The Esk, Mite, and Irt all reach the sea at Ravenglass, meeting behind the long sand and shingle spit of Drigg Dunes. At low tide the harbour becomes acres of mudflat and salt marsh, a feeding ground for oystercatchers, redshank, curlew, and lapwing; in summer the dunes host one of the largest gull colonies in Europe.
The shingle foreshore in front of the village is open at all times; reach it by walking down the slipway at the end of Main Street. The Drigg Dunes National Nature Reserve, on the north side of the estuary, has marked paths through the sandhills but limited access during the breeding season. The estuary is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and part of the wider Drigg Coast SAC.