Sandgate to Chapel Island Bay Walk

The walk from Sandgate to Chapel Island Bay is a proper gem if you're staying around Grange-over-Sands and fancy stretching your legs without a major expedition. It's a coastal route that takes you along the bay with decent views across the water - nothing dramatic, but the kind of walk that clears your head on a grey afternoon. Allow a couple of hours there and back, depending on your pace and whether you stop to poke about at Chapel Island itself.

This is walker territory primarily. The path is straightforward enough for most fitness levels, though it can get muddy after rain and you'll want proper shoes rather than flip-flops. Families with older kids will enjoy it, though younger ones might find the flat-ish terrain a bit dull - there's not much to scramble on or investigate beyond the views. History buffs might appreciate Chapel Island's past, though there's not loads of interpretation on the ground.

Go when the tide's out if you want to get closer to the island without wading. Early morning beats the afternoon crowd, though honestly it's never heaving. The walk pairs nicely with Grange-over-Sands itself for a proper seaside day if you're camped at Willow Tree or Old Park Wood - both well-rated parks within walking distance. It's free, obviously, and you can do it any time of year, though autumn and early spring tend to offer the best light and fewer midges.