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Festival-happy Ulverston knows how to celebrate events. The party capital of Furness hosts a series of specialist events throughout the year, where visitors also get the chance to sample the town’s wonderful collection of cosy pubs, traditional markets and cultural hotspots. Add in the colourfully rendered houses, cobbled streets and inviting side alleys and there's enough of interest to keep you smiling for days.
Surrounding the town is the gently rolling farmland of the Furness Peninsula. Along the seashore are some lovely coastal villages; Bardsea, Baycliff, Aldingham and Newbiggin, these all have stunning views over Morecambe Bay.
On the road into Ulverston, you’ll notice the prominent Sir John Barrow Monument at the top of Hoad Hill. The uphill climb to the monument is worth it for the breathtaking views over Morecambe Bay and the Lake District fells.
Ulverston’s cafés, bars and restaurants reflect this truly unique, festival market town and wherever possible the menus use both local and seasonal produce.
Enter a different world of quirky cafés with certificates of excellence, selling homemade concoctions of oils, spices and pickles and all manner of other curiosities.
It’s an ideal time to browse while you’re waiting for your fabulous meal to arrive. Delicious Chowder, proper puddings with custard and all served up with a glass of cloudy lemonade. Or how about a visit to one of the cafes for breakfast? The full English is amazing with quality local bacon and sausages and then in the evening these excellent little cafes turn into Bistros, again offering the same superb standard of food. Sometimes you need to take your own alcohol with you, but this makes your meal excellent value for money.
Menus cater for Vegetarian and Gluten Free diets and many of the cafes/bistros are suitable for wheelchairs. But it’s not just the cafes which get all the glory here, there’s some pretty amazing pubs both in the town itself and in the surrounding villages of Lowick Green and Swarthmoor, where you’ll be offered deliciously inventive menus which go way beyond normal pub fayre. The service is spot on, while chefs are incredibly talented - and your superb food and cask ales are served amongst beautiful décor.
For a little unusual, how about an old converted barn turned bar and restaurant, the Cumberland pie is gorgeous and so is the local beer. Or if a traditional old English pub is your thing, complete with cosy fire, oak beams and Stan and Laurel memorabilia, then you’ve come to the ideal place for excellent food and ales kept in perfect condition.
For something a little bit continental, try one of the bistros offering beautiful Mediterranean tapas on small sharing plates, so you can try a selection of vegetarian, seafood and meat dishes, with explosions of different flavours and textures. Some of the bistros in Ulverston are tiny, but the atmosphere more than makes up for size, as does the quality of the food. And lastly but by no means least, Ulverston does fine dining impeccably. Cocktails in the gin parlour first and then off to the restaurant for a real taste sensation where you will be offered pure artistry - delicious food at its most creative.
The earliest signs of human life round here was on the limestone outcrops of Birkrigg Common and around Urswick, where finds dating back to the Bronze and Iron ages have been unearthed. At the time, much of the Furness Peninsula was covered with trees which were gradually felled over the centuries to create the patchwork of fields, farms and pockets of woodland that exists today.
After the Norman Conquest, Henry I granted the western forests of Furness and the whole of Walney Island to Stephen of Blois, crowned king of England in AD113, and the eastern section to William le Fleming. William's son, Michael, inherited the land in 1167 – as a result, it was known as the Manor of Muchland (Michael's land).
Ulverston was granted a market charter in 1280 by Edward I. Shortly afterwards, the Scots began raiding large parts of northern England in response to the king's attempts to quell Scotland and bring it under English rule. Large areas of Furness were devastated by the attacks, which prompted the building of several fortified buildings as defence.
It was after the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1537 that Ulverston came to prominence as a market town, whilst Dalton declined in importance. The fast-flowing Gillbanks Beck (now culverted under the town) provided water power for mills making cotton, paper, candles and other commodities. Goods including local iron ore and slates were taken by packhorse to loading bays at Ulverston, Bardsea and Baycliffe - a slow and laborious means of conveyance that was soon to be replaced by water transport.
