Location Summary
Historic town on the south coast of Cumbria.
Birth place of Stanley Laurel (of Laurel and Hardy fame).
A 'festival town' with plenty of events.
Impressive tower - Sir John Barrow Monument.
Finish/Start of the Cumbria Way.
Website: Ulverston News
Getting There: Ulverston Railway Station
Fee: None
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Captain's Log
Sir John Barrow Monument
13/07/24
First Visit
Despite getting up at 06:30 and going for my breakfast at 07:00, I still didn't get out of the hotel until 09:15. I'd been drying out my camping gear in my hotel room after completing the Cumbria Way, and it took a while to pack it all back up again. In the lobby I saw a family of seven whom I'd met yesterday, heading northwards on the Cumbria Way. The husband had said their target had been Coniston, They'd been about 5 miles out of Ulverston and so had still quite a long walk in front of them. Their kids hadn't looked so enthused about the prospect ahead and I did wonder whether they would chuck it in during that frustrating stretch of the trail between Ulverston and Beacon Tarn. They were currently collecting all their cases together in the hotel lobby. Maybe I'd got it all wrong and they'd just returned to Ulverston for the night and were now waiting for a baggage transfer. I didn't ask since they seemed busy in organising their luggage.
I'd intended doing so much in Ulverston, but the late start and a midday train curtailed my ambitions somewhat. I first decided to walk to the railway station so that I knew where it was and didn't mistime my departure from the town. As I started walking there, I got a good view of the Sir John Barrow Monument up on the top of Hoad Hill. I'd seen this as I'd approached Ulverston along the Cumbria Way. The tower is 30m high and has a design is similar to the Eddystone Lighthouse (although it has never been a functioning lighthouse itself). The hollow tower can be ascended by a 112 stone step spiral staircase. I had wanted to go to the top, but there just wasn't time today. Sir John Barrow was a founding member of the Royal Geographical Society, and was of course, born in Ulverston.
Laurel And Hardy - Comedy Geniuses
Ulverston's railway station was on the other side of town and it took me a little while to get there. I walked on to the platform and it felt a little like the buildings of an ancient civilisation was being reclaimed by the Amazon rainforest. Panels were missing from the platform's roof and rain was splattering through. The remaining panels seemed to support a mixture of vegetation. There was a look of dereliction about the place. The departure boards were still working though and so I presumed trains still run through the place.
I wandered back to the centre of Ulverston and made my way to the Laurel and Hardy statue. Stanley Laurel (nee Arthur Stanley Jefferson) was born in Argyl Steet Ulverston in June 1890. He spent much of his time living with his maternal grandmother in North Shields and there is a statue of him at that location too (see Tour Of Tynemouth). He was of course a comedy genius and appeared in 107 films with his partner, Oliver Hardy. Their bronze statue is outside the Coronation Hall. There is a Laurel and Hardy museum nearby. I'd have loved to go around it, but there wasn't enough time and I didn't want to be rushed when I visited. I'd have to leave it for another day. As I was taking photos of the statue I was disturbed by some noise off to my left. I looked across and saw some people dressed in rather odd costumes.
Stan Seems Impressed By The Scottish Border Sword Dance
Manx Dancers
I'm Not Sure About The Hats
Ulverston is known as a Festival Town and looking at their What's On website, there does indeed seem to be a lot going on. Today, there was evidently some folk dancing and singing around the city centre streets. It was the Furness Tradition Festival according to their website. There was an eclectic mix of performances from groups such as Perree Bane (a Manx traditional dance, music and song group), The Newcastle Kingsmen Sword and Clog Dancers, and the Furness Clog dancers. I think the clog dancers did pretty well to stand upright on the cobbled streets, never mind dance in the things. Some of the bizarre outfits did make me wonder a bit though. At one point, I watched a woman doing a Border Sword Dance in front of the Laurel and Hardy statue. It looked like Stan was standing there watching the performance as an appreciative member of the crowd.
It was time to go and catch my train. At the top of Market Street, I saw a florist shop called Floral And Hardy. That made me chuckle a bit. It had been a whirlwind tour of Ulverston, but I'd seen enough to encourage me to return at some point in the future and make a more extensive walkabout.
My Walking Boots Felt As Comfy As Those Clogs Look, After Completing The Cumbria Way