Discover Furness
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Where to go
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Where The Lake District Meets
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Written by JPT Photography
o& Graphic Design
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What to do
What to see
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Discover the undiscovered in Cumbria
Bluebird Project Team Special Feature
Welcome to Furness
The area of Cumbria where the Lake District meets
the Sea
Attr action Links
F
urness is a peninsula in South Cumbria. The area is divided in to Low Furness and High Furness and juts out into the
Irish sea. The Island of Walney lies off the southwest coast of the peninsula with High Furness being the northern part
of the area. Much of Furness is within the Lake District and it borders along Windermere with Barrow dominating the area
with up to 60% of the population. Other main places in Furness include Ulverston, Coniston, Broughton in Furness, Dalton
in Furness, Askam and Ireleth.
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Towns and villages of Furness.
Aldingham, Askam in Furness, Backbarrow, Bardsea, Barrow in Furness, Baycliff, Bouth, Broughton in Furness, Coniston,
Colton, Dalton in Furness, Dendron, Furness Abbey, Foxfield, Gleaston, Great Urswick, Little Urswick, Greenodd,
Haverthwaite, Hawkshead, Ireleth, Kirkby in Furness, Lakeside, Leece, Lindal in Furness, Marton, Newby Bridge, Near
Sawrey, Newton in Furness, Roose, Rampside, Roa Island, Satterthwaite, Scales, Stainton with Adgarley, Swarthmoor,
Torver, Ulverston and Walney Island.
River Brathay - this forms the north boundary with Wrynose Pass.
Coniston Water, River Crake.
River Duddon - forming the western boundary.
Esthwaite Water, River Leven, Rustland Pool.
Windermere - this is part of the eastern boundary of Furness.
River Winster - this forms the rest of the eastern boundary.
The Islands of Furness.
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Walney Island - includes Biggar, North Scale, North Walney and Vickerstown.
Barrow Island, Roa Island, Piel Island, Foulney Island, Chapel Island plus several small Islets.
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o matter where in Furness you are, there is plenty to do and see. Whether you are a walker, historian, shopper,
photographer, bird watcher, thrill seeker or just someone who wants to rest, Furness has it all for you. There are top
quality hotels, eating establishments and bed and breakfast facilities all over the Furness area. There are also museums,
abbeys, castles, churches and excellent beaches. It’s all here so why not come and see us and see for yourself.
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Rivers and Lakes.
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Hill Top House
Beatrix Potter
Hawkshead
Lakes Cruises
Coniston
Donald Campbell
Gondola
Ruskin Museum
Cistercian Trail
Coniston Water
Traction Engine Experience
Kepplewray Activities Centre
Broughton in Furness
Swarthmoor Hall
Laurel & Hardy
The Hoad Monument
Duddon Iron Furnace
Thomas The Tank Engine
Kirkby
South Lakes Wild Animal Park
Askam
The Dock Museum
Walney Lighthouse
Dalton Castle
Furness Abbey
Stott Park Bobbin Mill
Conishead Priory
Barrow Golf Course
Ulverston Golf Club
Lakes Aquarium
Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway
Fellfoot Park
Barrow in Furness
Dalton in Furness
Lakeland Motor Museum
Furness Abbey Leaflet
Walney Kite Surfing
Cumbria Wildlife Trust
Cumbria Karting
Cumbria Bowling
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& Graphic Design
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or the full version please download
a copy from the iTunes Store r free
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Give us a call for a free estimate on 01229 466193 or 07969 087962 email [email protected]
Graphic Design.
Designer of all types of stationary, & printed advertising media
Letterheads, business cards, leaflets, flyers, calendars, note
books, posters, brochures, photo books, PDF & flash player media
for email and web download and epub conversion, postcards &
Christmas cards.
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Photograph repair service, photo transfer to digital media, photo
scanning, printing, picture file conversion, photo gift ideas and
much more.
Photography.
Landscape, wildlife, catalogue & architectural photography.
Other types of photography considered.
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Landscape Design.
Due to our experience in the Landscape and Landscape Design
industry, we can offer you a complete garden design service, site
management service and estimating service.
