An afternoon at Sunderland Point

ByWendy Mallins

If you're looking for places to visit in the North West of England then Sunderland Point is like stumbling upon a secret, it’s beautiful and its history intriguing.

This tiny village is situated only a couple of miles outside Lancaster on the peninsular by the River Lune Estuary.

The village can only be reached by narrow road over the tidal marshes which are flooded at high tide.

We spent a brilliant afternoon here, it felt like we were in the middle of nowhere, it had a strange old fashioned holiday style vibe to it.

Definitely felt like somewhere time had forgotten.

3 images, the image on the left shows a beach at Sunderland Point on a cloudy dark day, the tide is out, the image in the middle shows two young children on a coastal path, the image on the right shows the beach and out to sea at Sunderland Point on a cloudy day where a boat is visible.
Sunderland Point in Lancashire

A Breif History Of Sunderland Point

At the beginning of the 18th Century it was used as a port for slave and cotton ships before falling into disuse by the end of the century when Glasson Docks were opened

This is a naturally beautiful place to spend time, the walks are fairly easy although the beaches are quite rocky and there are areas of sinking sand.

A poignant part of a walk around this area has to be a visit to Sambo’s grave. History has it that Sambo was a slave left by his master at the inn where he sadly died a few days later. He was buried on unconsecrated ground. His grave is now marked and often found to be surrounded by decorated pebbles.

This is a good introduction to the history of the slave trade and would be great followed up with a trip to Liverpool to the Maritime Museum and International Slavery Museum - on of the great things to do in the North West of England. 

What To Do At Sunderland Point

  • Go bird watching
  • Looking for wildflowers
  • Enjoy the beaches
  • Take a picnic
  • Fossil hunting

Other Local Places To Visit Near Sunderland Point

  • Pay a visit to the Port of Lancaster Smokehouse
  • Head over to Arnside and Silverdale

Important Details For Visiting

  • take a picnic as there's nowhere to buy food

More Places to go

Wendy is the creator of Daisies & Pie, a UK food blog sharing easy meals and home lifestyle tips since 2012