Silloth on Solway
One of the most admired and best value links in Britain, Silloth on Solway runs along the English shore of the Solway Firth in Cumbria, with the Galloway hills across the water and the Lake District fells behind. A Willie Park Junior links of heather, gorse and firm turf, it has long been a connoisseur's secret at a fraction of the famous names' fees.
Photo: Silloth on Solway Golf Club via Google.
The verdict
Silloth on Solway is the kind of course that links purists talk about in hushed tones, a wild, heather clad gem on the Cumbrian coast that delivers golf of genuine top hundred quality for a green fee that would barely buy you a buggy at the marquee venues. Golf has been played here since 1892, and the links owes its current strength to Willie Park Junior, with a hand from Alister MacKenzie at the third green and fourth tee, so its pedigree is impeccable even if its profile is quiet.
It suits the travelling golfer who values substance over status, who wants a serious, characterful links and the satisfaction of finding it before the crowds did. Remote enough to stay uncrowded yet a manageable drive from the Lake District and the Scottish border, Silloth rewards the effort to reach it many times over, and remains one of the great value rounds in the game.
Silloth on Solway at a glance
- Founded
- 1892
- Designer
- Willie Park Jr.
- Type
- Links
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- 6,641 yds
- Green fee
- Around £60
Founding, designer, par and yardage verified June 2026 from the club and course databases; Silloth dates to 1892 and owes its current shape to Willie Park Junior, with touches by Alister MacKenzie, playing a par 72 of around 6,641 yards. Green fees are indicative, around 50 to 70 pounds depending on day and season in 2026, which is exceptional value for a course of this quality. Always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
Silloth is a proper links, narrow and heathery in places, with raised greens, blind shots and the constant Solway wind to factor in. It is not long on the card at around 6,641 yards, but the gorse and heather punish a loose drive severely, and the small, well defended greens demand precise, well judged approaches, so it asks for thought and accuracy rather than brute power.
The turf is firm and fast running, the bunkering is clever and the routing makes the most of the dunes and the views across the firth to the hills of Galloway. There is a real ebb and flow to the round, stretches that climb into the heather and others that run along the shore, and the wind can flip the difficulty of a hole from day to day. It is a course that repays repeat play and local knowledge.
Add the wide Solway skies, the birdlife of the estuary and the sense of having found something special off the beaten track, and Silloth gives you one of the most rewarding and best value days in British links golf.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | A members club that welcomes visitors through the week; tee times booked online or through the club |
| Green fee | Around 50 to 70 pounds depending on day and season in 2026, exceptional value for the quality (indicative) |
| Booking | Easy to get on by top links standards; still book ahead for summer weekends and groups |
| On the day | A walking links; a welcoming clubhouse with views over the firth in the town of Silloth |
| Getting there | Silloth, Cumbria, about an hour west of Carlisle and roughly two hours from the central Lake District |
| Best months | May to September for the firmest turf and longest days, with the Solway wind ever present |
Access and indicative green fees verified June 2026 from Silloth on Solway Golf Club; they change by season and year, so always confirm directly before booking with the club or your trip planner. Check tee time availability.
Where to stay nearby
The small Victorian seaside town of Silloth sits right beside the links, with guest houses and inns a short walk from the clubhouse, so a night or two in town lets you play the course in different winds and soak up its quiet charm. It is an unhurried, old fashioned base in the best sense.
For a wider trip, Carlisle is about an hour east and makes a useful hub, while the northern Lake District around Keswick and Bassenthwaite is within reach for a non golfing day among the fells. The Scottish border courses of Dumfries and Galloway are also close, so Silloth can open or close a links journey that crosses the firth.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Silloth and Carlisle.
Plan a Cumbrian links golf trip
We build quiet, great value links trips around Silloth, the Cumbrian coast and the border courses, secure the tee times and sort a base near the links or in the Lake District and the transfers. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Silloth on Solway questions
Who designed Silloth on Solway?
Golf has been played at Silloth since 1892, and the links owes its current strength principally to Willie Park Junior, the two time Open champion and celebrated architect, with later touches by Alister MacKenzie at the third green and fourth tee. The result is a heather clad links of real pedigree on the English shore of the Solway Firth.
What is the par and length of Silloth?
Silloth plays as a par 72 of around 6,641 yards. It is modest on the card, but the gorse and heather, the small raised greens and the ever present Solway wind make it a far stiffer test than the yardage suggests, rewarding accuracy and course management over raw power.
How much does it cost to play Silloth on Solway?
Green fees are indicative and seasonal, around 50 to 70 pounds depending on the day and time of year in 2026, which makes Silloth one of the best value links of its quality anywhere in Britain. Fees change by season and year, so always confirm current rates directly before booking.
Can visitors play Silloth on Solway?
Yes. Silloth is a members club that welcomes visitors through the week, with tee times booked online or through the club. It is generally far easier to get on than the famous names, and its remote Cumbrian setting keeps it pleasantly uncrowded, so it is an ideal addition to a quieter links trip.
Where is Silloth on Solway?
Silloth sits on the English side of the Solway Firth in Cumbria, about an hour west of Carlisle and roughly two hours from the central Lake District. It looks across the water to the Galloway hills of southwest Scotland, with the Lakeland fells rising behind, in one of the more remote and beautiful settings in English golf.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Founding, designer, par and yardage verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.