Ulverston

Ulverston sits in the Furness peninsula of south Cumbria, a proper market town of narrow cobbled lanes, Georgian shopfronts and independent shops that has managed to stay resolutely itself despite decades of Lake District tourism passing largely by its front door. It was granted its market charter by Edward I in 1280, and Thursdays still bring stalls to the town centre nearly 750 years on. Look up from almost anywhere in town and you will see the Hoad Monument, a striking replica of the Eddystone Lighthouse, standing on the hill above the rooftops.

The town's biggest claim to fame is as the birthplace of Arthur Stanley Jefferson, better known to the world as Stan Laurel of Laurel and Hardy. His statue stands in the town centre and a small museum keeps his memory alive, giving Ulverston a gentle, slightly eccentric personality that runs through its festivals, its independent bookshops and its reputation as one of Cumbria's official Cittaslow ("slow city") towns. Beyond the town centre, the countryside opens up quickly into the southern fells and the shores of Morecambe Bay, making Ulverston a useful and considerably quieter base than the honeypot towns further north in the National Park.

Top things to do in Ulverston

Ulverston rewards a wander on foot, but there is enough here — and within a short drive — to fill several days.

• Hoad Monument — the 100ft Eddystone Lighthouse replica atop Hoad Hill, built in 1850 as a memorial to local explorer and Royal Navy officer Sir John Barrow. The climb up the hill is rewarded with views across Morecambe Bay and the southern fells, and the tower itself is open to climb on selected days through the summer.
• Laurel and Hardy Museum — a small, dedicated collection of memorabilia charting the life of Ulverston-born Stan Laurel, put together by a lifelong enthusiast and still one of the town's best-loved attractions.
• Stott Park Bobbin Mill — a working Victorian bobbin mill near Newby Bridge, in the care of English Heritage, where guided tours explain how the Lake District's coppiced woodland once fed the region's cotton and textile industries.
• Ulverston Canal — built in 1796 and reputed to be the shortest, widest and deepest ship canal in England, the canal's towpath makes for an easy, level walk out towards the Leven estuary and Morecambe Bay.
• Ford Park — a well-kept Victorian park with a walled garden, adventure playground and outdoor gym, popular with local families and a pleasant spot to break up a day in town.
• The Cumbria Way — the 74-mile long-distance footpath to Carlisle starts here, so Ulverston makes a natural base for walkers wanting to tackle a section of it, or simply the first few miles up towards the Coniston fells.
• Ulverston Heritage Centre — housed in the town's old courthouse, this small museum tells the story of the town's markets, industry and famous residents.

Getting to Ulverston

Ulverston has its own railway station on the scenic Cumbrian Coast Line, with direct services connecting to Barrow-in-Furness, Grange-over-Sands and, via a change at Lancaster, the wider West Coast Main Line network. The station is around five minutes' walk from the town centre.

By road, Ulverston sits just off the A590, the main route into the Furness peninsula from the M6 (leave at Junction 36, via Kendal). It is roughly 20 minutes from Windermere and around an hour and a half from Manchester or Preston. The nearest airports are Manchester (around 90 minutes' drive) and Liverpool John Lennon, with Blackpool and Carlisle Lake District airports offering a limited number of domestic routes.

Best time to visit Ulverston

Spring brings daffodils to Ford Park and the surrounding fells, plus quieter streets before the main Lake District season builds. Summer is when the town is at its liveliest, with the Hoad Monument open to climb and a run of festivals including the Ulverston Carnival and Another Fine Fest, the town's celebration of comedy and music inspired by its Laurel and Hardy connection. Autumn is a good time for walking the fells above town as the bracken turns, with the bonus of a quieter market. Winter is dominated by the much-loved Ulverston Lantern Festival, when handmade lanterns are paraded through the streets — one of the best reasons to visit the town outside the usual holiday season, though wrap up warm.

Where to stay in Ulverston

Ulverston has a small but decent spread of accommodation, from town-centre pubs with rooms to bed and breakfasts on the outskirts, plus caravan and camping sites within easy reach towards Morecambe Bay and the southern fells. Its position on the edge of the National Park, away from the more expensive honeypots, makes it a sensible and generally cheaper base for exploring both the Lakes and the Furness coastline.

Food and drink in Ulverston

For a small town, Ulverston punches well above its weight on food and drink. The Rose and Crown is a genuine survivor, a pub that has stood in the town for over 500 years and still pulls a good pint by an open fire. The Farmers Arms, a wine bar, pub and restaurant on the market square, is a regular award-winner for its food and range of local ales. The Mill at Ulverston brings together several bars — including a real-ale-focused ground floor and a cocktail bar upstairs — under one roof in a converted mill building. For something different, Amigos serves the town's only dedicated Mexican menu, while the Hope and Anchor is known for its live music nights. Ulverston's Thursday and Saturday markets are also a good source of local produce, cheese and street food.