Exhibition preview: Coast of Copeland, The Beacon, Whitehaven, until March 23 2013

Originally forming as a group of friends keen on photographing history in the late 1980s, in FOCUS have gone on to create 11 major exhibitions at The Beacon, where they have been based for the past 18 years.

Taking to the Harbour Gallery, this particular set of vantage points looks out across the 45-mile coastline of Copeland, where the beautiful and often remote beaches are home to nature and bird reserves, lighthouses, estuaries, seaside villages, industrial sites and numerous Sites of Special Scientific Interest.

“We hope that this, which is likely to be our last exhibition, will help to spread the word that there is so much more to see in the Borough of Copeland than first meets the eye,” says Alan Routledge, the leader of the six-strong team of snappers and local historians.

"Copeland’s coastline is truly an exciting and devastatingly beautiful place with something for everyone.

“We hope the viewers get as much pleasure from looking at our work as we did in producing it.”

• Open 11am-4pm (12pm-4pm Sunday, closed Monday and Tuesday). Admission free. Follow The Beacon on Twitter @TheBeaconMuseum.