Ulverston Canal was opened at the turn of the 19th century and helped to establish this market town as an important trading centre. For more than half-a-century the Canal Basin was a hive of activity with ships loading up local resources such as copper, slate, charcoal and gunpowder for export to Africa and the Caribbean. The returning ships brought raw cotton to larger ports destined for Ulverston's newly established spinning mills. Very little remains of the docks, warehouses, iron foundries and smithy, sail makers and timber yards that once occupied most of the land around the basin but, with the help of a few illustrative posters along the towpath, it's easy to imagine what it must have been like.

Some of the sea-going ships that used the canal were up to 100 feet in length and were towed by horses for about one mile between the lock gates at Canal Foot, where the canal meets the Leven Estuary, and the basin close to the town.

Our walk starts at the canal basin and follows the old towpath to the estuary. This is a really pleasant leisurely stroll and very popular locally. Hedgerows and fields make up the left hand side of the path with the old canal on the right. There are hundreds of ducks and wildfowl here probably visitors from Leighton Moss bird reserve which is just a few miles further up the Morecambe Bay estuary. There are fish in the canal and the towpath is a popular attraction for local anglers Ulverston Angling Association has run Pike Schools' to encourage people to take up the sport.

The walk ends at Canal Foot and the views from here across Morecambe Bay to Chapel Island and the Cartmel Peninsular are wonderful.

Route...

The Canal Basin is located just off Canal Street (the A590), at the eastern end of Ulverston. Approaching Ulverston from the east on the A590, before reaching the town, you will cross over a roundabout Booths Supermarket is on the left and there is a petrol station on the right. Follow the A590 for a further 50 metres or so towards town and then turn left next to the Canal Basin (1). Follow the towpath for about 1.5 km all the way to Canal Foot it is tarmacked and level and an easy route for wheelchairs. You will pass under the railway bridge (2) and then cross over a disused rail crossing (3). After a further 700 metres or so you will reach the disused lock gates at Canal Foot. The trail ends here (4) looking out across Leven Estuary and Morecambe Bay - the Bay Horse Hotel is on your right.

Getting there ...

Stagecoach runs the X35 bus services every hour or so between Barrow and Kendal stopping at Ulverston. There are also several trains operating every day between Carnforth and Barrow and stopping at Ulverston. Timetables change at weekends so call Traveline on 0870-608-2608 for further details.