By the 19th century, Ulverston was a thriving commercial port, exporting cotton from Ellers Mill, slate from Burlington Quarries, iron from its foundries, limestone from Stainton and leather from its numerous tanneries (there is still a Leather Lane in Ulverston). Other industries included brick making, paper manufacture and brewing beer. The malty aroma from Hartley's Brewery was a feature of the town until 1991, when it was bought out by Robinson’s, who moved production to Stockport.
Looking for something to do in Ulverson?
Our friends at Ulverston.com have Ulverston’s biggest Events Calendar which includes festivals, live music, community events, classes, club meetings, sports matches, pub quizzes, open days, etc.
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Bardsea - a lovely little village sitting on the coast road that takes you from Ulverston through to Barrow. The beach itself is mostly shingle and offers a wonderful view across the bay looking towards Heysham and Morecambe.
Gleaston - located between Barrow-in-Furness and Ulverston, this beautiful village boasts of a 17th century Water Mill that has now become a tourist attraction. Moreover, the remains of Gleaston Castle are still visable.
Haverthwaite - the famous Lakeside & Haverthwaite steam railway runs between Haverthwaite on a 3.5 mile journey via Newby Bridge to Lakeside station on Lake Windermere, where you can pick up regular steamer services on Lake Windermere.
Newby Bridge - Newby Bridge is located at the foot of Lake Windermere and offers magnificent views into the heart of the Lake District. Spanning the River Leven, the bridge itself is a lovingly crafted crossing made from local stone.
Greenodd - The extensive broadleaved woodlands of the Rusland Valley have not always presented the tranquil scene they do today. Leven and Crake valleys acted as conduits for the transport of goods and materials and at their confluence is Greenodd.
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Bike Hire of all types of bikes. Guided Bike Tours. Off road guided rides with instruction.
Electric bike charge point
Prepare to laugh until your face hurts in The Coro's contribution to Ulverston's funniest festival,…
Rhinos, Tigers, Giraffes, Lions and Bears living in the heart of the Lake District….this is…
Cumbria’s only Make Your Own Gin Workshops, hosted by the owners and distillers, Andy & Zoe. …
Gillam's is a high class, traditional tearoom located in a beautifully restored 18th century…
Thornthwaite Farm is set amidst the beautiful scenery of the Woodland Valley. We have four…
Great Fires of London – Norman Price is in trouble (again)! Join the ultimate hero next-door…
Manchester Camerata return to The Coro celebrating their 50th birthday year with Ulverston…
Electric bike charge point
Peaceful and inspiring Buddhist Temple, amazing Romantic Gothic mansion, relaxing café, gift shop…
Learn how to build a Cob Clay Pizza Oven - With expert tutor David Alty Come to the woods to learn…
Learn bushcraft or archery skills on a private country estate overlooking the Duddon estuary and…
Booths is a family owned and operated independent supermarket with over 160 years tradition of…
Come and join us at The Old Calf Shed for a behind-the-scenes look at our distillery, followed by a…
Want something fun and a little bit different this holiday? Try something new and exciting in the…
A warming, wintery concert played by the dynamic, energetic Jess Gillam Ensemble, featuring festive…
Why not take a break from your travels and relax in the warm, welcoming and nostalgic surroundings…
2022 Ulverston International Music Festival It gives us great pleasure to announce that the…
The Fourmost had its roots steeped in the eclectic 1960s Mersey beat boom and was part of the…
Steam trains running a seasonal daily service from Haverthwaite to Lakeside via the Leven valley.…
The Three Degrees are an American female vocal group, formed in 1963 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.…
Buses to and through Ulverston: 6/6A Barrow - Dalton - Ulverston. 11 Barrow - Roa Island -…
Buses to and through Broughton: X7 Barrow - Broughton - Millom - Haverigg.
Watching the sun go down over Morecambe Bay is the stuff memories are made of
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Lowick , NR Ulverston
Bike Hire of all types of bikes.
