In the extremities of the Furness Peninsula, Walney Island is renowned for its rugged beauty and billowing winds. So famous are the island’s winds it has the nick name, ‘Windy Walney’, and two wind farms 15 km off the coast to harness the mighty wind power. Walney Island hosts a number of fantastic beaches and allows visitors to witness amazing wildlife frolicking in the seas around it. If you are looking for great views, the coastal walks offer blue skies and seas that are reminiscent of views in the highlands of Scotland, these views can quickly become obscured by grey skies, rain and a chilly wind. If you face back to the mainland you get a glimpse of the industrial history of the area as you get a glimpse of the huge sheds used to build the controversial Trident Submarines.
Walney Island is a miniature version of an industrial town, the demographic of the people vary from the very rich to the very poor, as you would expect in any area. Children on the island benefit from being close to the nearest town and having access to beaches, areas of natural interest and a number of fantastic playgrounds. The beach on Biggar Bank has amazing views but poor water quality, although the water is normally too cold to entertain going for a swim. I am not sure if you can take your dog for a walk on the beach but apparently being a nudist on the beach is perfectly acceptable on the North Side (according to Thebeachguide website anyway).
The playground at Biggar Bank has been designed and installed by Playdale Playgrounds and fits in with the rugged landscape beautifully because it is of timber construction. The playground is quite unique in the sense that it is not fenced off so it really is part of the landscape around it. Children have many opportunities to climb on a variety of timber climbing frames, the old fashioned dome climbing frame is nowhere to be seen and climbing panels and trim trails take their place. Children of all sizes can enjoy the playground equipment because there are some playground springers tucked in amongst the bigger equipment. There will be no grazed knees in this playground because the roundabout is designed to make this painful pastime impossible.
A day out on Walney Island is never complete without an ice cream followed by a bag of chips on the way home.
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