LOW Furness is a genuinely charming part of the world dotted with attractive villages and hamlets between Barrow and Ulverston. It is blessed with extremely varied and unspoiled beautiful scenery. Surrounded by fields, farms and a head-turning coastline, the villages all have their own characters. Gleaston even has its own castle ruins and Urswick is famous for its tarn. Moving on to Aldingham and Newbiggin, residents have superb views right across Morecambe Bay

Travel

The roads may be narrow in places in Low Furness, but they are all well signposted and it doesn’t take long by car to get to any of the three major towns – Barrow, Ulverston and Dalton, all of which have a train service.

Eating out

Most of the larger villages have one or two pubs serving meals, while Ulverston, Dalton and Barrow provide plenty of choice, from traditional English to Indian, with a variety of takeaways and restaurants.

Education

Younger pupils go to Low Furness Primary School or Lindal and Marton Primary School, while older children can choose between Dalton’s Dowdales, Ulverston Victoria High School or a number of secondary schools in Barrow.

Sixth formers can attend Barrow Sixth Form College or the sixth form at UVHS.

Furness College in Barrow provides job-focused training and education.

Health and fitness

Low Furness itself has many local walks – for more strenuous walking, the Lake District is within a short driving distance.

Morecambe Bay is not far away from anywhere in Low Furness and there are guided walks across the sands or days out on the beach at Baycliff, Bardsea or Piel Island.

Low Furness is criss-crossed by footpaths, bridleways and green lanes, in addition to beautiful, quiet country lanes.

Birkrigg Common is a popular spot for dog walkers, runners and even kite flyers. Discover its ancient stone circle or take a stroll to the summit cairn.

For the little ones to let off some steam, most of the villages have modern, well maintained playgrounds.

Shopping

Take a trip into Ulverston, best known for its specialist and gift shops, or Barrow, for big-name stores and Dalton for its independent shops. All three towns have supermarkets.

Entertainment

Village halls such as those at Scales and Urswick can provide a source of entertainment, hosting small-scale sport, dance or concert events. Near Gleaston is the water mill museum, restaurant and country store.

In the main part of the village there is a green, football pitch, community hall and a children’s playground.

For more general entertainment, take a trip to Barrow or Ulverston, where you will find cinemas, concert venues and a variety of sports facilities.

Politics

The area is divided into two by political boundaries. The south and west come under Barrow Borough Council, while the north and east come under South Lakeland District Council’s Aldingham parish.

Highlights

Lovely friendly people, lots of interesting things to see, great countryside and coastline, loads of peace and quiet.

There are also lots of playgrounds for families to enjoy, and nature lovers are spoilt by the amount of bird life.