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or www.jptphotographyuk.com
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elcome to Furness. We hope you enjoy looking through the brochure. We have tried to put
in as much information as possible to enable you to see what is available in the Furness area
of Cumbria. Care has been taken to ensure that the information in this guide book is correct, JPT
Photography & Graphic Design cannot be held responsible for errors or omissions. Please check any
attractions are open before visiting as opening times may change without notice.
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Furness for you to discover
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here is plenty to do in the Barrow area from exploring the local and shipbuilding history at the Dock Museum to strolling
along the foreshore at Walney, to shopping in the big name stores in Dalton Road to watching a band on the bandstand in
the park. A short drive to the outskirts of the bustling town will take you to Furness Abbey, Roanhead beach and Rampside
where you can take a small ferry (or walk at low tide) to Piel Island to explore the ruins of the medieval castle and perhaps
visit The Ship Inn and meet the King of Piel. For those wanting a bit more activity, visit the Park Leisure Centre for swimming
and recreational sports, race go-karts at Cumbria Karting, kite surf at Earnse Bay or play golf at one of the local courses.
Barrow & Walney Area
arrow in Furness is a large industrial town on the tip of the Furness peninsula. In the middle ages Barrow, was only
a small hamlet in the parish of Dalton in Furness. Furness Abbey is part of what is now the outskirts of the modern
larger town and did originally control the local economy before its dissolution in 1537. Until the early 1850s, Barrow was
only the size of a small hamlet with little fewer than 32 dwellings, but after large haematite deposits were found, factories
were built for smelting and exporting steel and Barrow became home to the largest steel works in the world by the start of
the 19th century and grew to accommodate this rapidly expanding industry.
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arrow soon became a producer of Naval vessels
and production was accelerated in World War
1 and soon the yard specialised in the production
of submarines. The steel and iron declined after
World War II leaving Vickers shipyard as the
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main employer and industry. Ships built here were HMS Hermes, HMS
Invincible and HMS Albion and all 4 Vanguard class submarines. From
the 1960s the shipyard specialised in nuclear powered submarines and
remains the only submarine production facility in the UK building
the latest Astute class submarines. This site is now managed by BAE
SYSTEMS.
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Jubilee Bridge, Barrow
in Furness at sunrise
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It is advisable for wheelchair
users to check with the
Abbey before visiting due to
the terrain underfoot being
affected by the weather.
Phone 01229 823420
Furness Abbey
he Abbey of St Mary of Furness is set in the beautiful Vale of Nightshade. Surrounded by woodland in a deep valley in
the southern part of the Furness peninsula in Cumbria, it is one of the most impressive religious monuments in the care
of English Heritage. It was a well chosen site as the valley provided good shelter for the Abbey, a good supply of timber, and
stone for the building. The roads to the north through the town of Dalton, and low-tide tracks to the east across the estuaries
of the rivers Kent and Leven, provided means of inland communication. The haven enclosed by Walney Island provided
access by sea and communications with the Isle of Man and Ireland.
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ounded by Stephen, later King of England the Abbey first belonged to the order of Savigny and then to the Cistercians.
Furness Abbey at the time of Dissolution of the Monasteries in the 1530s was the second richest Cistercian monastery in
England after Fountains Abbey in Yorkshire. For over 400 years the Abbey enjoyed great privileges, possessions and wealth
and had a major influence on both regional and national affairs. The importance and wealth of the Abbey is reflected in the
Life Boat at the Dock Museum
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Ambush, the latest Astute class submarine to leave BAE Systems
for sea trials with the Royal Navy. Background photograph and
photograph above thanks to Mike Vallance BAE Systems
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Furness Abbey, A Little History
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Barrow Borough Council
The Forum
The Dock Museum
Furness Abbey Leaflet
Furness Abbey
Piel Castle
The Park Leisure Centre
North West Kite Surfing
South Walney Reserve
North Walney Reserve
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Ulverston Town
The Hoad Monument
Laurel & Hardy Museum
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in 1980 and in public service around Coniston Water.
