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Map of Solway Firth.

The Solway Firth is a firth that forms part of the border between England and Scotland, between Cumbria and Dumfries and Galloway. It stretches from St Bees Head, just south of Whitehaven in Cumbria, to the Mull of Galloway, on the western end of Dumfries and Galloway. The Isle of Man is also very near to the firth. The firth comprises part of the Irish Sea.

The coastline is characterised by lowland hills and small mountains and is widely regarded as some of the most scenic lowland coastline in the British Isles. It is a mainly rural area with fishing and hill farming (as well as some arable farming) still playing a large part in the local economy, although tourism is increasing. However, it has also been used for the location of films such as The Wicker Man (starring Edward Woodward) which was filmed around Kirkcudbright.

Between 1869 and 1921, the estuary was crossed by the Solway Junction Railway on a 1780 m (5850 ft) iron viaduct (Edgar and Sinton, 1990). The line was built to carry iron ore from the Whitehaven area to Lanarkshire and was financed and operated by the Caledonian Railway of Scotland. The railway was not a financial success. After the railway ceased operating, the bridge provided a popular footpath for residents of Scotland (which was dry on a Sunday) to travel to England where alcoholic drink was available. The viaduct was demolished between 1931 and 1933.

The water itself is generally benign with no notable hazards excepting some large areas of salt and mud flats which often contain dangerous patches of quicksand that move on a regular basis. It is recommended that visitors do not attempt to navigate them without expert guidance. Also, the Ministry of Defence had by 1999 fired more than 6,350 depleted uranium rounds into the Solway Firth from its testing range at Dundrennan Range (see http://www.sundayherald.com/40306). The adjacent Irish Sea is another source of radioactive pollution, and Sellafield is nearby.

There are over 750 km² of Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) in the area, as well as the National Nature Reserve at Caerlaverock.

• Edgar, S. and Sinton, J.M., (1990), The Solway Junction Railway, Locomotion Papers No. 176, The Oakwood Press, ISBN 0-85361-395-8
• Ordnance Survey, (2003), Carlisle & Solway Firth, Landranger Map, No. 85, Ed. D, Scale 1:50 000 (1¼ inches to 1 mile), ISBN 0-31922-822-3
• Ordnance Survey, (2006), Solway Firth, Explorer Map, No. 314 , Ed. A2, Scale 1:25 000 (2½ inches to 1 mile), ISBN 0-31923-839-3

• Anglo-Scottish border
• The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust

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