Whicham

With no hotels in Whicham itself, most visitors base themselves in Millom or one of the surrounding coastal villages, a few miles from the foot of Black Combe. Options in this part of Cumbria tend towards traditional pubs with rooms, farmhouse bed and breakfasts, and small guesthouses, rather than large hotels, reflecting the quiet, rural character of this stretch of coast. It suits visitors who want a base for walking Black Combe or exploring the Duddon estuary and Hodbarrow nature reserve, rather than those looking for resort-style facilities. Millom itself, a short drive or train ride south along the Cumbrian Coast Line, has the widest choice of accommodation locally, along with everyday shops and services. Further afield, Broughton-in-Furness and Ravenglass offer additional options if you are happy to travel a little further, both within easy reach by road or rail. Booking ahead is sensible in summer, particularly around the school holidays, as the number of rooms in this area is modest compared with the honeypot towns of the central Lake District. Whichever base you choose, the appeal here is the same: direct access to an open, uncrowded fell and a working stretch of coastline, with Black Combe's summit path starting right from St Mary's Church car park in Whicham itself.

There is not much in Whicham itself beyond the church and the fell, but that is rather the point, and the surrounding area has some genuinely worthwhile spots.

• Black Combe — the dominant fell above the village, reached directly from the walled path beside St Mary's Church. A steady, no-nonsense climb to a broad summit with panoramic views said to take in the Isle of Man, Ireland's mountains on a very clear day, the Scottish hills across the Solway Firth, and the whole sweep of the Cumbrian coast.
• St Mary's Church, Whicham — a Grade II listed medieval parish church at the foot of Black Combe, recorded in the Domesday Book as part of "Witingham". The churchyard is known for its spring display of snowdrops, crocus and daffodils, and the church appears in Wainwright's guides as the customary starting point for the fell.
• Silecroft Beach — a long stretch of shingle and sand a short drive from Whicham, with the fells rising directly behind it and views out to the Isle of Man. A proper, unspoilt Cumbrian coast beach rather than a resort.
• RSPB Hodbarrow Nature Reserve — a coastal lagoon and grassland reserve near Millom, created from a former iron ore mining site. A good spot for birdwatching, with breeding terns, oystercatchers, redshanks and great crested grebes, plus free parking and coastal walking.
• Millom Heritage and Arts Centre — housed in the town's old railway station, this small museum covers the area's iron ore mining history, the Hodbarrow mines, local wartime history and the work of Millom-born poet Norman Nicholson.
• Millom — the nearest town, a few miles south, with everyday shops, cafes and the railway station on the Cumbrian Coast Line.

Options directly in Whicham are limited, so most visitors head into Millom or the surrounding villages for pubs and cafes. Millom has a small selection of everyday cafes and takeaways serving the town, along with a handful of pubs. It is a working town rather than a tourist centre, so do not expect a large restaurant scene here; the appeal of Whicham is the fell and coast on the doorstep rather than its dining options.

Whicham sits at the foot of Black Combe, and its open, grassy slopes look tempting for a night under canvas, but it is important to be clear that wild camping without the landowner's permission is illegal in England, including here. Black Combe and the surrounding fellside are farmed land, not open-access wild camping country in the way parts of Scotland or Dartmoor are, so any pitch needs the farmer or landowner's agreement in advance. The safest and simplest option remains a proper campsite or a farm pitch let with permission.

That said, this stretch of the west Cumbrian coast is good camping country if you find the right spot. The terrain is a mix of exposed, windswept fell above and gentler farmland and dunes towards the coast at Silecroft, so a sheltered, low-lying pitch is far more comfortable than trying to camp high on Black Combe itself, where weather can turn quickly even in summer. Look for small, independent campsites and certified sites in the villages around Whicham, Silecroft and towards Millom, several of which offer basic facilities alongside easy access to the beach and the fell paths.

Late spring through early autumn is the best window, when the churchyard daffodils have given way to longer days and drier ground, though this coast is never as sheltered as the central lakes and can be breezy at any time of year, so a sturdy tent and good waterproofs are worth packing regardless of season. For those who would rather skip the guy ropes altogether, glamping pods, shepherd's huts and static caravans are increasingly available in this part of Cumbria, offering a comfortable base with the same views of Black Combe and the Duddon estuary without the need to pitch your own tent. Whichever way you choose to stay, always confirm permission and facilities with the site directly before you arrive, since this remains a working farming landscape rather than a managed tourist campground network.