wonderful place to look out for wading birds in the winter.