Bank End Ramble - Maryport

Walk Waypoints

1. 1 Begin your walk from the Maritime Museum. After taking a few minutes to read up on Maryport's long seafaring history, cross the road and head down King Street, to the right of the church.
2. 2 When you reach the junction of King Street and Brow Street, turn right. Straight ahead you will find your first challenge; the steps of "Back Brow". 109 of them!
3. 3 At the top of the steps turn left and walk up the grass path. Upon arrival at the top of this short path you are met with several fine Georgian houses situated near the delightful Fleming Square, where for many years the local market was held.
4. 4 Now turn to the sea brows and walk north on the road, away from the harbour. The final building before you hit open countryside is Senhouse Roman Museum.
5. 5 The Senhouse Roman Museum houses some of the most important archaeological finds in Europe and is sited near the Roman settlement of Alauna. Follow the hard surface path as it meanders down the sea brows.
6. 6 Eventually this narrow but easy-going cliff path forks. To the left you can take a short cut and enjoy a stroll back to Maryport along the promenade. Bear right to continue on your way over the second of three hills leading towards Bank End.
7. 7 At the bottom of the hill the path turns left and joins the promenade. Visible to the right is Bank End Farm and Maryport Golf Course which stretches away over the sand dunes to the north. Turn right and complete your journey to Bank End.
8. 8 Now turn back and begin your stroll along the long, dog-legged promenade to Maryport. The sandstone visible on the shoreline here stretches down over a kilometre underground and its surface shows evidence of being part of a desert landscape millions of years ago.
9. 9 Turn left off the promenade opposite the play area and continue along the road past Maryport Millennium Green.
10. 10 Follow King Street until you arrive back at the harbour.
    
    The Smugglers' Cave - Before the development of Maryport, the fishing village of Ellenfoote was said to be a haven for smugglers with Ellenfoote Creek used as a base of operations. It is said that near Bank End, there was a small cave with a hidden chamber and an underground passage which led the smugglers inland. The cave was filled-in upon the building of what is now the B5300 coast road.