Coniston
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Home of the Gondola & Bluebird
C
oniston is a great place for hill walking and rock climbing. Sitting
under the Old Man of Coniston, there are walks across the Furness
Fells and Grizedale Forest and some great rock climbing on the eastern
face of Dow Crag. The disused copper mines supply a bit of the old
history of Coniston and it is said that this is where the Cumberland
sausage originated as the mines were worked by German workers and
the sausage may have been created to suit their tastes. When you park
in the main car park in the village you can visit the fantastic tourist
information centre right in the car park. It frequently has exhibitions on
the latest events in the area.
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oniston has the third largest lake in the Lake District and has strong
links to Donald Campbell who set four water speed records in
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The Gondola on Coniston Water.
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Bluebird K7. In 1967 he achieved a speed of 320mph
(515 km/h) but this could not be counted as a record
as he lost control of Bluebird K7 before
finishing the second leg and died
on impact when Bluebird
somersaulted and
crashed.
Also
Monk Coniston, close to the centre of Coniston.
there was the poet,
artist and philosopher
John Ruskin who retired to Brantwood on the shore of Coniston Water. Arthur Ransome’s
Swallows and Amazons books were based here and of course we have the Gondola. The
Gondola is the oldest steam yacht in the north west. It was built in 1859 by the Furness
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Railway Company as an attraction for the tourists that were coming in to Coniston on the
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trains. The Gondola was put out of service in 1936 and it was used as a house boat until the
1960s then abandoned. In the mid 70s the National Trust restored it and it was back in the water
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ou can hire rowing boats, electric boats and kayaks, you can even sail in Swallow from Swallows and Amazons, click
here for more information on sailing events. Every year on Coniston Water is the Coniston Power Boat Records Week
and is the only event to bring together all the power boat classes.
Coniston Town.
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Large and small power boats race for the records week on Coniston Water.
Br antwood
B
rantwood was the home of John Ruskin and is the beautifully situated in the Lake District. Brantwood is a house of
historical importance and a centre for contemporary arts. There are displays in the house, gardens and estate that
reflect the wealth of cultural associations associated with Ruskin’s legacy. With the many exhibitions, concerts, special events
and courses and with it’s education work in the community, Brantwood continues in the Ruskin tradition. Brantwood has a
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lot to offer every one so while in Coniston please pay us
a visit. Take a look at our website for more information.
www.brantwood.org.uk or contact us on 015394 41396
Coniston Launch
C
oniston Launch offer Lake cruises and group charters
on Coniston Water. There are regular services
covering two circular routes where you can stay on for
the full cruise or get off at one of the jetties, have a look
round then catch a later boat back. There is also some
special cruises on Coniston Water like the Swallows and
Amazons cruise, a 110 minute cruise discovering places
like Wild Cat Island from the book. For more information
on the Coniston Launch contact us on 017687 75753 or go
to the website www.conistonlaunch.co.uk
Brantwood House
The Ruskin Museum
T
he Ruskin Museum has existed in Coniston since 1901 and was set up
by local artist and antiquarian W.G. Collingwood. It was set up as a
memorial to Ruskin and a celebration of the areas heritage. The museum
also exhibits other items relating to the copper mines, slate, geology, lace
farming and Donald Campbell. www.ruskinmuseum.com
Ruskin Museum
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Coniston Copper Mines
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oniston Copper Mines history go back over 400 years but the mining of
copper will go back a lot further. To get to the copper veins there were
ladders and staging and some of the mine areas were at around 1100ft deep
and about 500ft below sea level. Even though over a 1000ft of the mines are
under water it is still possible to go down 500ft through the vein system.
PLEASE NOTE, Do not go down any mines under any circumstances without
an experienced guide, even then your safety cannot be guaranteed.
www.ruskinmuseum.com/coppermines.htm
For
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Coniston Tourist Information Centre
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Coniston Old Man
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Copper Mines
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Coniston Launch
C
oniston Old Man is one of the most popular mountains in
the Lakes. It stands at 803 meters above sea level and is the
highest of the Coniston Fells. The Old Man and Dow Crag Walk
can be found at www.trekkingbritain.com The popular walk will
you from Coniston via Low Water and the slate mine ruins then
crossing Goats Hawse to reach Dow Crag. After you will descend
the Buck Pike and Brown Pike ridge to meet the Walna Scar Road
that will take you back to Coniston Village. Walk safe and have
a great day.
