After visiting Barrow, I decided to head back towards Kendal via the Coast Road. I had forgotten just what a spectacular drive it is.

Leaving the urban area behind, I joined the Coast Road at Rampside as stunning views open up across magnificent Morecambe Bay, a landscape both stark and beautiful.

The route hugged the coastline as I passed villages such as Newbiggin, Aldingham, Baycliff and then Bardsea, with its imposing church on the hillside to the left.

I stopped at Conishead Priory, which has a really interesting history, as revealed on its website. The current building stands on the site of a hospital, founded in 1160 and run by canons of the Order of St Augustine. It became a Priory in 1188.

Conishead Priory was seized by the crown in 1537, the building was dismantled and a large country house was later built there. The estate passed through various families, including the Braddylls, whose royal guests included George IV, when Prince of Wales, and Queen Adelaide.

Colonel Thomas Braddyll completely rebuilt the property after succeeding to the estate in 1818.

It changed hands again before being converted into a hydropathic hotel, which could accommodate more than 240 visitors and whose facilities included salt baths, tennis and a resident orchestra during the season. It had its own branch railway line from Ulverston.

The Priory was bought in 1928 for use as a convalescent home by patients from the Durham coalfields.

During the Second World War the building became a military hospital, with 8,000 in-patients receiving treatment over a five-year period.

The property was sold in 1976 and became what is remains now - the home of the Manjushri Kadampa Meditation Centre.

There are several walks through the grounds. I took the ‘Paradise’ walk, which leads to the beach. From here there are fabulous views of Hoad at Ulverston, the Lakeland fells beyond and the Cartmel peninsular across the bay.

As I watched a train pass over the Levens Viaduct in bright March sunshine I reflected on how lucky we are to live in such a varied landscape, complete with fascinating heritage.