Cumbrian Coast Road Trip: Silloth, Maryport and Cockermouth Hidden Gems
When you think of Lake District Road Trips, honeypot destinations like Windermere, Kirkstone Pass and Ambleside all come up. However, there is a more unexplored area of Cumbria and The Lake District, where you can have gorgeous views, and have some pretty delicious food on the way. The Cumbrian Coast is a beautiful area, and this road trip route will have you going to nostalgic seaside towns, and working harbour areas and be surrounded by Lake District Fells.
This road trip is part of my ongoing series of Lake District and Cumbrian road trips, exploring the quieter and lesser-known corners of this incredible county. If you’re planning a longer adventure, make sure to pair this northern route with my western Lake District road trip which takes in Wasdale, Eskdale and the stunning southern Cumbrian coast.
Table of Contents
Cumbrian Coast Road Trip Guide
This road trip route starts in Silloth and ends in Embleton, where you’ll find a relaxing hotel to spend the night before heading onto round 2 of your Lake District road trip.
A quick overview of your road trip before getting into the details of each place;
Morning : The seaside town of Silloth
Midday : Explore Maryport
Afternoon : Cockermouth
Evening : Embleton
Now lets dive into each of these places…
A guide to Silloth
Silloth is a Victorian seaside town, with spectacular views over Solway Firth and across the water to Scotland. You can get incredible sunrises and sunsets here, and it’s a great place to ride your bike as there are cycle paths along the coast, and it’s relatively flat!
The best breakfast in Silloth
One of my favourite places to eat in Silloth is The Fairydust Emporium.
This quirky cafe is the hub of the community and is such a warm and welcoming place. Before going in, you may be greeted by the very friendly cafe cats, which always puts a smile on my face!
There are so many nods to magic and fairies, down to when you’re ready to order ringing the bell (because every time a bell rings, an angel/fairy gets its wings!).
The breakfast here is so tasty and is so filling – the perfect set up for a day adventuring! Cumberland Sausage, bacon, hash browns, mushrooms, beans and eggs and each bite was beautiful.
Things to do in Silloth
There are lots of things to do in Silloth, and they have a lot of events on through the year as well! But here are some things you can explore when you come to Silloth;
- The Motorcycle Museum
- The Arcade
- Take a walk and see the view from the Pagoda
- Ride your bike on The National route 72
- Walk along the promanade
Where to eat in Silloth
The Fairydust Emporium may be my favourite spot to eat in Silloth, but there are some other great options for you to try too;
- Grab a cake at Berry’s Bakery
- Find the perfect ice cream at The Ice Cream Factory
- Get a taste of street food at Sugar
- Try some Spanish tapas at Bank of Silloth
Maryport guide
After exploring Silloth, take the gorgeous coastal road along to Maryport. This route is really beautiful, and you can pull in along the way to enjoy the coast!
Maryport is a town with a rich history from the Roman, Georgian and Victorian times. Whilst originally the town was created for coal mining, because it is on the coast it also has a deep history with ship building and fishing.
Where to eat in Maryport
If you’re looking for coffee and cake, make sure to head to The Warf Ice Cream and Coffee House. This cute little cafe is on the harbour, opposite the aquarium, and has a huge range of cakes and ice creams available!
Other places to eat in Maryport;
- Marina View Café
- Get some delicious pizzas at Portobello Wood Fired Pizza
- Try out the boutique cafe, Her Citi
- Grab some lunch at Studio Pixel
Things to do in Maryport
There are some really unqiue things to do in Maryport, and plenty that the whole family will enjoy;
- The Aquarium
- The Lowry Art Trail Walk
- Senhouse Roman Museum
- The Wave Centre- indoor climbing and caving (currently closed for refurbishment, and due to open at the end of 2024)
Your guide to Cockermouth
Cockermouth is a gorgeous little market town, with a whole host of independent shops and cafes for you to explore. It is one of 51 towns in Great Britain to be awarded “Gem” status, which means it’s recommended for preservation by the state as part of our national heritage.
Things to do in Cockermouth
- Explore the New Bookshop, filled to the brim with books and a cafe to the back of the shop
- Browse the independent shops
- Visit William Wordsworth’s childhood home
- Walk the Alpaca’s with Alpacaly Ever After
Where to eat in Cockermouth
There are so many great independent cafes and restaurants around Cockermouth. If you’re looking for a hearty lunch, surrounded by the Lake District fells then make sure to head to Wellington Farm. The lunch’s here are incredible and you can get homemade ice cream and sit on the terrace and watch the farm animals as well.
Some other food and drink places in the town are;
- Grab a delicious coffee from The Moon and Sixpence
- Enjoy a steak at Blocks Steakhouse
- Have dinner at The Terrace Bar and Bistro
- Try out Tilia for brunch, lunch and dinner
Dinner at Embleton
If you’re ready to finish out your day of eating with something a bit different, then drive 5 minutes down the road to Embleton Hotel.
The food here is incredible, and the menu offers something a little bit different than what you expect. With views overlooking the fells from the conservatory, it’s a lovely place to relax after a day of exploring!
I can highly recommend the veggie sushi and the katsu curry – delicious!
And there is part one of our Lake District Road Trip series. If you’re planning a trip to the lake district, make sure to check out our Lake District section, filled with travel guides, things to do, places to eat and where to stay!
This project is funded by the UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and is supported by Cumberland Council
