A 5.6km walk from Serenity 22, via Sandyhills Beach and the Needle’s Eye
Quick info:
- Start: Serenity 22 Barend – 10 min walk to Sandyhills Beach
- Distance: 5.6km
- Time: 1.5 – 2 hours
- Difficulty: Moderate – one steep descent/climb, undulating coastal path
- Terrain: Sandy beach, rocky shore (tide dependent), cliff-top path, quiet road
- Tide dependent: Yes – the beach section between Sandyhills and Portling Bay ⚠️ is submerged at high tide ⚠️
- Dogs: Welcome – keep on lead in some sections; stiles and gates present
- Parking: Limited at Sandyhills (30 mins free or £6/day) – best started from the lodge
One of the best walks from Serenity’s front door, the Portling Bay Coastal Loop takes you along the Solway shoreline, through a natural rock arch, and back along a cliff-top path with views across to the Lake District on a clear day. At 5.6km it’s a comfortable morning or afternoon out – though the final descent back into Sandyhills will remind you it’s not entirely flat.
The walk works in both directions. The route described here follows the beach first and the coastal path back – saving the steepest section for the end when you can see Sandyhills below you and the lodge isn’t far ahead.
Know Before You Go – Check the Tide
The section of beach between Sandyhills and Portling Bay is only walkable at low tide. At high tide it’s submerged and the beach route isn’t passable. ⚠️ Always check tide times before you set off.
If the tide is in, the coastal path can be walked in both directions instead – it’s a fine walk and the views are spectacular either way, but you’ll miss the beach, caves and the Needle’s Eye.
The Route
From Serenity to Sandyhills Beach – 10 min walk
Head out of the lodge and follow the quiet road down to Sandyhills Beach. It’s a straightforward 10-minute walk with a pavement the whole way, as the timelapse shows.
Sandyhills Beach to Portling Bay (30-40 min)
From the beach, head west along the shoreline towards Portling Bay (turn right when you’re facing the sea). Bear in mind that even at low tide some parts of the beach can still be quite wet. We find that walking over the wooden bridge on the far right of the beach, and then walking toward the sea, sticking fairly close to the cliffs, works well.
At low tide you can walk the full length across the sand – one of the most enjoyable sections of the route, with the bay curving ahead of you and clear views across the Solway Firth on a good day.
You’ll see the abandoned stake nets that used to be part of traps to catch salmon as the tide ebbed. Most commercial stake netting in the Solway stopped around 2015.
En route you’ll pass the Needle’s Eye – a natural rock arch in the cliff face that you can walk through at low tide. It’s one of the features that makes this walk memorable.
This part of the beach is marked as Piper’s Cove on Google Maps, and just to the right (east) of the Needle’s Eye is Piper’s Cave, one of a few caves along this stretch of the coastline that were apparently used for smuggling. ⚓️
Local folklore tells of a piper who marched in playing his pipes, the music growing fainter and fainter until it stopped and the piper was never seen again!
Here are a few things to look for in and around the caves:
- Razor Clams: The sands around the caves have many of these shells that look like old-fashioned cut-throat razors.
- Skate/Ray Egg Cases: Often called “Mermaid’s Purses.” These are black, leathery pouches with “horns” at each corner. If it’s leathery and soft, the embryo might still be inside; if it’s dry and crispy, it’s probably empty.
- Fool’s Gold (Iron Pyrite): Metallic glints in the rocks aren’t gold, but can look remarkably like it when light hits wet stone.
- Brittle Stars: Delicate cousins of the starfish with long, spindly arms that move like snakes.
- European Cave Spiders (Meta menardi): Also look for their distinctive white, tear-drop-shaped egg sacs hanging from the ceiling.
- Herald Moths: They’re drawn to the even temperature of the caves (a constant 7-10°C year-round, regardless of the Scottish weather!)
Please be sensible exploring the caves, especially with young children. They’re good fun but do get narrow and cramped in places and can be slippery underfoot.
Continuing west, you’ll then approach Portling Bay. Portling itself is a small hamlet, just a handful of houses above the bay.
Portling Bay to Sandyhills – via the coastal path (40-50 min)
Walk up the slipway and up the tarmac road bending to the right. Join the coastal path where the road then bends to the left (about 100m from the beach ///parrot.flags.refreshed), and head back east towards Sandyhills. The route undulates along the clifftop. Keep dogs on leads along this section – there are stiles and gates and livestock in the area.
The views from the clifftop are the highlight of this section, on a clear day you can see across the Solway Firth to the Cumbrian coast and the Lake District fells. Looking ahead, Sandyhills Bay opens up below you as you approach the final descent.
The downhill path back into Sandyhills is the steepest part of the walk and can be muddy after rain – take it steady.
Sandyhills Beach back to Serenity – 10 min walk
Once back at Sandyhills, retrace your steps along the quiet road back to the lodge.
The Portling Bay loop starts from Serenity’s front door, no car needed. Check Availability at Serenity 22
The Reverse Route
Prefer to get the clifftop views early? The walk also works just as well in reverse – coastal path first, beach on the way back. Bear in mind the steepest section then comes as a climb from Sandyhills rather than a descent on the way back, it can be slippery when wet.
Whichever direction you choose, the tide timing is the deciding factor – ⚠️ check before you leave and plan accordingly.
Getting There
The walk starts from Serenity 22 Barend – no car needed. If you’re driving to Sandyhills to start the walk, parking is limited to 30 minutes free or £6 for the day. Starting from the lodge avoids this entirely and adds just 10 minutes each way along a quiet pavement.
Planning Essentials
Planning Your Trip
Walk Distance: 5.6km
Time: 1.5 – 2 hours
Difficulty: Moderate
Tide dependent: Yes – ⚠️ beach section at low tide only
Dogs: Welcome, leads required in some sections
Start point: Serenity 22 Barend – 10 min walk to Sandyhills Beach
Navigation: AllTrails