Guided Bike Tours.
Off road guided rides with instruction.
Ulverston
Electric bike charge point
ULVERSTON
Prepare to laugh until your face hurts in The Coro's contribution to Ulverston's funniest festival, Another Fine Fest.
Our headliner is the 'outrageously funny' Jen Brister (The Metro), a rising star of the British comedy scene. Fresh from recent…
Lindal in Furness
Rhinos, Tigers, Giraffes, Lions and Bears living in the heart of the Lake District….this is something you need to see for yourself!
Ulverston
Cumbria’s only Make Your Own Gin Workshops, hosted by the owners and distillers, Andy & Zoe. Welcome to Cumbria's, and possibly the UK's, smallest gin distillery! Based in the lovely market town of Ulverston, we're producing small batch, big…
Ulverston
Gillam's is a high class, traditional tearoom located in a beautifully restored 18th century building in the bustling market town of Ulverston.
Broughton-in-Furness
Thornthwaite Farm is set amidst the beautiful scenery of the Woodland Valley. We have four cottages including our 4 star VisitEngland Gold Award barn conversion and a handbuilt Log Cabin all with stunning views of the Lakeland fells.
ULVERSTON
Great Fires of London – Norman Price is in trouble (again)! Join the ultimate hero next-door Fireman Sam as he races to the rescue.
When all of his friends go away, Norman decides to find adventure in Pontypandy and become the star of a visiting…
Millom
Billy Joel is one of the best selling music artists of all time having sold over 150 million albums worldwide. His 12 studio albums include 33 Top 40 hits and have earned him 6 Grammy Awards, as well as induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame…
ULVERSTON
Manchester Camerata return to The Coro celebrating their 50th birthday year with Ulverston saxophonist Jess Gillam. Heralded by The Times as 'Britain's most adventurous orchestra', the orchestra pop up in all sorts of places, from concert halls to…
Ulverston
Offering peace and tranquillity, enclosed in 38 acres of glorious woodland, 5 Star rated Black Beck Holiday Park is nestled in the heart of Britain's Lake District, near Bouth. Black Beck provides the perfect setting for short breaks and extended…
Broughton in Furness
Electric bike charge point
Ulverston
Peaceful and inspiring Buddhist Temple, amazing Romantic Gothic mansion, relaxing café, gift shop and book store. Bring a picnic. Six minute woodland walk to beach.
ULVERSTON
Learn how to build a Cob Clay Pizza Oven - With expert tutor David Alty
Come to the woods to learn in a hands (& feet) on style, as a small group. This busy one day workshop will give you the knowledge to build your own oven at home, having had the…
ULVERSTON
Salem. 1692. The girls are caught dancing in the woods. The witch hunter is summoned. And a toxic mix of vengeance and fear is about to send a small community to the gallows.
Arthur Miller's The Crucible is one of the most popular plays in the…
Learn bushcraft or archery skills on a private country estate overlooking the Duddon estuary and Coniston Fells. We run various Bushcraft courses from fun half day sessions to more advanced full days. Maybe you’d prefer to try your hand at archery…
Ulverston
Booths is a family owned and operated independent supermarket with over 160 years tradition of quality food & drink retailing. We develop strong relationships with the best local suppliers and we are passionate about giving our customers a taste of…
Ulverston
Come and join us at The Old Calf Shed for a behind-the-scenes look at our distillery, followed by a relaxed gin tasting in our stylish visitor bar.
Welcome to Cumbria's, and possibly the UK's, smallest gin distillery! Based in the lovely market…
Ulverston
Want something fun and a little bit different this holiday? Try something new and exciting in the adventure playground of the Lake District. Take it at your own pace and make your time with us as action packed or relaxing as you want.
ULVERSTON
A warming, wintery concert played by the dynamic, energetic Jess Gillam Ensemble, featuring festive favourites and music from Jess's classical No. 1 albums.
A musical force of nature, Jess Gillam has been forging her own adventurous path since she…
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