'Viking' village of hidden beaches and stone cottages 90 minutes from Manchester

From Formby Beach to Blackpool, the North West is packed full of destinations if you fancy a day at the seaside. But among the towns and resorts along the coastline is a tiny village which offers something a bit different.

Nestled on the edge of Morecambe Bay a few miles west of Lancaster, the village of Heysham isn't short of quintessential coastal charm. Dozens of stone cottages dating back to the 17th century with names like ‘Seagull’ and ‘Cockle’ line the village’s winding roads and flower displays can be found in small wooden boats.

A nature reserve with woodland and coastal grassland borders the village, giving way to hidden rocky coves and small sandy beaches. Heysham is around an hour and 15 minutes’ drive from Greater Manchester, so it’s ideal for a day trip.

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As well as natural beauty, Heysham is a place rich in history and myth. On the grassy headland are the ruins of the ancient St Patrick’s Chapel which, according to legend, was built by St Patrick when he was shipwrecked off the coast in the 5th century.

The ruins you can see today are thought to have been built a couple of centuries later. Made of sandstone, the Grade I-listed structure is now looked after by the National Trust.

Next to the ruins are eight, body-shaped graves cut out from the rock, which were probably used for burying high status people and date back to the 11th century. It's an atmospheric location, especially when the sun is setting. The graves also have an interesting pop culture connection as they featured on the CD cover of Black Sabbath's 'The Best of Black Sabbath'.

The surrounding area along the cliffs is known as ‘The Barrows’ and hundreds of