Parton Beach

The small coastal village of Parton lies just over a mile north of Whitehaven.  The beach here is composed mainly of pebbles and rocks, although at low tide an area of sand is exposed. 

The beach is not really the kind of spot to attract many visitors and remains quite undeveloped. Near the railway station, a colourful mural on the side of a cottage welcomes visitors who do make it this far. A tunnel under the railway line lead to the beach.

There was a port at Parton since Roman times.  The Romans built Gabrosentum - a small fort on high ground at what is now the northern end of the village. During the 18th century the port was a busy commercial centre, but a devastating storm in 1795 damaged the harbour and after this the village declined in importance.