A little trip out to Ulverston
Easter in Ulverston
Are you looking for something different to do this Easter? Then why not pop over to Ulverston, it is only 30 minutes’ drive from the hotel. On Tuesday 16th April (10am-4PM) at The Coro Hall, an historic arts, culture, and entertainment venue in the heart of Ulverston, there is an Easter Market where you will find everything from locally sourced food and drinks to ethically produced arts and crafts. Previous markets have included beautiful ceramics; lovingly crafted pottery and woodwork; exquisite handmade jewellery; breath-taking Lake District photography; homemade books, calendars, home, and décor items; and various assortments of tasty treats from cupcakes to vintage sweets.
After you have had a wonder round the market, there is still plenty to see in Ulverston. Ulverston is a fine market town in the centre of the Furness peninsula, with old buildings and a labyrinth of cobbled streets, and is the start of the 70-mile Cumbrian Way. It is the birthplace of Stan Laurel, and home to the world’s only Laurel and Hardy Museum.
Ulverston’s attractions include the new Lakes Glass Centre, which is home to Heron Glass, where you can watch the transformation of molten glass into spectacular works of art, and Cumbria Crystal, where you can watch the intricate hand crafted process of crystal making and engraving. It is also home to the Gateway to Furness Exhibition. The oldest building in Ulverston is St Mary’s Church, of which parts date from AD 1111.It was restored and rebuilt in the 1860’s, and is particularly noted for its Norman door and magnificent stained glass.
The Hoad Monument
A thriving maritime community developed when the Canal was constructed in 1796. Ships from Ulverston exported copper, slate, and linens around the World. Sir John Barrow, a founder member of the Royal Geographical Society, and an intrepid explorer, is honoured by Ulverston’s famous landmark, the Hoad Monument on Hoad Hill. The monument, which is a copy of the Eddystone Lighthouse, is often open to the public during the summer (if the flag is flying). From the top are breath-taking panoramic views of Morecambe Bay and the Lake District fells, and also the nearby Druid’s Circle on Birkrigg Common.
Nearby is Conishead Priory, a splendid Victorian gothic mansion, now a Buddhist centre, which provides historical tours at the weekends.
It has the world’s shortest, widest, and deepest canal, and is just a mile and a half from the sea at Morecambe Bay you will find the Glaxo Smith Kline laboratories.
South of Ulverston is the mouth of the River Leven, with the Leven Viaduct carrying the Carnforth to Barrow section of the Furness railway over the River Leven estuary.