Coniston Old Man
Coniston Tourist Information Centre
T
he Coniston Tourist Information Centre is situated in the
main car park in Ruskin Avenue. This amazing TIC is run
by the Coniston community as a not for profit company. It is full
of information on the area and beyond, the staff are extremely
helpful and knowledgeable and the TIC it’s self is worth a visit
as a gift shop. Call for information on 015394 41802 or go to the
website www.conistontic.org
Lawson Park Farm
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Boating in Coniston
Coniston Institute
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B
roughton is an excellent base for walking due to the footpaths, tracks and bridleways made from years of work
in the woodlands, quarries and mines. There are plenty of eating and drinking establishments in the town. A
short distance from Broughton is the Duddon Ironworks which is considered the most complete surviving charcoal
fired furnace in England and shows how very large quantities of coal were used to fuel the furnaces to make pig
iron. Broughton in Furness is a very popular area for cycling and walking with pleasant walks along the River
Duddon. The Cumbria Cycle Way and Coastal Way are both near.
Broughton in Furness
B
roughton in Furness is a thriving
market town and is in a good location
for Coniston and the Lakes. Broughton
has some specialist shops and still holds
a cattle market every fortnight. Farming
is the main industry around Broughton
with sheep farming in the valleys where
Herdwick sheep still graze the upland
commons. The local trade in wool,
cattle, iron ore, copper mining and
woodland products helped build it into
a thriving town and it was granted its
Market Charter in the Elizabethan era.
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very scenic and friendly railway travelling through some of the
most beautiful country in the North of England. The railway
travels from Ravenglass through the hills, on the way are 7 request
stops. At times the railway will travel along a 1:55 gradient and
ending at the final destination of 7 miles up the line to Delegarth
for Boot Station. This was one of Wainwright’s favourite journey’s.
There is also the Ratty Kids Club, group packages and the Turntable
Café which is also available for functions. Please give us a call for
further information on 01229 717171 or email [email protected] or visit the website www.ravenglass-railway.co.uk a
leaf let is available HERE
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n the 1st of August every year while standing on the steps of the
Obelisk in Market Square, a proclamation is read to the people ,
warning everyone to keep the Queens peace and never to short change
any customers. Anyone breaking the rules used to be placed in the stocks.
The Obelisk was built in 1810 to mark the jubilee of King George III. Fish,
caught in Haverigg and from the local rivers were placed on the slate fish
slabs in Market Square to be sold.
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R avenglass and Eskdale R ailway
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Tr action Engine Experience
T
raction Engine Experience days are available from March to October for those
enthusiasts that want to combine a trip to a beautiful area of the Lake District with
the thrill of driving a real steam traction engine. For more details on times, dates and
pricing please call 01229 716578 or email [email protected] or go to the
website www.ringhouse.co.uk/traction
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Broughton information centre
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The Furness Area
Ask am Beach
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Hill Top
H
ill Top is as if Beatrix Potter will be back at any time due to her instructions
to the National Trust on how the house should be shown to the public. Beatrix
Potter believed that the public would like to see what inspired her to write the tales
that are known world wide. Children can read through the guide book that is The
Tale of Samuel Whiskers, and match the drawings in the book to the rooms and
furniture. Take a look at the website for more information. www.nationaltrust.org.
uk/hilltop
Hill Top House
oanhead beach is about 3 miles
north of Barrow in Furness;
the sea is unsuitable for swimming
due to the strong currents but the
views are breathtaking and the
sand is wonderful. The picture here
shows the view from Roanhead
beach across to Askam in Furness
and the mountains beyond.
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Roanhead Beach has sea, sand, great views and wildlife.
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Lakeland Motor Museum
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he Lakeland Motor Museum is an all weather attraction open 7 days a week. The museum is a fascinating place in
the Leven Valley at Backbarrow, Cumbria along side a beautiful riverside setting. There are roughly 30,000 exhibits
in the museum put together over a period of 50 years and the list of items is endless. The museum is an attraction that
will suit any person, any age, all the family will love it. The museum
also has a café and free parking. For more information on the Lakeland
Motor Museum contact us on 015395 30400
or email [email protected]
or alternatively you can browse through the
website www.lakelandmotormuseum.co.uk
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Left, some of the exhibits on show at the
Lakeland Motor Museum and right, the
Donald Campbell exhibition.
