Small English island with its own airport and huge seal colony reveals plans for new £1.5million walking trails
A SMALL English island with its own airport is set to benefit from a huge new £1.5million walking trail next year.
Located off the west coast of England, Walney Island is home to roughly 10,000 residents and is connected to the UK mainland by a bridge.
Walney Island is the largest island of the Furness Island Group, which includes other little-known islands like Barrow Island and Piel Island.
From next year, the English island is set to benefit from a new 1.4mile cycling and walking route.
Set to open in Spring 2025, the new route will be in North Walney and will reportedly cost £1.5million to build.
New kerbs have already been laid down, with street lighting also being upgraded.
In 2025, new benches and more lighting will also be installed along the route with a dedicated crossing being installed on Mill Lane.
The new route will make it easier for both locals and holidaymakers to explore the island.
Until the new route opens, there are several attractions to keep holidaymakers entertained.
The island, which stretches for 11 miles, has several beaches and nature reserves.
One of those is the North Walney Nature Reserve, which reveals wide expanses of sand at low tide.
Meanwhile, South Walney Nature Reserve is known for its Grey Seal Colony, which is the only Grey Seal Colony on the Cumbrian coast.
Around 500 Grey Seals have been known to rest on the island, with them visible at low tide or via a seal cam.
There’s also Earnse Bay, a sand and shingle beach that’s located on the Western coast of the island.
Earnse Bay boasts panoramic views across the Irish Sea, the Isle of Man and the Lake District mountains, and it’s also a popular spot for watersports like kitesurfing.
Walney Island is also home to its very own airport – although it’s used by the Royal Air Force and has no passenger flights.
Nearby there’s also Piel Island, which is home to just 10 residents.
One of the island’s main attractions is Piel Castle.
The castle was built in the 14th century by the Abbot of Furness to guard Barrow-in-Furness against pirates and Scottish raiders.
Set on the southeast tip of Piel Island, the castle is visible from Morecambe Bay.
In addition to the 600-year-old castle, Piel Island is also home to a pub called the Ship Inn.
Each time the pub gets a new landlord, they’re crowned “King” of the island.
The tradition dates back to the 19th century when Lambert Simnel attempted to usurp the English throne.
Two other little-known islands to visit in the UK
HERE are two other little-known islands to visit in the UK.
The Isle of Erraid, Scotland
The tiny Inner Hebridean Isle of Erraid is a tidal island, just off the tip of the Ross of Mull.
For an hour or two either side of low tide, the Isle of Erraid is linked to the mainland by a broad expanse of sand that you can cross.
But Erraid’s major claim to fame is its inspiration for the famous novel Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson.
Erraid is one of the driest and sunniest places in Scotland, with less than 1,000 millimetres of rain and 1,350 hours of sunshine annually, so you’re virtually guaranteed great days out on the beach.
Unst, Scotland
Unst is roughly 178 miles away from the Scottish mainland.
There are thought to be just 600 people living on the tiny island, making it the most northerly inhabited place in the UK.
Unst has just one pub, one hotel, one school, three shops and a lone bus route.
Skaw Beach, the most northerly in the UK, is packed with golden sand, and it’s backed by a meadow that’s home to an array of wild flowers in the spring and summer.
Because of its shape, the beach is fairly sheltered from the winds.
There are limited facilities at the beach, so holidaymakers should aim to pack everything they need before visiting.
Despite its remote location, around 100 people have reviewed the beach on Google, with one person writing: “Wild and wooly, with nobody around. The water was freezing, as you would expect.”
It’s also a haven for birds including corncrake, lapwing, peregrine, hen harriers and sandpipers and you’ll also see plenty of deer, hedgehogs and Black Face sheep.
Osea Island is a tiny private island where all of the celebs go, with A-listers including Rihanna, Stormzy, and Jude Law staying over the years.
Often dubbed the “English Necker Island” most of the famous faces visit for the recording studio – although tourists can book overnight stays on part of the island.