Pictures of Silloth

About Silloth

Silent sands and windswept marshes are a feature of the Solway Estuary, a gap in the land between the north-west of England and Scotland's south-west coast. The drama here is all about the sea caressing the land. As the estuary narrows, the tumbling waves thrust forward in a relentless ebb and flow until the creeks, bays and mudflats are awash with tidal water, making this a scene of coastal splendour, un-rivalled by any other estuary in the land.

Silloth lies at one of the widest points along the estuary, it was established as a harbour for coastal shipping during the 19th-century. When the railways arrived 1856, the town took off as a pleasant resort and quickly became popular with the Victorian families of the day. Pretty gardens were established, and as the resort developed, the old cobbled streets were extended to allow for the building of handsome Victorian hotels and dwelling houses of considerable substance. To this day, the town retains its exclusive Victorian atmosphere of calm serenity. Dominating the town, set against a backdrop of spacious green lawns, is Silloth's magnificent 17th-century church. The steeple of Christ Church is a landmark for miles around, whilst its beautiful interior is a fantasia of yellow and red bricked arches, colourful stained glass and intricate wood carving.

The town continues to be a favoured resort. It is popular with the yachting fraternity and has a sand and shingle beach which for the most part offers safe bathing except in adverse conditions when strong currents make swimming dangerous. Silloth has a pleasing, mostly mild climate and refreshing, invigorating air.

Between Silloth and Grune Point is a land of eyrie sands and mudflats where sea-birds forage for food. Its bareness is in stark contrast with the landscape deep within the estuary where Burgh Marsh is a reedy wilderness, densely populated with a wealth of wildlife.

The town offers modern day facilities for holiday makers, these include a lovely 18-hole golf course that was once the home of Silloth's most famous 'daughter'. Cecilia Leith, born in 1891, grew up to become the most celebrated Lady golfer of her day. Apart from golf, there are opportunities for boating, lovely estuary walks, with a favourite past-time being to sit on the harbour watching the ray's of a dazzling sun turning the sea to endless shades of copper and gold. There are boat trips featuring estuary wildlife and in the town there is a good choice of shops, hotels, guest houses, inns and restaurants. Being in close proximity to the coast of Scotland, you can cross the estuary by boat or, visit any one of the specialist shops stocking Scottish goods in what is purely mainland Britain.