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skam Beach is on the edge of the Duddon Sands, the beach itself is a wonderful sandy beach with fantastic views
across to the mountains and Lakes area. There is a pier on Askam beach that is made up of slag from the old ironworks
and walking on to the pier from Askam brings on some wonderful views. Activities around the beach area include boating,
fishing and bird watching. From here you can walk to Barrow in Furness and the day trip is very rewarding offering some
fantastic views. The area is also a breeding ground for the very rare Natterjack Toad. In the town are shops, drinking
establishments and cafés. For more information go to www.britishbeaches.info.askam-in-furness-cumbria
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Askam Beach looking over to Black Combe
View of Askam beach with part of Askam on the right taken from Askam pier.
Lakeside & Haverthwaite R ailway
H
averthwaite Railway with its steam engines and
Thomas the Tank Engine days make it a really
exciting day out with trips from Haverthwaite to Lakeside
station. Also there is the Station Restaurant, Gift Shop,
Picnic Area and an Engine Shed to look round. There
is always lots going on so visit the website for further
information on the latest events.
www.lakesiderailway.co.uk or call us on 01539 531594
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Roosebeck
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oosebeck is a small coastal village near Barrow in Furness with some fantastic views across the bay and a sandy beach
on their doorstep.
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Roosebeck village above and the
sandy beach to the right.
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Scales
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The village of Scales.
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The village of Scales.
T
ravelling from the coast road through to the A590 you
will drive through some very picturesque villages and one
of those is Scales. There are some very attractive buildings
which will catch your interest as you walk through or drive.
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Campbell At Coniston
‘…I can’t see much and the water’s very bad indeed...I can’t get over the
top...I’m getting a lot of bloody row in here, I can’t see anything...I’ve got the
bows out...I’m going!’
Stand on the shores of Coniston Water today among the stillness and tranquillity
and it’s all too easy to still hear the crackly final words of a British hero echoing
around the hillsides as if Donald Campbell somehow became a permanent part
of the place as he died. In essence, he did- although he broke records the world
over, as did his father before him, the Campbells are forever linked to Coniston,
and none more so than Donald.
Donald Campbell was born in 1921, son of famous record breaker Sir Malcolm
Campbell and upon his father’s death Donald took up the family business of
speed record breaking, first with his father’s old boat Bluebird K4, and then
with his own turbojet powered hydroplane named Bluebird K7. (‘K’ being an
unlimited hydroplane, the 7th in line)
The cause of the accident has never been fully determined; the boat was well beyond it’s original intended top speed and
was operating at the very limits of it’s already narrow safety margins; the engine, which provided a vital safety element of a
slightly nose-down thrust, had been cutting out and needing relighting, including at the end of the first run that morning, and
as the boat finally stood on it’s tail there was evidently no thrust being produced at all. Perhaps, with the boat simply going
too fast for itself, this loss of the engine was the last straw; but we can only guess.
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Campbell was a media darling and public hero throughout the 1950s
and into the early 1960s when interest in speed record breaking was
still high, but times were rapidly changing with the advent of wider
world problems and new and much more exciting achievements such
as the ongoing space race. By 1966 when Campbell had decided to
try and beat his own existing 276mph water speed record again to
boost interest and raise sponsorship for a Mach 1 car project, media
interest was minimal and little sponsorship was forthcoming.
Against the background of a strained third marriage, huge financial
pressures and public disinterest, Campbell and his small loyal team
came again to Pier Cottage in Coniston in November 1966, the
ageing but faithful K7 refitted with a new, more powerful engine in
the hopes of raising the record to a headline-worthy 300mph.
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By the morning of January 4th 1967, Campbell was ready to make an actual run for the record; Bluebird shot from North to
South, recording a speed of 297 mph; Campbell would need to return even faster for a two-way average record over 300mph.
Without pausing to refuel or to consult with his team beyond checking his speed, Campbell turned and headed north again.
