The beautiful UK seaside town with ‘no tourists’ and houses for just £170,000 | UK | Travel

Despite being just a stone’s throw away from the iconic Lake District that welcomes up to 19 million visitors each year, this pretty seaside town actually boasts incredibly cheap average property prices. While living by the coast may be an unaffordable dream for many, this town in Cumbria is bucking that trend and has been described as having “tonnes and tonnes of potential”.

Cumbria’s Whitehaven was once one of the country’s biggest ports and remains home to an impressive array of Georgian architecture, only adding to the draw of the coastal town. In fact, Whitehaven’s grid-like is believed by historians to have been used as a template when New York was undergoing an expansion. Currently, the average property price in Whitehaven is around £170,350, based on last year’s data.

According to recent Rightmove data, a semi-detached properties average around £170,917 with terraced properties at £121,165 and detached properties £278,550. These prices all remain well below the current UK average of £268,400, according to Zoopla.

In previous discussions with the Express, locals who love their hometown said many visitors miss out in their rush to visit the Lakes, which are just 12 miles away.

Brian Pattinson, 76 at the time, said: “The nearest lake is 15 minutes away. They [the tourists] tend to stay there and don’t explore this part of the world.

“It is a hidden gem. [But] lots of people stay with us three to four nights and the first thing they do is get in the car and go to the central Lakes.”

Meanwhile, Sarah Reay, 33 at the time, had moved to Whitehaven from Birmingham and runs a bar called The Harbour Master with husband Sean Reay, 42. She said: “I always wanted to live by the sea – but I always thought I’d be in the south next to the sea. It’s definitely affordable compared to other seaside towns.”

The Whitehaven Coast is cared for by the National Trust, where you can find picturesque coastal walks, wildflower meadows and plenty of wildlife, including puffins and guillemots which nest on the cliffs, which are protected by the RSPB. Whitehaven itself has a small sand and pebble beach, where a coastal walk to the iconic St Bees Heads, the most westerly point in Cumbria, can be enjoyed.

For those on the hunt for a bit of history, the town’s museums – The Beacon Museum and The Rum Story – tell the tale of both Whitehaven and the Cumbrian coast and the town’s history with the rum trade. St Nicholas’s Church on Lowther Street is actually the resting place of Mildred Warner Washington, grandmother of George Washington, the first US president, who died in 1701 shortly after marrying her second husband, George Gale, a tobacco importer based in the town.

Whitehaven is also home to a vibrant array of restaurants and cafes, with a burgeoning foodie scene.

Whitehaven can be reached by car on the A595. Several bus services serve Whitehaven from nearby destinations, including Workington and Maryport. Whitehaven is also on the Cumbrian Coast Line, making it easy to reach by train.