Cumbria Coast Tourist Information Lake District

Barrow in Furness

It's a Wonderful Life - This region of Cumbria, once Lancashire, does have that 19th century Lancashire industrial history ring about it. Particularly around Barrow-in-Furness, home to one of the most prosperous shipbuilding industries in the country.

Barrow-in-Furness, the cream of Lancashire or now historic maritime gateway to the lakes or daa 'where the Lakes meet the sea'. You can't get away from it though, Barrow has that Lancashire feel, especially in it's industrial and social history.

With the stunning drama of the Lake District National Park nearby, it's perhaps easy to overlook the nearby beauty of long and narrow Walney Island, connected to Barrow-in-Furness by a small bridge and tucked between the Duddon and Morecambe Bay Estuaries.

Now a perfect haven for wildlife, the sand dunes, shingle, open pools, salt marshes and mudflats are typical of the Morecambe Bay environment and here at Walney they're home to Europe's largest colony of Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gulls and Eider bree.

• Barrow in Furness Hotels
• Barrow in Furness Guest House
• Barrow in Furness Holiday Cottages

Whitehaven and Maritime and Mining History

Whitehaven's port is Georgian, and this port was once the third largest in the country. Much rejuvenation work has been put into this historic seaside port in recent times, making it now somewhat a tourist mecca.

Take in the spectacular Georgian architecture, with the many elaborate and colourful houses occupied by prosperous trading merchants and sea captains. Along the promenade take a stroll and enjoy superb views of the harbour, plus a series of themed maritime themed sculptures. Visit the superb Haig Mining Museum, on the site of Haig Pit, the last mine to close in Cumbria in the 1980s.

• Whitehaven Hotels
• Holiday Cottage in Whitehaven
• Whitehaven B&B

Ulverston, Ulverston Fishing & Stan Laurel

Ulverston is famous for being the birthplace of Stan Laurel. It's also rather famous for it's canal fishing! Ulverston has true character, with a superb cinema, and a great contemporary arts centre - the Lantern. Specialist shopping, pubs, restaurants and tea rooms galore as well - bonus!

Take a brief stroll up Hoad Hill to the interestingly Eddystone lighthouse shaped Sir John Barrow monument (he was founder member of the Royal Geographical Society by the way and he liked exploring). There's so much to do around this area. Ulverston has that quirky Lancashire feel - love it!

Ulverston has two excellent spots for Coarse fishing, Ulverston Canal and Sandhall Ponds. Superb Trench, Pike and Carp fishing are to be had here in Ulverston on it's very own canal and at Sandhall Ponds. Check out manmade Knottallow Tarn also.

• Ulverston Hotels
• Bed and Breakfast in Ulverston
• Ulverston B&B

Maryport, Workington & Roman and Mining History

Henry Ismay who founded the White Star Line, builders of the Titanic, was born in Maryport in 1837. Maryport really has to be one of the most charming and soothing little harbour towns in the whole of the UK. It's history is long and perfectly expressed in it's catch phrase '2000 years of the sea'. The town is littered with Roman, Georgian, Victorian and industrial markings.

Check out also one of the best collections of Roman artefacts in the UK at the Senhouse Roman Museum which is located on the site of what is thought to have been one of the largest Roman forts in the North, the cliff top Roman fort of Alauna.

Have you really seen Cumbria if you haven't ventured outside the Lake District National Park? This stretch of coast has a fascinating and beleaguered industrial history, which could do with a bit more exploration in local museums!

Workington along with Maryport were important strategic towns during the industrial revolution and were built up on old industries such as coal mining, iron and steel. These industries prospered because of the close proximity of this West Coast to Ireland, and cities like Dublin really were built off the back of Cumbrian coal.

• Workington Accommodation
• Maryport Hotels
• Workington B&B

Solway Firth

The hamlet of Silloth, takes it's name from Cistercian monks at Holme Cultram Abbey, in nearby Abbeytown who named it so after the silos known as lathes in which grain was stored. Being by the sea, it then became sea-lathes which somehow became Silloth.

Perfect for a slightly different seaside base and painted by such prestigious landscape artists such as Turner, Silloth benefits from a position on both the Cumbria Coastal Way and the Cumbria Cycle Way.

• Solway Firth Holiday Cottages
• B&B in Solway Firth
• Solway Firth Holiday Parks

Seascale to Millom - Sellafield Visitors Centre

Seascale is the only village on the Cumbrian coast, and it does have deep roots, having first been an early Norse settlement, followed by Roman settlement. Seascale, courtesy of the Furness West Coast Railway Company, was once a Victorian favourite seasi

There's plenty of golf, bowling and local village cricket however which is highly recommended! It's a beautiful coastline with views across to the Isle of man.

• Seascale Holiday Parks
• Seascale B&B
• Seascale Hotels

Sellafield Visitors Centre

Now, prepare yourself for a surreal experience, 'How will you react? The Sellafield new 'independent' interactive exhibition is produced by the Science Museum, London for BNFL. Lots of interactive buttons to push for the kids here, and there certainly is a debate going on over the use of nuclear energy.