Bluebird peaked at an estimated 328mph but was already slowing rapidly by the time she’d reached the measured mile;
hesitantly at first, the boat lifted from the water, somersaulted, and impacted the water nose first. The initial impact was
hidden from view by the tons of water that were thrown into the air; by the time Bluebird cart wheeled back into view
moments later, it was evident that her entire front end was missing. The main wreckage came to a halt, the tail fin rolling
upright as she quickly vanished from view.
Donald achieved success the world over, running K7 on Ullswater and Coniston
in the UK and also in America and Australia, setting the World Water Speed
Record no less than seven times and in a first unlikely to ever be repeated, in
1964 he set both the outright land and water speed records in the same year.
Moments from impact, 4th January 1967
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Things started badly almost immediately- the boat’s air intakes failed under a full power test of the new engine; the intakes
had to be rebuilt and the engine replaced with the solitary spare; then the boat refused to handle correctly and come up
onto it’s planing points; horrendous weather caused endless delays. Throughout, the small band of press were pushing and
questioning Campbell at every turn, his courage and motives relentlessly called into question.
Mike Bull, The Bluebird Project
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And so, Donald Campbell died a spectacular death which would never be forgotten by any that saw it, be it in person at the
time or in the endlessly repeated newsreel footage that was captured. Gradually time moved on, and despite brave efforts by
Navy divers at the time, there was no sign of Campbell.
‘Campbell’s body was never found’ somehow added to the mystique surrounding the man and the water into which he’d
simply vanished. Coniston went on with its business, ever mindful and protective of the legacy that lay at the bottom of
their lake. Occasionally, the body of an accident or murder victim would be found and there’d be a few lines in the press
speculating about Donald, but it was never him.
30 years later, the scene was set for a huge resurgence of interest in all things Campbell; in 1988 the BBC had shown a TV
film starring Anthony Hopkins called ‘Across The Lake’, detailing the final attempt with a solid script and outstanding
performance from it’s star, the single broadcast of which spawned it’s own new generation of Campbell enthusiasts; by the
time Bill Smith came onto the scene a few years after that, the time seemed right for a new chapter in the Campbell and
Bluebird story.
The modified Bluebird being launched from Pier Cottage in Coniston in
November 1966.
Return To Contents Page.
A successful North East businessman and keen amateur wreck diver, Bill Smith began looking for Bluebird when he was
unable to dive in the North Sea during the winter months; hearing a song about Campbell by British rock band Marillion,
Smith was suitably inspired, headed inland and set about finding the mythical lost Bluebird.
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Thank you for visiting
Designed by JPT Photography & Graphic Design ©
Written & Researched by JPT Photography & Graphic Design
All Photographs taken & supplied by JPT Photography & Graphic Design ©
unless otherwise stated.
My thanks to all those that gave information for this publication.
Barrow Borough Council, Ulverston Council, Dalton Town Council, Broughton Town Council, Broughton in Furness
Information Centre and Coniston Information Centre.
Lindal & Marton Community Website for historical and general information on various areas around Furness.
Mike Vallance, BAE Systems for the Astute Photographs.
All photographs in this publication remain the property of JPT Photography & Graphic Design © and
no portion of this brochure can be used copied or changed in any way without the permission of JPT
Photography & Graphic Design.
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All Town Maps by Brian Miller
© Brian Miller & JPT Phptpgraphy & Graphic Design
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A very special thanks to the Bluebird Project and Mike Bull for the excellent article, sharing their story and pictures
with us. All contents and pictures on the Bluebird Project are copyright to The Bluebird Project ©
This publication is an ongoing project and new items will be added to it at various times. Keep an eye on the website for
any updates available.
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All the maps in this guide book are available at www.jptphotographyuk.com
All photographs are available through the same website or email:- [email protected]
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Tourist Information Centres / Information Points.
Barrow in Furness
Dalton in Furness
Ulverston
Broughton in Furness
Coniston
The Forum, 28 Duke Street
Dalton Town Hall,
Coronation Hall
The Old Town Hall
Ruskin Avenue
Station Road,
County Square
Broughton in Furness
Coniston
Barrow in Furness.
UnmannedDalton in FurnessUlverston01229 71611501539 441533
01229 46400001229 587120
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