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Ulverston

It was way back in 1280 that Edward I granted Ulverston its market charter; more than seven centuries later, colourful stalls still crowd the narrow streets and cobbled market square every Thursday. It's a picturesque scene, but a walk up nearby Hoad Hill is rewarded with an even more striking view of the town. The great expanse of Morecambe Bay with a backdrop of the Pennines stretches to the south, the bulk of Ingleborough rises to the east, Coniston Old Man and the Langdale Pikes lie to the west and north. Crowning the hill is a 100ft-high Replica of the Eddystone Lighthouse, raised here in 1850 to commemorate one of Ulverston's most distinguished sons, Sir John Barrow. Explorer, diplomat and author, he served as a Lord of the Admiralty for more than 40 years, his naval reforms contributing greatly to England's success in the Napoleonic Wars. The simple cottage where he was born, at Dragley Beck, is open on Sundays during the season and by appointment.

An even more famous son of Ulverston was Stanley Jefferson, born at number 3, Argyle Street on 16 June 1890. Stanley is far better known to the world as Stan Laurel. His 30-year career in more than 100 comedy films with Oliver Hardy is celebrated in the town's Laurel and Hardy Museum in the Roxy Cinema on Brogden Street. The museum was founded in 1976 by the late Bill Cubin, who devoted his life to the famous duo and collected an extraordinary variety of memorabilia, believed to be the largest in the world. Everything is here, including letters, photographs, personal items, and even furniture belonging to the couple. There's also a small cinema showing the duo's films throughout the day as well as documentaries about them.

In April 2009, the pair were further commemorated by a life-size statue of them and their dog, Laughing Gravy. The statue was commissioned and paid for by The Sons of the Desert, the international appreciation society for Laurel and Hardy. Created by sculptor Graham Ibbeson, who is well-known for his statue of Eric Morecambe on Morecambe seafront, the piece was unveiled by veteran comedian Ken Dodd.

The oldest building in the town is the Church of St Mary, which, in parts, dates from 1111. Though it was restored and rebuilt in the mid 19th century and the chancel was added in 1903, it has retained its splendid Norman door and some magnificent stained glass, including a window designed by the painter Sir Joshua Reynolds.

Ulverston also boasts England's shortest, widest and deepest canal. Visitors can follow the towpath walk, which runs dead straight for just over a mile to Morecambe Bay. Built by the famous engineer John Rennie and opened in 1796, the canal ushered in a half-century of great prosperity for Ulverston as an inland port. At its peak, some 600 large ships a year berthed here, but those good times came to an abrupt end in 1856 with the arrival of the railway. The railway company's directors bought the canal and promptly closed it.

The town's other attractions include The Lakes Glass Centre, which features the high-quality Heron Glass and Cumbria Crystal. Also at the Centre is the Gateway to Furness Exhibition, providing a colourful snapshot of the history of the Furness Peninsula. There's more history at the Ulverston Heritage Centre, which also has a gift shop selling souvenirs and crafts made in Cumbria, while modern entertainment is provided at the Coronation Hall theatre complex and the traditional Roxy Cinema.

Back in 1999, Ulverston held its first Dickensian Festival, which is now a well-established and popular event, held towards the end of November. Many traders and locals dress in Victorian costume and there is a huge variety of free entertainment, free events for children, costume competitions, balloon modelling, horse-drawn carriages, music and dancing, a Christmas Market, plus a traditional fairground, complete with Helter Skelter, and lots of music from Folk to
Brass Bands.

The open area to the north of the town, known as The Gill, is the starting point for the 70-mile Cumbria Way. The route of the Cumbria Way was originally devised by the Lake District branch of the Ramblers Association in the mid-1970s and provides an exhilarating journey through a wonderful
mix of natural splendour and fascinating heritage. The first section is the 15 mile walk to Coniston.