Chapel Island

Visit Chapel Island

Tiny Chapel Island in Cumbria is a small rocky outcrop located in the Leven Estuary of Morecambe Bay. It is less than one mile from the shoreline at Bardsea and is part of the area known as Ulverston Sands. The island is approximately 450 yards long and over 100 yards wide, covering about 7.5 acres.

At low tide you can walk all the way out to it and explore this tiny beach. There are guided tours that safely take you across the sands.

Chapel Island is uninhabited today, serving primarily as a sanctuary for various bird species. Visitors are encouraged to respect the island’s status as a bird sanctuary and limit their stay to avoid disturbing the wildlife.

The island was historically significant as it housed a chapel built by Cistercian monks from nearby Conishead Priory in the 14th century. This chapel served as a refuge for travelers navigating the dangerous sands of the estuary. While the original chapel has long since fallen into ruin, a folly resembling a chapel was constructed in the 19th century by Colonel Thomas Braddyll to enhance the view from Conishead Priory. This structure is often mistaken for the original chapel.